NLC REAL
CCM & Northeast Leagues Collaborate to Promote Racial Equity
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CM and the Northeastern municipal leagues (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont) have entered into an arrangement with the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Race & Equity And Leadership (REAL) initiative to provide customized technical assistance to leagues, trainings for boards of directors and staff, which will in turn, help boards decide on what specific state approaches would be most appropriate to create platforms and trainings for discussion and movement on racial equity. NLC’s REAL initiative “serves to strengthen local leaders’ knowledge and capacity to eliminate racial disparities, heal racial divisions, and build more equitable communities.” Through training and online resources, REAL helps build safe places where everyone can thrive socially, economically, academically and physically. This CCM/NLC REAL partnership is a part of what will be CCM’s sustained engagement on inclusion, which will consist of, among other things, periodic free trainings for municipal officials, including at CCM’s annual conventions; CCM staff development trainings, and access to consultants for community trainings/conversations. A NLC REAL introductory webinar was held on August 12 for CCM Boards of Directors as well as boards of Northeastern municipal leagues. A similar webinar was held for CCM staff and regional league staff. 4 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | AUGUST 2020
NLC REAL
America’s foundational document, The Declaration of Independence, tell us that we are born with certain unalienable rights, like those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the 250 years since Thomas Jefferson wrote those words, Americans have periodically asked why it seemed those words were only true for some. These questions have led to the abolishment of slavery, the right of women to vote, and same-sex marriages. But while this country has made tremendous leaps, questions remain whether or not we are all equal participants in the American Dream. The National League of Cities created the Race, Equity, and Leadership (REAL) initiative to ask how local leaders can be part of the solution. REAL was created after the moment of mass protests sparked by the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. It was a time when Americans once again asked why race was the strongest predictor of outcomes in life – and more importantly, why Black Americans were more likely to see negative outcomes in everything from infant mortality to life expectancy. Leon Andrews, Director of REAL, raised these issues in a webinar on the topic of race equity, saying that “the work we’re doing is not about preventing further conflict, but really understanding the work that needs to be done to really address some of the inequities.”
