FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 19, 2020
Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus
Contact: Scott Goss (302) 744-4180, or
Dylan McDowell (302) 744-4282
Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus
Contact: Scott Goss (302) 744-4180, or
Dylan McDowell (302) 744-4282
African American Task Force Announces First Meeting
DOVER – State leaders announced Wednesday the membership and first meeting of a legislative task force formed in the closing days of regular session to study inequities within socioeconomically marginalized African American communities in Delaware.
Originally proposed by the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus, the African American Task Force was formally established by Section 39 of the FY 2021 Grant-in-Aid bill (Senate Bill 260).
Specifically, the task force will examine and report on inequities in education, health care, housing, economic opportunities, voting rights, environmental justice, community violence, and criminal justice.
"Everyone involved with the African American Task Force is culturally competent and brings different perspectives to the table, and I am eager to get to work," said Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, who co-chairs the task force. "The sad reality is that Black Americans continue to have unequal life experiences – and that needs to change. We must resolve to fix these inequalities in Delaware and this task force is committed to producing positive change."
The task force is scheduled to hold its first virtual Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The meeting will be live-streamed on the General Assembly’s YouTube channel.
The public can offer comments during the public comment portion of the meeting or in advance via email at AfricanAmericanTaskForce@delaware.gov. Anyone who wants to provide public comment during the meeting must register in advance to join the Zoom conference.
"Creating this group to investigate the many health, law enforcement, education, and other disparities affecting people of color across the State, and to make data-driven recommendations for eliminating them, is a critical step forward," said task force co-chair Cleon Cauley, who also serves as Chief Operations Officer for Delaware State University. "Not only has the Governor put the right people on the task force to get the job done, but Delaware State University is fully committed to lending our intellectual capital to fully support this process."
Members of the task force are nominated and appointed by legislative leaders, state agencies, and stakeholder organizations in the community. The full list can be accessed here.
The task force also will form four subcommittees. The subcommittees will be charged with researching and reviewing proposals under their purview and making recommendations to the full task force for General Assembly implementation.
The four subcommittees and their responsibilities are:
Originally proposed by the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus, the African American Task Force was formally established by Section 39 of the FY 2021 Grant-in-Aid bill (Senate Bill 260).
Specifically, the task force will examine and report on inequities in education, health care, housing, economic opportunities, voting rights, environmental justice, community violence, and criminal justice.
"Everyone involved with the African American Task Force is culturally competent and brings different perspectives to the table, and I am eager to get to work," said Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, who co-chairs the task force. "The sad reality is that Black Americans continue to have unequal life experiences – and that needs to change. We must resolve to fix these inequalities in Delaware and this task force is committed to producing positive change."
The task force is scheduled to hold its first virtual Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26. The meeting will be live-streamed on the General Assembly’s YouTube channel.
The public can offer comments during the public comment portion of the meeting or in advance via email at AfricanAmericanTaskForce@delaware.gov. Anyone who wants to provide public comment during the meeting must register in advance to join the Zoom conference.
"Creating this group to investigate the many health, law enforcement, education, and other disparities affecting people of color across the State, and to make data-driven recommendations for eliminating them, is a critical step forward," said task force co-chair Cleon Cauley, who also serves as Chief Operations Officer for Delaware State University. "Not only has the Governor put the right people on the task force to get the job done, but Delaware State University is fully committed to lending our intellectual capital to fully support this process."
Members of the task force are nominated and appointed by legislative leaders, state agencies, and stakeholder organizations in the community. The full list can be accessed here.
The task force also will form four subcommittees. The subcommittees will be charged with researching and reviewing proposals under their purview and making recommendations to the full task force for General Assembly implementation.
The four subcommittees and their responsibilities are:
- The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee to study business and economic development, community empowerment, and education reform.
- The Health & Welfare Subcommittee to study, among other topics, health care inequities, including mental health.
- The Safety & Justice Subcommittee to study criminal justice and community violence.
- The Infrastructure & Environment Subcommittee to study housing and environmental justice.
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Press Contacts
Scott Goss
Communications Director
(302) 744-4180
scott.goss@delaware.gov
Dylan McDowell
Communications Assistant
(302) 744-4282
dylan.mcdowell@delaware.gov
Scott Goss
Communications Director
(302) 744-4180
scott.goss@delaware.gov
Dylan McDowell
Communications Assistant
(302) 744-4282
dylan.mcdowell@delaware.gov