Registration is open for the Summit on Race Matters: Continuing Conversations, taking place in the Alumni Center of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine on November 10 and 11, 2015.
The conference will offer a unique opportunity for people from throughout West Virginia to continue the constructive, in-depth conversations that began last year in Charleston about the complicated history of race relations and racial inequality in the state.
The event will include a screening of “Cracking the Codes: Social Determinants of Racial Inequality” by Shakti Butler on Tuesday evening, November 10 and workshop discussions about this powerful film on Wednesday, November 11.
The event will also feature keynote speakers and a panel discussion. It is sponsored by New River Community and Technical College, the Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation, and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Go here to register or contact Courtney Smith, 304-645-5620.
Please “like” the event on Facebook and spread the word about this exciting and important program.
Stay in touch at RaceMattersWV.net for upcoming events and how you can stay involved in the campaign to end racial inequity in West Virginia.
We are happy to announce that Tara Martinez has joined our staff as Policy Outreach Coordinator!
Tara’s work will include expanding our strategic outreach, partnership, and coalition building. She has worked in state government over the last 16 years, most recently as the Executive Director of the West Virginia Women’s Commission. She recently served as vice-chair for the State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights during its state review focusing around mental health and law enforcement. Tara holds a R.B.A. and M.B.A. from Marshall University.
In the past couple of weeks, county commissions in Fayette and Wyoming County have passed resolutions of support for the federal POWER+ Plan and the Kanawha County Commission is currently debating whether or not to join them.
What is the POWER+ Plan? Not to be confused with President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, the POWER+ Plan would disburse $1 billion to reclaim abandoned mines in communities struggling with the decline of the coal industry. It would help provide the resources to create jobs in agriculture, energy, tourism and mine reclamation.
The funds are available but action is needed by Congress to appropriate them to the POWER+ Plan. Resolutions of support will be sent to West Virginia’s Congressional delegation urging them to bring these much-needed resources to West Virginia and the rest of Appalachia hard hit by declines in coal production and employment.
Here’s more on what the decision could mean for Kanawha County alone:
The Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform will host its only-scheduled public hearing on Tuesday, October 20 starting at 9:00 AM in the House Chamber at the State Capitol.
With the 2016 Legislative Session fast approaching, the Committee will soon finalize its recommendations to the legislature on how to overhaul the state’s tax code. They’ve heard from many national speakers who recommend that West Virginia follow Kansas’s lead by slashing taxes, which will further cut funds to higher education, highway maintenance and the state’s schools.
With news out this week of a budget deficit caused by shrinking severance tax collections, further tax cuts could not come at a worse time.
Groups or agencies will speak during the morning session and must pre-register by October 15 by sending an e-mail here. The public may sign up to address the committee on October 20 prior to the start of the afternoon session.
For more, please visit the Committee’s Facebook page.
Delegate Eric Householder and other Eastern Panhandle lawmakers will host a town hall-style public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, at Martinsburg High School to hear citizens’ ideas and comments on potential state tax reform proposals.
Delegate Householder is a member of the Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform. According to the Committee’s announcement, members “want to hear from the people about their ideas to improve the tax climate here in West Virginia.” Here’s more.
This week, WVCBP staff and board participated in our first-ever retreat. Here are a few shots of the view from the Cranberry Mountain Lodge, a beautiful and inspiring (and off-line) location for us to escape to for uninterrupted dialog and brainstorming.
