The challenges of policing in our country did not arise in a vacuum. They connect to a broad array of factors . . . They connect to the fact that in this country police shootings and police misconduct disproportionately affect Black people. The challenges connect, as well, to the shameful American legacy of slavery, to Jim Crow, to mass incarceration, to the “war on drugs,” to redlining, and to public schools that have and continue to fail Black children.
In this context, and at this time, it is important for someone in my position to say clearly — Black Lives Matter.
Black Lives Matter in policing.
Black Lives Matter in education.
Black Lives Matter in our economic system.
We must squarely face our history of racism and injustice, and, frankly, that’s something I don’t believe our country has truly done. We will know that we have when all people of color have equal opportunity, equal protection under the law, and never doubt their standing as Americans.
I spoke the above words in an address to the City Council on September 25, 2017, when I was serving as Seattle’s interim Mayor. Now, nearly three years later, here we are again grappling with the same challenges in policing and criminal justice.
Clearly, we need significant change so that every American, regardless of the color of their skin, receives the respectful, fair, and just treatment they deserve from our police officers. But this change can only happen, in my opinion, if we all understand the history of policing in our country and the scourge of racism, hate, and discrimination.
The protests over the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis has created an environment for change. The protests have also created an opening for overly simplified and counterproductive ideas like the proposals to defund the police.
Likewise, the intransigence of police unions over true accountability will only fuel increased anger and mistrust by the public. Seattle has made good progress on reforms, especially the strengthening of civilian oversight, but that will be lost unless other issues are resolved, especially those related to the discipline appeal process, the secrecy of post-discipline arbitration proceedings, the 180-day limitation on internal investigations, and the lack of transparency over officer complaint histories, to name a few.
But policing isn’t the only place where we see the results of hundreds of years of racist public policies that neglect to address the peaceful appeals of our Black brothers and sisters. (The Seattle Times published three personal accounts from leaders in the Black community. Please read the stories by Jason Campbell, Dotcy Isom III, and Brenda Salter McNeil.)
Look at economic opportunity. Among industrialized, western countries, only the United States fails to provide the essential springboard to success (I prefer springboard to safety net because it conveys proactive uplifting, not just catching those who have already fallen) that includes affordable and available high-quality childcare and medical coverage for the entire family. These services are absolutely essential for a family to build economic security and participate in a shared prosperity. This is especially true for families of color, many of whom are likely to be in lower wage jobs, and the first to suffer when the economy slows down or we are hit with calamities like the coronavirus pandemic.
Look at education. We have failed so many of our children of color. Need proof of this? Nearly one-half of Washington’s five-year-old children enter kindergarten already behind, not ready to learn and thrive, on six age-specific measures of preparedness — social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language, literacy, and mathematics. For children of color, it is closer to 60% who start behind. Kids who start kindergarten behind often remain behind and it impacts their lives well into adulthood, effectively blocking their opportunities and holding them down. This failure, this inequity, has persisted for decades, especially for our black and brown children.
Investing in high-quality preschool for our three- and four-year old kids so they are ready for kindergarten is a must; it’s a proven solution that can eliminate intergenerational poverty, boost academic achievement, reduce criminal justice involvement, and help prepare our children for a strong, productive future.
Quality childcare for infants and toddlers with safe and loving adult-child relationships and exposure to a broad vocabulary and quality preschool for three- and four-year-olds in economically and racially diverse classrooms will provide the strong and fair start all children need and certainly deserve. And the cost? It's less expensive than the hundreds of millions we spend each year on remedial measures to make up for our failure to invest early.
Want strong families? Want a prepared and capable workforce? Want people to be able to exercise their entrepreneurial gifts? Then let’s remove the crippling shackles of inadequate and unaffordable childcare, lack of access to health care, and our failure to prepare our children for kindergarten and beyond.
Our business community — especially small businesses — should lead this effort. They are the primary job creators in our state. They are the fuel of our economic engine. They are the ones who need and depend on a quality workforce, today and in the future. They are the ones capable of rallying our communities to demand change and the investments to make this happen.
My friend, Eric Liu wrote in The Washington Post that “America’s neck was already corroded . . . then one white man broke it,” a reference to the state of national affairs and the killing of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis.
But we can heal, if we wish. There’s no better place to start than by changing our approach to policing and police officer accountability and by providing essential family-lifting childcare, health care, and preschool services. These steps will help restore trust and springboard families up to a more prosperous and secure future.
Let’s come together and stand with our Black neighbors because Black Lives Matter. Let’s work for a truly equitable America where everyone can reach their full potential. That’s the America — and the Seattle — I seek.
Here are books that have taught me about racism, injustice, oppression and what to do about it. Pick a few and read them.
The Second Founding by Eric Foner
When Police Kill by Franklin Zimring
An American Insurrection by William Doyle
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Slavery by Another Name by Douglas Blackmon
The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Tightrope by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Cut Loose by Victor Tan Chen
Strength to Love by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.