The Communities of Color Coalition (C3) of Snohomish County is a community-based, grassroots organization whose members work toward creating a bias- and racist-free society with a greater understanding and acceptance of each other.
After overt racial incidents occurred in our county recently, we worked with community activist and C3 member J.J. Frank to hold a series of racial dialogues in four geographical areas of the county: Monroe, Lynnwood, Everett and Arlington. Community members, as well as government, school and law enforcement officials were invited to participate in these open discussions dealing with race. In addition, in Monroe we provided Spanish interpreters to assist community members and increase participation. During this five-month period, more than 250 people participated in this first such endeavor in our county.
Seven weeks after the last community discussion, C3 presented the results of this effort at a public meeting hosted by the Everett Community College Diversity and Equity Center. All participants in the earlier community meetings, as well as the general public, were invited. About 75 people attended, including representatives from the county, cities, school districts, law enforcement and the Puget Sound Regional Council. They found out what the people of Snohomish County had to say about what they perceived the race-related issues to be and possible solutions to these issues. The report and recommendations were divided into the areas of education, economic development, law enforcement and employment.
In addition, C3 has been involved in bringing minority parents and students together in meetings with school administrators and staff so that an understanding and communication could be established. Parents and students feel that there is, to some degree, a hostile environment at school, as well as a lack of support and understanding of students of color. Lines of communication were opened and C3 will be holding additional meetings.
The responses from the community to C3’s efforts have been positive. C3’s ability to get community members to the table, facilitate meaningful dialogue on the difficult issue of race relations, and a proven record of being able to get things done in a timely manner have led many governmental administrators to express a desire to work hand-in-hand with C3 to address these very hard issues.
C3 will be working with the City of Everett’s Mayor’s Advisory on Diversity in addressing the issues identified by both C3 and the advisory committee. The Puget Sound Regional Council has asked C3 to assist in facilitating actions to be taken in the county on economic development and educational issues for the Prosperity Partnership. C3 has also been in discussion with the County Community Advisory Council about joining with us to address racial issues countywide. C3 will be contacting school districts and law enforcement agencies to also work with them in implementing the report’s recommendations and eliminating all perceptions of racial bias.
Race is not an easy issue to address, for there are those who say, “… there’s no problem,” and those who say, “… get over it and move on,” and also those who say, “… racism is alive and well and thriving in our society and, yes, right here in this county.” There is crevasse in Snohomish County and in the country between the perceptions of white people and people of color. Overt racism may not occur as often now, but the much more insidious and unseen covert racism, in whatever form, continues unchecked. This blight and devastation of personal and institutional racism is debilitating to a person of color for it is ever-present and affects every part of one’s life. From lack of employment and economic opportunities and wage disparity to racial profiling, lack of support for and equal opportunities in education, the fact that institutional racism still exists negates the notion that equal opportunity and a level playing field can also exist.
We of the Communities of Color Coalition are committed to working with all government entities to make the community’s recommendations become reality. C3 wants to be held accountable to the community to continue to move forward in resolving these issues. In doing so, C3 will also hold government officials accountable to the community.
For too long our communities of color and other under-represented groups in Snohomish County have been promised change, only to see nothing. The demographics of the county have changed significantly in the last 15 years and will continue to change at a rapid rate. If we wish to make Snohomish County become a even better place to live, to raise our children, and for all citizens to have equal opportunities, then we must each be willing to make changes and hold each other, our government officials and administrators accountable to ensure that these changes happen to support all our community members.
The Communities of Color Coalition of Snohomish County is here to work to that end in creating a bias- and racist-free society with greater understanding and acceptance of all members of our community.
Ed Glazer and Kinuko Noborikawa are chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the Communities of Color Coalition of Snohomish County.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
