The Day – Norwich City Council tackles racism as a public health crisis

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Norwich – City council heard about 20 residents on Monday recount experiences or fears of racism, and urge aldermen to declare racism a public health crisis and take action to address it.

The board approved resolution 6-0, adding a provision to create a health equity committee to work on the 13 action points listed in the resolution.

Residents of color told council to be followed to stores, to have a $ 5 bill checked by a clerk for possible counterfeiting, to have “the talk” with teenagers about how to react to the likelihood to be arrested by the police.

Speakers overwhelmingly urged the council to support the measure. Some added a plea for the city to create a community center for young people. They cited the loss of the former YMCA and the former Martin Luther King Center. The MLK center building was recently demolished and the city recently acquired the abandoned YMCA building, which will also likely be demolished.

The resolution, proposed by Alderman Derell Wilson and co-sponsored by the four Democrats on the council, calls for an assessment of the city’s hiring practices, access to health care, education, housing and municipal services.

Republican Mayor Peter Nystrom and the other two Republicans on the council co-sponsored an amendment to create a racial equity committee with people appointed by the city manager’s office, human resources and social services, the health district d’Uncas and United Community and Family Services and Rose City United, the ad hoc police-community relations committee.

Resident Marvin Serruto opposed the resolution and called it an “insult to me” as a military veteran. But several others cited their own military backgrounds or that of their families and strongly supported the resolution.

Karen Lau, former chair of the NAACP Youth Council, cited health statistics that show African Americans historically have greater health risks, including a disproportionate rate of COVID-19 infections.

“Socio-economic status and racial factors have been determinants of public health for too long,” said Lau. “The actions called for in this resolution require Norwich City Council and the City Manager to work together to (address) systemic racism by developing a Norwich Equity Plan.”

She called on the city to address the mental health needs of people who have experienced “racial trauma,” such as bullying, harassment, xenophobia, hate crimes or ethnic discrimination. She said Asian American families like hers felt increased stress and anxiety when shopping or taking public transportation.

Former alderman Joanne Philbrick called it an emotional issue and said the city needs to find a way for people to live and work together. “We have a crisis in this country, and we have had it for a long, long time,” she said. “We have policemen, not all but some, who have taken an oath to protect and serve… who are killing, murdering our young black people in the streets. I wouldn’t want to be the mother of a young black man in a city today. district. “

Resident Ursula Chappelle said she was that parent, with two sons, aged 32 and 18. She taught them to keep their license and registration visible and call her Facetime if they are arrested and keep her on the phone all the time. She said her youngest son could not sleep one night recently and went biking late at night. He called and she told him to come home right away.

“I was afraid for my son,” she says. “When my 32 year old son is arrested, I fear for him. I shouldn’t be afraid.

Reverend Benjamin Green, pastor of Evans Memorial AME Zion Church in Norwich, said he had “weathered a lot of storms” to reach the age of 61. He said he educates many young black men on how to handle situations. You don’t learn it, he said, “they die.” He asked the council to endorse the resolution and set an example for other cities, companies and states “by doing the right thing for the right reasons at the right time, which is now,” he said. -he declares.

Resident Linda Fouché has asked City Council to pass the resolution on behalf of her two biracial grandsons, “so they don’t have to be at this desk in 25 years.”

Rose City United resident Augustus Wortham Jr. said racism has had a negative effect on his life, the lives of his parents and the lives of his children, and will have a negative effect on the lives of his children. grandchildren.

He said he had no problem with Norwich Police as he met them every week. But he has had “bad experiences” in the past.

“Fix that,” Wortham said. “Not for me, but for everyone behind me. Because there is someone behind you, whether it is your offspring or members of your family. Fix it, will you?

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