Diversity,Equityand Inclusion“ensures that everyone has a fair shot,” Alabama Sen. Robert Stewart said at a town hall meeting in Selma hosted by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“(DEI)doesn’t take opportunity away from white people,” Stewart said. “It ensures that everyone has a fair shot.We also see that corporations that have DEI perform better.You get better marketingteams, becauseyou get different perspectives.”
The SPLC hostedthetown hall meetingwithK. Allen Consulting, Foot SoldiersParkand the Selma SocialAug. 22.Discrimination and the so-called Big Beautiful Bill were topics of discussion.
The Selma Social owner Tasha Dangerfieldwasmoderator of the panel discussion. The panelists wereStewart,K. Allen Consulting CEOKrystal Hardy-Allen, Southside High School Principal Cedric BrownandZachenzieMilhouse, a member of Foot Soldiers Park’s National Youth Advisory Board.Afew members from Tuskegee University’spoliticalscience departmentalso attended the meeting at Foot Soldiers Park administrative building.
The Selma meeting was the fourth sponsored by the SPLC, according to SPLC representative Andre’ Ivey.
Hardy-Allen said that denying access to education “reinforces a caste system.”
Stewart encouraged adults to pass on family history, “becausewhen you know your history,no one can lie to you.”
Brown agreed that “education is the key.”
I am a product of Selma as well,” Brown said. “I want the students that I serve to see that one day, I could be him.”
Foot soldier and retired teacher Barbara Barge said that schools need to make sure parents feel welcome when they come to their child’s school. “Every parent, regardless of what their station in life is, should be welcomed into(the school)building, becausethat’s their child,” Barge said.
Hardy-Allensaid there isa “leadership crisis” inside communities, not just inside of the classrooms.“We actually don’t have a shared vision for what quality leadership and managementlooklike across every aspect of how our city and county operate,” Hardy-Allen said. She said leaders need to be held accountable, and leaders need to be developed.
Valencia Benjamin is a Community Correspondent based in Dallas County.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 AM CDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, north winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts
up to 30 mph. For the Frost Advisory, temperatures as low as 36
will result in frost formation.
* WHERE...Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee,
Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Etowah, Fayette, Greene,
Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lowndes, Marengo, Marion, Perry, Pickens,
Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa,
Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 7 PM CDT this evening. For the
Frost Advisory, from 1 AM to 10 AM CDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost
could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants
may be killed if left uncovered.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
&&
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 10 AM CDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, north winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts
up to 30 mph. For the Frost Advisory, temperatures as low as 36
will result in frost formation.
* WHERE...Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee,
Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, Etowah, Fayette, Greene,
Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Lowndes, Marengo, Marion, Perry, Pickens,
Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa,
Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 7 PM CDT this evening. For the
Frost Advisory, from 1 AM to 10 AM CDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost
could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants
may be killed if left uncovered.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
&&
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.