Valley Breeze

north smithfield blackstone woonsocket edition | valley breeze | JanUary 22-28, 2015 woonsocket 7 By SANDY SEOANE valley breeze staff writer sandy@valleybreeze.com WOONSOCKET – A study in December by the Delaware- based financial publication 24/7 Wall St. found that Rhode Island is the third worst state in the country for black Americans in terms of racial disparities in social and eco- nomic outcomes for residents. The state, it found, lags behind others in terms of black employment and home owner- ship, and the median household income in black Rhode Island households makes up just 52.5 percent of the median house- hold income of white house- holds in the state. The statistics point to a crisis in Rhode Island, according to Providence NAACP President Jim Vincent, and at a commu- nity forum at Woonsocket High School on Saturday, state and local leaders discussed ways to address the issue. "We're all inextricably linked," said Vincent. "If one group has a problem, we all have a problem." The forum was one of several events in Woonsocket honoring late civil rights leader Martin Luther King over the weekend and was moderated by Charles Cole, a motivational speaker from Oakland, Calif., who addresses issues surrounding race. "I want to make sure young kids like me have equal oppor- tunity in this country," Cole explained. One focus of the discussion was the responsibility munici- palities have in hiring a diverse workforce. "We need to make sure our complement in the police department, fire department and city government represents the community," said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. "We have to move in a direction where we can capitalize on the diversity in this city. For a long time, we haven't." Police Chief Thomas Carey said in his department, every- one who passes both the writ- ten test and the agility test gets an interview. "We really are making efforts in Woonsocket to address this problem," Carey said. "Not only are we seeking the best candidates, but we do it with an eye for diversity." Currently, he said, 11 percent of members of the Woonsocket Police Department are minori- ties. Baldelli-Hunt said the city does all it can to hire applicants once they qualify, but that more minorities need to apply. Woonsocket High School Principal Carnell Henderson expressed similar frustration. "We just hired 10 new teach- ers in the high school and not one is a minority," Henderson said. "Not one applied." "We know that the racial divide is real," Henderson said. "There is definite division in Woonsocket." U.S. Rep. David Cicilline said that in his previous position as mayor of Providence, he made diversifying the police and fire departments a top priority. He said his team countered the shortfalls of strictly merit-based testing by adding on points for applicants who were also resi- dents of the community. "Kids from suburban areas did great on the test," he said. "We had to make a decision as a city that (diversity) was valu- able to us." Vincent countered the idea that there were not enough qualified minority applicants in the state. "I think it's also important that we recognize that we have people of color who are very talented with great educations who apply for jobs and never even get an interview," Vincent said. "Our people are often just as qualified, but they're not connected." Nick Figueroa, former vice president of the Woonsocket branch of the NAACP, pointed out that the economy in the state is a factor. Still, he said, "the economic divide is grow- ing." Cicilline agreed. "When you look at the impli- cations of the recession, the consequences have fallen dis- proportionately on communities of color," the congressman said. Vimala Phongsavanh, a former member of the Woonsocket School Committee and the director of programs for the Center for Southeast Asians, said that in some ways, she felt like she'd had to give up her culture for success. Phongsavahn's parents were both refugees from Laos. "I'm always conscious of being the only Asian in a group," Phongsavahn said. "I often feel like a token." The Rev. Herson Gonzalez of the Woonsocket-based Cavalry Worship Center expressed some dismay that people don't show more interest in pursuing change. "I take great issue with people who tell me, 'It is what it is.' It is what we make it," Gonzalez said. "The inspiration to get involved is lacking. People are just not concerned enough to get involved, but they talk about it on Facebook a whole lot." Cicilline had a counterpoint for the pastor. "It's not that people don't care enough. People feel like there's very little chance things are going to change," he said. "When you're struggling to put food on the table, a forum on race isn't high on your priority list." Around 150 people attend- ed the Saturday afternoon event, including Councilors Christopher Beauchamp and Garrett Mancieri, School Committeewoman Susan Pawlina, and state Reps. Stephen Casey and Michael Morin. Cole said that as an out- sider, he was impressed with Woonsocket, and with the par- ticipation by city officials. "This Martin Luther King weekend has been an amaz- ing experience," he said. "I am extraordinarily proud of what you all are doing here." Cole said that in Oakland, he could never get such a high- ranking group to take part in a forum on race, and that if he did, there would be a huge police presence. "You have all the mixings of a perfect gumbo," Cole said. "You just have to put it in the pot and cook it." Henderson said he does believe Woonsocket is moving in the right direction. "A forum like this proves it," Henderson said. "I think every- one up here is willing to con- tinue to fight the battle." At roundtable in memory of Martin Luther King, city looks at minority involvement CArNEll HENDErSON, above, third from right, Principal of Woonsocket High School, delivers his opening remarks during the "Healing Racial Divides" roundtable discussion last Saturday. The event, held at Woonsocket High School, featured participants representing community organiza- tions and state and local officials. At left, emcee CHArlES COlE III welcomes an audience of about 100 people to Woonsocket High School for the "Healing Racial Divides" roundtable discussion. The discussion honored Martin Luther King Jr. valley breeze photos by david wUerth

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