The first in a series of virtual forums conducted by Elon University focused on race and policing started this week.
With panelists who included Burlington City officials and community activists, The CoRE, or Conversations on Race and Equity, is organized by Prof. Prudence Layne of Elon University.
Layne said the idea was born when local police chiefs reached out to her after the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police officers earlier this year.
“Some of the local police chiefs and I were talking after the George Floyd incident and they were all eager to hear from their constituents," said Layne. "I offered to find a way to facilitate those dialogues and the idea for The CoRE was born.”
The first forum, “Burlington, N.C.: Divided or United?” which took place over Zoom, featured Burlington officials – Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Hykes, City Manager Hardin Watkins and Police Chief Jeffrey Smythe. Also in attendance were community activists Mon Holms and DeJuana Warren-Bigelow.
The inaugural discussion began with a question about what issues activists would like to see addressed in Burlington. Warren-Bigelow, a community activist, said “she would love to see more of one Burlington.”
There are two Burlingtons, she said, the eastside and the westside.
“I would like to drive from one end of Burlington to the other end and see the same thriving businesses, the same beautiful homes, and the same attraction.”
Asked about the Burlington Police department’s relationship with the community, “I think we are in a good place,” said Smythe.
The chief touts his agency’s longstanding community outreach efforts. He said in 2014 the department coined the term "'trust with transparency' and that’s when we kicked the doors opened, and we said come to our community police academies, come to our ride along with us,” he said.
As part of the department’s community outreach efforts a community response team, which is made up of community activists and serve as a liaison between the community and the police, was created. Smythe said some of the reforms demanded by activists are already in place, saying his department has been “ahead of the curve” in some cases. However, he agrees that there is still room to grow. “But we are on a path that positions us to listen and act, and so I do spend a lot of time listening and then a lot of time acting.”
Holms agreed with the Smythe’s description of the department’s community outreach efforts and implored other city officials to engage in similar practices.
“To actually bring change, you have to step over that line,” Holms said. “You have to do like Chief Smythe. He comes out into the community and he talks to Black people. I feel like the chief of police – and I thought I would never say this – is my friend now.”
On issues of diversity and inclusion, Hykes said the city council has taken various steps to achieve this goal: “We try to recruit people to be on boards. We try to recruit people to be on our committees,” she said. “I think really our vision is that we be an inclusive community. If that’s not happening, I would like to hear about it.”
Another issue raised was whether there were specific plans to help improve the economic status of African-American communities in Burlington. Hykes said while there isn’t a specific plan tailored to African Americans, there is an “economic development plan … that would improve the wages of people in our community.” And Watkins also said that funding opportunities for low- or moderate-income communities would be announced soon, along with loans for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
But Layne interjected, urging council members to reimagine their plans.
“I appreciate that, but the council members need to reconsider their vision and not just about paying people better wages or jobs, “she said. “We are talking about building wealth as in generational wealth. I think what people of color lack are opportunities for investment. It all begins with ownership and thinking beyond just $15 an hour or livable wage but really factor into an entrepreneurial mindset.”
Future forum topics and dates include:
- Aug. 3: Defund, Dismantle or Defend the Police?
- Aug. 10: The Clash of “Black and Blue”
- Aug. 17: Immigration
- Aug 24: Elon (NC): Safe and Bold for Whom?
- Aug. 31: Capping the School-to-Prison Pipeline
- Sept. 7: The State of our Mental Health
For more information, follow The CoRE on Facebook. Panel discussions will also be shared on The CoRE’s YouTube page.
REPORTER'S NOTE: Ahmed Jallow is the new Social Justice Watchdog reporter for the Times-News. He previously was a freelance journalist in New York City, where he covered juvenile justice, housing, and homelessness. If you want him to look into something related to social justice, please email him at ajallow@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Times-News: A Series Of Online Forums Exploring Race And Equity In Burlington Began Earlier This Week
