Racial Justice

Our nation and our state are continuing to reckon with and work to end our unacceptable racial inequities. Over the years I have served in the Legislature we’ve enacted a number of measures to fight racism. These range from ‘fair and impartial policing’ policies, to improving inclusive educational policy, to environmental justice measures, to increasing the minimum wage, to continuing our work reforming our criminal justice system. In addition, we have recognized the need to address systemic racism in state government, and have hired a Racial Equity Director, Xusana Davis, and created the Racial Equity Advisory Panel. We now need to support this work with meaningful appropriations and resources.

While Vermont has made progress righting centuries of wrongs, it still has a long way to go. We need to address the growing inequality in our economic system, make our criminal justice system more just, and remove impediments in our educational system. In recent sessions, the Vermont Legislature has re-focused its attention on justice reform, improving policing practices and continuing the ongoing work of developing a criminal justice system that keeps everyone safe while playing a constructive role in our communities. We look to better coordinating our mental health and substance abuse professionals with our public safety community. This work is never complete, but I am committed to supporting justice and equity for all Vermonters.