Statement Supporting
BLACK LIVES and BLACK LIVES MATTER
in Upper Chichester

The Upper Chichester Democratic Committee’s commitments to action

1. We commit to actively recruiting, supporting, and promoting Black Candidates for both Township Commissioner positions and School Board Director positions and other local positions.
2. We commit to actively working to engage the Black Upper Chichester Community in the Upper Chichester Democrats through Committee Person positions, and volunteer work.
3. We commit to actively engaging the Black Community in the democratic processes of voting and elections by registering Black voters, and encouraging their representation on election day within the polling locations by filling poll worker positions of Judge of Elections, Majority and/or Minority Inspector and Clerks.

Our reasons
Since 1619, Black people have been systematically disregarded and dehumanized in North America: first through enslavement, then through Jim Crow, and then through the continuing discrimination and brutality most recently captured on video. Here are some specific reasons that we commit to support BLACK LIVES MATTER.

• Upper Chichester Democrats recognize the diversity of our community, including the Historically African American Communities of Excelsior Village, Twin Oaks Farms, and Twin Oaks Village.
• The Upper Chichester Democrats acknowledge that incidents such as the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Jacob Blake serve as recent examples that disregard for Black people’s lives has caused the loss of numerous lives, for no reason other than racist biases.
• Black People have been unjustly enslaved; Black People have been unjustly segregated; and Black people have been unjustly incarcerated.
• Black People have been denied housing through racist practices in the private realty market, including redlining, steering, blockbusting, denial of mortgages, and gentrification.
• Black People have been denied housing, displaced and inadequately housed by government housing policies that include discriminatory VA/FHA practices, Urban Renewal, and a variety of local and federal “affordable” housing programs.
• Black People have been consistently and widely impoverished by discriminatory wages paid in every sector of the local economy regardless of credentials and experience. Black People have experienced disproportionate unemployment rates and reduced opportunities to fully participate in the local job market.
• Black People have been systematically excluded from historic and present private economic development and community investments and, therefore, black-owned businesses have not received the benefits of these investments.
• Black people have been segregated from mainstream education and within present day school programs that include AG, AP, and Honors.
• Black students have experienced the denial of education through admission, retention and graduation rates of every level of education and through discriminatory disciplinary practices.
• Black People have been unjustly targeted by law enforcement and criminal justice procedures, incarcerated at disproportionate rates and subsequently excluded from full participation in the benefits of citizenship that include voting, employment, housing and health care.
• Black People have disproportionately been forced to reside in, adjacent to, or near toxic sites that negatively impact their health and property.
• Black People have disproportionately been limited to the confined routes of travel provided by public transportation.
• Black People have disproportionately suffered from the isolation of food deserts and childcare deserts.
• Systemic racism was created over centuries and will take time and intention to dismantle.
• State and federal governments have a responsibility to adopt programs, policies, and funding to address reparations.

Now is a time of action when the Upper Chichester Democrats need to reaffirm actions taken to address issues that all members of our community face.

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The Upper Chichester Democratic Committee adopted the statement above at its regular monthly meeting on September 9, 2020.