It was hard not to notice the contrast.
The Statehouse’s iconic Cedar Creek Room, redolent with the heritage of official Vermont, its walls dotted with portraits of dead white men, was filled Thursday morning with Vermonters of color — advocating for legislation but also wishing simply to be recognized.
“We are invisible,” said Sha’an Mouliert of St. Johnsbury. “One of our missions is to ensure that our elected representatives can no longer not see us, can no longer not represent us. We are part of your constituency.”
Or, in a phrase oft-repeated during a press conference, “I am Vermont too,” a statement that people of color are Vermonters every bit as much as the flintiest son of Ethan Allen. “I Am Vermont Too” is the title of a related photo exhibit in the Statehouse cafeteria, featuring Vermonters of color holding handwritten messages revealing some of the small indignities they suffer in daily life, like strangers touching their curly hair or marveling at their ability to speak English.
“I’ve been here since I was a teenager, so Vermont is definitely my home,” said Ebony Nyoni, cofounder and president of the Vermont chapter of Black Lives Matter. “What I’d like to accomplish is for white Vermonters to see us as legitimate Vermonters.”
They were seeking legislative action, including a simple resolution recognizing Black Lives Matter and its work to “affirm black Americans’ humanity and resilience in the face of deadly oppression” and toward the “deactivation of systematic racism endured by all people of color in our state.” (The House passed it on a voice vote later in the day.)
Still in the writing stages is an omnibus bill to organize disparate civil rights initiatives in state government. “The intention is to establish an entity that will be able to oversee the number of different directions that we’ve given … to deal with racial inequality,” said Rep. Kiah Morris (D-Bennington). “So it’s looking at everything from housing to bias in our schools, reforms we’ve sought in the justice system, the courts and policing.”
Details of the bill are not set because it is still being drafted.
Where these two threads came together is in questioning white Vermonters’ sense of complacency about racial issues.
“Some white people may perceive Vermont to be a refuge,” Nyoni said. “But if you ask a person of color or someone from a marginalized community, it is definitely not a refuge. There are a lot of challenges that are unique to Vermont, and I think that’s due to the population being close to 100 percent white.”
When asked what further legislation might be needed, Nyoni expressed the desire for lawmakers to do more to address the needs of “people of color or marginalized communities, or even have in mind people of color and marginalized communities.”
Lawmakers will be offered a daily reminder by the photo exhibit on their cafeteria walls.
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Perhaps Mr Walters you can do your part for this movement by immediately resigning from your position in order to address historical inequities . It will be much appreciated .
The second to last paragraph shows that these activists are demanding that the Legislature “do something,” but they don’t know what. You want the Legislature to pass a law to “have you in mind”??? And can you please define “marginalized communities” in Vermont? Shall the Legislature pass a bill that says, “We hereby officially have in mind people of color and marginalized communities”?
Of course, Cedar Creek was a Civil War battle in which Vermonters gave their lives, in great part, to free the slaves. Vermonters sacrificed more sons per capita to the cause than any other state. Maybe a comment about these historical facts would have been pertinent, along with the “paintings of dead white men” comment.
The “paintings of dead white men” comment is superfluous and an otherwise poor use of language but without the contrast there really isn’t a story. I’ve certainly heard of Black Lives Matter but I have no real idea what they are trying to accomplish. What were they there to do? Their visit seems even more vague with the “omnibus bill to organize disparate civil rights initiatives in state government” being drafted.
You mean to tell me that these black people are “invisible,”???? Wow how is that possible?? I’m not color blind, is all the others colored blind? I know for a fact that blacks are getting jobs if they want to work..I know some blacks who are in high position in jobs here in Vt..Think Sha’an Mouliert is just trying to make a mountain out of a ant hill..
The vague non descript requests seems to point out there may not be a fire here, maybe not even any smoke.
VT is the least diverse state in the US and some companies I have worked for (international and national) usually try to pattern their minority % of workforce on what it is in the area. 25 years ago I was involved in a project in one of the large Metropolitan cities where we had to promote 30 people into management-supervisory roles. We were completely off the books and got in trouble with the labor department because we looked at what the positions required for skills and we picked the 30 people we felt would do the best job.
Do you want to know the %? We had chosen 90% minority people when the region’s workforce was 69% minority.
In my current position I reflected on who I have chosen and I have a good mix of minorities and non minorities, I have more women on my team than men because I have found the women I have chosen have a better attention to detail- and this is not a comment that women pay more attention to detail, just the group that work for me do.
I am not saying there are not prejudices but it is not just for one ethnic group or class.
“I am Vermont Too” is more to the point than “Black Lives Matter,” as ALL lives matter. BLM is divisive; “I am Vermont Too” is inclusive, assertive, and, in any and all instances and institutions where discrimination truly exists, should be a mantra.
Sadly, our opportunities for diversity are damped by our minuscule population, our nonexistent job opportunities and a Governor who’s still in first gear — all of which affect ALL Vermonters.
Job creation must be a priority for our Governor; proaction does not stop with election. Drive our state to win as you drove stock cars to win Thunder Road: People are much more important than trophies.
“Accelerate Vermont” should be our watchword, dammit. Put the pedal to the metal, Phil! Drive Vermont forward for all of us!