FARGO, N.D. — Black Lives Matter members in the Fargo area say recent protests demanding systemic change are only the beginning. They say they’ll keep pressing local leaders and community members to help end racism.

The protests in Fargo following the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota largely have been peaceful, but also have seen some tense moments with law enforcement, including a demonstration on May 30 that turned violent.

BLM organizer Frederick Edwards said the ways in which law enforcement and city leaders have responded to the demonstrations show deep divisions with the Black community.

“So for me, I think that the trust has been broken, because they see us as the enemy,” he said. “They see the protests as a thing of violence, as a thing of obstruction.”

Edwards said they’re especially troubled over disparaging terms the police chief allegedly used to describe protesters, discovered in an e-mail obtained through a records request. The City of Fargo did not respond to a request for comment before deadline. The mayor, who has been criticized for issuing an emergency order in the protests, has pledged to renew talks with groups such as Black Lives Matter. A formal discussion could happen as early as today.

Still a Disconnect, Despite Dialogue

The group laid out specific demands, including a ban on officers using chokeholds, in a recent meeting with the city. But fellow Black Lives Matter member Lenard Wells said no matter what Fargo leaders pledge to do, it still feels as though the city is trying to control the situation, rather than work alongside the groups.

“I feel like I can walk through the city of Fargo without the police saying anything,” he said, “but if I come out here and put my fists up in the air and walk with some more brothers and sisters in solidarity, then it’s a problem? It’s unfair.”

Other BLM members in the Fargo/Moorhead area say they’re fed up with being racially profiled by community members, as well as law enforcement. Disparities within the criminal-justice system recently were highlighted in an ACLU report. In North Dakota and neighboring Minnesota, it said, Black people were nearly five times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana possession.

Educating an Unwelcoming Community

Kiara Jackson, president of the Black Student Association at North Dakota State University, said they also need a buy-in from all levels of the community to chip away at racial barriers. She said Black residents sometimes feel “used” by being encouraged to come to Fargo — only to feel ignored once they arrive.

“You say that you want to welcome your people, but when the people get here, you’re not making them feel welcome,” she said, “and that’s exactly what Fargo, North Dakota, does.”

Jackson said Fargo also needs to establish more diversity in educational leadership and add more Black-owned businesses.

Those calling for action say they’re also taking action themselves. Faith Dixon, who works as a day-care provider in Fargo, said her facility helps to educate young children about the history behind Black culture — something she feels often is overlooked in school curriculum.

“When they’re young, their minds are more open,” she said, “so, getting them at the pre-school level really opens up their understanding of other cultures.”

Any discussion in the region about eliminating institutional bias usually is met with strong resistance, said Jamaal Abegaz of the Red River Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

“Suddenly,” he said, “equality becomes too expensive, or it takes too long.”

Abegaz said these issues spread beyond Fargo and stretch across North Dakota. He and others with the local movement said they feel the state also is neglectful when it comes to fully acknowledging the state’s Native American culture.

While they haven’t held any direct discussions with Gov. Doug Burgum, some of the activists have said they have received an optimistic tone about working the office on addressing these long-standing issues.

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A recent report details how great wealth that later made philanthropy possible around the country but most evidently in the District of Columbia, southern Maryland and northern Virginia — commonly known as the DMV — came at the expense of the social stability and economic success of Black residents.

Dwayne Proctor, board chair of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, said older foundations likely had the best opportunity to participate in practices that were unfair and unjust to people because of the times they were in, in the social context in which they began.

“I’m hopeful that many folks will look toward their local foundations and want to know more about how they began and if they’ve done harm and participated in the oppression of others, like it appears to have been the case in the DMV with the foundations that are studied,” Proctor said.

Proctor stressed that if readers can connect the overlaps between the social determinants of health and the necessary healing of Black families today, real and transformative conversations about repair can begin.

Katherine Ponce, research manager for special projects for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, said the report tried to model what the state of California has done for its reparations task force, outlining many categories of how Black people have faced disparities in the region and how that starts.

“We talked about anti-Black media and rhetoric, housing discrimination and segregation, unemployment and hidden opportunity, and then health care, both mental and physical. We have eight case studies of foundations in the region, how their money was createdm” Ponce explained.

Ponce added the report should leave people not just knowing that big systems of oppression impact and harm people of color, but should cause people to start taking measurable actions and fix the disparities and make ties from the eight stories to their reality.

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A new report finds some Missouri laws and prospective laws are perceived as discriminatory regardless of their actual intent – and it outlines some big, negative economic implications for the state.

When events are scheduled in places with policies that are considered non-inclusive or discriminatory, that place is often assumed to support these initiatives.

Dr. M. Ray Perryman, founder and CEO of The Perryman Group, who conducted the independent analysis, said some potential visitors will choose to go elsewhere rather than support places they think are less open to diversity and equity. He said this avoidance risks millions for the Missouri economy.

“Travel and tourism losses in Missouri and Kansas could total hundreds of millions of dollars per year,” he said, “with an associated loss in revenue to the states and local governments.”

Measures now under consideration include Senate Bill 1314, which would limit state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and SB 980, which would prohibit state agencies from doing business with companies unless they’d agree not to be part of economic boycotts. With these types of policies, the Perryman research says, the state would risk losing nearly $2.6 billion in annual income and almost 24,000 jobs by 2030.

Perryman also pointed out that controversial public policies are discouraging to skilled workers seeking long-term employment and young workers as they consider where to begin their careers. He said it also plays a role for organizations in Missouri that are concerned about retaining employees.

“At a time when the U.S. economy is facing major challenges and uncertainty, the competition for quality corporate locations and expansions, as well as skilled workers, is particularly intense,” he said, “and anti-DEI measures can be particularly damaging for future prosperity.”

The report warns of similar negative financial consequences for the state of Kansas.

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Today, a virtual “Ask Me Anything” program will address some of the pressing issues of asylum-seekers, in Pennsylvania and across the country.

More than 500 people were granted asylum in Pennsylvania in 2022, according to the Office of Homeland Security.

Cathryn Miller-Wilson, executive director of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Pennsylvania, said the forum was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to justice and equity for marginalized communities. The program will shed light on the difficulties of the asylum process and advocate for improved asylum policies.

“We, in carrying on his legacy, are putting together this event to provide critical, truthful information about what’s going on,” Miller-Wilson explained. “And ask for advocacy about improving things, to make things more equitable.”

The online event is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Miller-Wilson noted one topic will be the high number of people at the southern U.S. border due to higher levels of global displacement. Recent news reporting indicates the U.S. Border Patrol’s ability to effectively handle the influx of migrants is overwhelming its resources.

Miller-Wilson emphasized members of Congress and the White House are considering proposals which could drastically change the asylum system. She pointed to one pending bill, House Resolution 1325, which is intended to help eligible asylum applicants get employment authorization.

“That’s another piece of the asylum process that nobody talks about,” Miller-Wilson emphasized. “Under our current law, if you are eligible to apply for asylum, you can come into the country, you can apply for asylum, but you are not eligible for work authorization for six months.”

Miller-Wilson said her group helps people with incomes below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level with legal and social service needs. She added today’s panel includes a client in Philadelphia who received asylum about a year ago, a doctor from the Philadelphia Human Rights Clinic, and a staff attorney for the group.

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