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 funding a 1st generation home owner’s down payment assistance program, to increasing the minimum wage, to continuing our work reforming our criminal justice system. And, several years ago, Vermont recognized the need to address systemic racism in state government, and hired a Racial Equity Director, Xusana Davis, and created the Racial Equity Advisory Panel. We need to continue to support this work with meaningful appropriations and resources.

In addition, we successfully updated our Vermont State constitution in 2022, prohibiting slavery in any form in Vermont, and this year, we passed Proposal 4, a new constitutional amendment which would embed equal rights for all Vermonters. This amendment would, if passed in the next biennium, be on the election ballot in November 2026.

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 continue the work of 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.