Macomb city council members say they condemn racism, hate, and violence, and they have put that statement in writing in the form of a resolution they approved unanimously.
Mayor Mike Inman said the resolution is part of an ongoing evolution.
“I don’t think we can say that, ‘Well, we’re done. We’ve achieved.’ This is something that will be a constant, constant effort on our part to deal with the challenges that racism brings into not only our community but our world,” Inman said in an interview with TSPR.
The mayor said city leaders will continue emphasizing efforts to make Macomb a diverse and welcoming community.
You can read the resolution here.
Inman said the resolution is the city’s latest action to denounce hatred and prejudice. He said the actions include:
- Representatives from the city, Western Illinois University, local law enforcement agencies, and the NAACP signed the Ten Principles of Policing last month
- In January, nearly a dozen local leaders signed a resolution that they said reinforces the city's and the county's commitment to being welcoming and inclusive
- The city has held and participated in a series of anti-racism and social justice forums, workshops, and webinars during the course of the past year
“We need to continue our willingness to engage in dialogue and listen to people - listen to concerns (and) lived experiences by members of the Black community and the Latino community,” Inman said, adding he wants them to feel welcome and comfortable in Macomb.
“(We) want to help them feel that they are part of this community, plain and simple.”
Inman also announced a historical marker will be placed at the site of the Reverend C.T. Vivian’s boyhood home on East Adams Street. Inman said an event is being planned for Saturday, September 26.
Dr. Vivian grew up in Macomb before moving on to become a leading figure in the American Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s. He died July 17 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 95.
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