Diversity Inclusion & Racial Equity

The City of College Park is bringing together a cross section of our community to discuss race relations and how we can begin healing. This will be a chance for knowledgeable and invested voices to share space to discuss the importance of real change and how to move forward. The purpose is to have an honest conversation, not a debate.

All virtual forums are available in the Youtube playlist here (click the icon at the top right of the video to view all four forums).

On June 30, 2020, the City of College Park brought together a cross section of our community to discuss race relations and how we can begin healing. This was a chance for knowledgeable and invested voices to share space to discuss the importance of real change and how to move forward. The purpose was to have an honest conversation, not a debate. Panelists included representatives from: Prince George’s County & UMD Police Departments, State, County, and Local Elected Officials, Experts in the Field of Racial Equity, and Community Members.

On September 25, 2020 the second Virtual Forum’s topic focused on Policing and Black Lives Matter. Panelists included the Prince George's County Police Department, Dr. Oscar Barbarin (Professor and Chair of the University of Maryland's African American Studies Department), and Dr. Kim Nickerson (Assistant Dean for Diversity, Diversity Officer and Equity Administrator for the University of Maryland's College of Behavioral and Social Sciences).

The third virtual forum on November 5, 2020's topic was on Racial Equity. Panelists included Dr. Stephen Thomas of the University of Maryland's School of Public Health, State Delegate Joselin Peña-Melnyk, and City staff.

The City held it's fourth virtual forum on January 25, 2021 regarding the Lakeland community and restorative justice. This forum discussed the history/urban renewal, restorative justice and had community input. Panelists included Willow Lung Amam, Curt Rhodes, Johonna Turner, and Maxine Gross. The panel will be moderated by Council Member Monroe Dennis. A video about the history of Lakeland and its community was shown during the forum.

In September 2019, the City of College Park joined an initiative to advance racial equity sponsored by the Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG) and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). GARE is a national network of governments working to achieve racial equity for all by providing a training curriculum, policies, plan development, and facilitators.

Ten other local jurisdictions have participated in the nine-month cohort. The staff noted above attended monthly training sessions led by GARE trainers and discussed potential projects in College Park. The trainings focused on practices local and regional government can take to proactively work to advance racial equity, focusing on eliminating inequities and increasing success for all. Although COVID-19 interrupted the on-site meetings, it and many other national events brought racial inequities to the forefront and have highlighted the significant work that must be done.

A presentation to Mayor and Council on July 7, 2020 briefly described GARE and its approach to addressing racial inequity and discussed the projects the College Park team started utilizing GARE’s racial equity toolkit. Click here to watch the presentation.

On June 9, 2020 the City of College Park passed Resolution 20-R-16 (attached) “Renouncing the Systematic Racism and Declaring Support of Black Lives.” The Mayor and Council voted unanimously to “acknowledge and apologize for our City’s past history of oppression, particularly with regards to the Lakeland community, and actively seek opportunities for accountability and truth-telling about past injustice, and aggressively seek opportunities for restorative justice.”

To this end, the Mayor and Council plan to establish a Restorative Justice Commission. As a first step toward this goal, the City is establishing a Steering Committee to help guide the process.

The Steering Committee will be asked to:

• Draft a proposed purpose, scope of work, and goals for the Restorative Justice Commission.

• Recommend the composition of the Restorative Justice Commission.

• Draft a proposed framework and timeline for the Restorative Justice Commission.

• Identify resources and facilitators that the City Council could consider to help ensure this process will be successful.

The Steering Committee will be asked to complete its work within a short period of time, and its work will be done upon the presentation of its recommendations to the City Council.

To apply for the Restorative Justice Commission's Steering Committee, please click here - applications are due March 1, 2021. For more information, visit: https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=226.

Restorative Justice is an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm committed against the victim and the community. Often our understanding of justice focuses on punishing the offender. Howard Zehr, one of the early proponents of this approach, said it is based on harms and needs; obligation to make things right; and the engagement of the community. Initially restorative justice was used to deal with property crimes and issues within the criminal justice system, but its use has expanded to address historic wrongs against groups of people.

The Centre for Justice and Reconciliation defines restorative justice as “a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that allow all willing stakeholders to meet, although other approaches are available when that is impossible. This can lead to transformation of people, relationships and communities.”

The harms imposed on the Lakeland community, the interest of residents to engage in a process of restorative justice, and the City’s acknowledgment of its role and responsibility provide an opportunity to apply a restorative justice approach to collectively repair the harms.

In November 2020 the Mayor and Council received a presentation from Lakeland residents who called for the start of a restorative justice process. This process could begin with the establishment of a Restorative Justice Commission to recommend a structure and process for restorative justice work regarding systemic racism in the City of College Park. Like the Council resolution, the Lakeland residents suggested the Commission focus on the harm caused to the historic African American community of Lakeland, and they also offered to help with the process.

PROCLAMATION FOR JUNETEENTH NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY

The City’s Mayor and Council has proclaimed and recognized that June 19, 2020 as Juneteenth National Freedom Day to acknowledge the historical significance of the day, and to recommit the City to working toward the dismantling of institutionalized racism.

Juneteenth, or June 19th, is celebrated each year as the date when the last enslaved people in the United States were freed, and commemorates the spontaneous celebration that erupted among African-Americans upon learning of their freedom.

Juneteenth National Freedom Day recalls how former slaves celebrated the abolishment of slavery with excitement and great joy, and serves as a reminder to all Americans of the status and importance of Americans of African descent.

Diversity inclusion, Racial equity
& Restorative Justice

Black Lives Matter

GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE & EQUITY (GARE)

Black Lives Matter Banners

Restorative Justice

Juneteenth National Freedom Day

PROCLAMATION FOR JUNETEENTH NATIONAL FREEDOM DAY