Marin County

Kerner Report Set Standard for What a Serious Presidential Candidate Should Champion

Published

5 years ago

February 20, 2020

As the Democratic presidential primaries move onto Nevada, South Carolina and the many Super Tuesday states, candidates turn their attention to people of color, and particularly African Americans.

Many candidates find their rhetoric contradicted by their record; their promises conflicting with their performances.

Donald Trump now seeks to woo Black voters by taking credit for the economy, by touting the first steps in reducing mass incarceration, and by hyping so-called “opportunity zones.”

His history—rising to prominence with the vile racist campaign about whether Barack Obama is American, embracing the Nazis at Charlottesville, dedicating his administration to erasing all things Obama, framing his political appeal on race-bait politics—gives the lie to his histrionics.

The same occurs on the Democratic side.

Pete Buttigieg always sounds good, but African American leaders in his town excoriate his record as mayor on race and policing. Amy Klobuchar runs as a moderate, but her brutal record as a prosecutor limits her appeal. Mike Bloomberg has the resources to flood the zone, but he too struggles to explain his harsh, racially-biased stop-and-frisk policies as mayor of New York or his laughable embrace of right-wing nutcase theories that somehow anti-redlining policies triggered the financial crisis.

Bloomberg is joined by Joe Biden on what seems like an endless apology tour.

African American voters are not easily fooled. They have a clear agenda. They suffer structural inequality—more unemployment than whites, lower wages, worse jobs, worse schools, inadequate health care, unaffordable housing, unsafe neighborhoods befouled by pollution and poisons, inadequate childcare, lack of recreational facilities, and the outrages of a criminal justice system that is structurally biased against them. They want what most Americans want, and they have a trained eye about politicians.

Notably absent from the debate is a leader prepared to be as bold and as serious about the challenges facing African Americans as the Kerner Commission was 22 years ago. The commission, chaired by Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner, was created by President Lyndon Johnson in the wake of the devastating urban riots of the late ‘60s. It included leaders from both major parties, as well as representatives of labor, the police, business and civil rights groups.

It became famous for its stark warning: “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.”

Dr. Martin Luther King pronounced the report a “physician’s warning of approaching death, with a prescription for life.” In many ways, it was the last attempt to address honestly and seriously the structural inequalities that plague African Americans.

It told harsh truths: “What white Americans have never fully understood but what the Negro can never forget—is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.” It concluded that one main cause of the urban violence was white racism that left too many young African Americans without hope.

It offered not nostrums and pablum but a serious agenda to redress the maladies: new jobs, new housing, an end to de facto segregation, integration of schools, daycare for children, higher wages or income supplementation, greater services, and more diverse and sensitive police forces. It did not blink at the billions that this would cost, suggesting that the cost of not acting would be far greater.

The Kerner Report—and Johnson’s War on Poverty—was lost in the jungles of Vietnam.

The costs of that misbegotten war—in money, in lives and agony, and in political upheaval—torpedoed any serious effort to address our problems at home.

What the Kerner Report did leave was a marker: a measure of what it means to be serious in addressing the problems of our society.

Much has changed over the last half-century, yet too much is the same. Affirmative action has opened closed doors for some people of color. America is more diverse, yet still deeply divided. De facto residential segregation has been largely sustained. Inequality has grown more extreme. Schools are even more divided by class and race. Affordable housing is even less available. Structural racism still stains our criminal justice system.

So, as the politicians come campaigning for African American votes, they will get a hearing.

We appreciate the attention and gestures. But the Kerner Report set the standard for what a serious leader would champion.

We’ll see who comes close, if anyone does, to accepting that challenge.

Saskia Hatvany

Posts by Saskia Hatvany

Activism

Andre Thierry Explores Zydeco Music at Marin City Library

Grammy-nominated Andre Thierry leads the musical program with an interactive, engaging experience that combines traditional and newly composed music.

Published

3 months ago

January 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Andre Thierry’s music program for kids. Courtesy photo.

By Godfrey Lee

The “Are You Ready to Learn” music program allows children, families, and adults, to explore the rich Kreole culture and Zydeco music of southwestern Louisiana.

Grammy-nominated Andre Thierry leads the musical program with an interactive, engaging experience that combines traditional and newly composed music.

The program, created by Thierry, showcases a mix of African and Native American Blues and French Kreole dance melodies with elements of Afro-Caribbean music.

Children and families sing and dance while learning about popular Zydeco instruments like vest rub boards, drums, and accordion.

For information on the program, go to https://www.andrethierry.com

The free program will take place on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m., at the Marin City Library, 164 Donahue St., in Marin City. For more information, call 415-332-6158.

Thierry will be performing again the Fairfax Library, 2097 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Fairfax, on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 11 a.m. For more information, call 415-453-8092.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Brian Colbert Sworn in as Marin County’s First Black Supervisor

A 10-year San Anselmo resident, Former San Anselmo Mayor Brian Colbert was raised in Connecticut and has degrees from Oberlin (Ohio) College and the University of Chicago Law School. He worked on Wall Street, with several tech startups, and for a concierge medical practice in San Francisco. He was elected to the San Anselmo Town Council in 2017, was reelected in 2020, and served twice as mayor.

Published

3 months ago

January 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Brian Colbert joined the Marin County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14. Photo by Bob Dell. Courtesy of MarinShares.

By Oakland Post Staff

Former San Anselmo Mayor Brian Colbert officially joined the Marin County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 as the District 2 representative. Colbert’s swearing-in was a celebratory event at the Marin County Civic Center that coincided with the swearing in of District 3 Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters for a second term. District 1 Supervisor Mary Sackett, who has been selected as Board President, took her oath of office that day.

Colbert was elected in November 2024 to replace retired District 2 Supervisor Katie Rice, who served in that role since 2011 and completed 20 years of service as a county employee.

Colbert now represents the entire Ross Valley area following seven years on the San Anselmo Town Council.

A 10-year San Anselmo resident, Colbert was raised in Connecticut and has degrees from Oberlin (Ohio) College and the University of Chicago Law School. He worked on Wall Street, with several tech startups, and for a concierge medical practice in San Francisco. He was elected to the San Anselmo Town Council in 2017, was reelected in 2020, and served twice as mayor.

“As your newly elected official, I am committed to working tirelessly for the people of Marin County,” Colbert said. “Our county’s unique and distinct character — its natural beauty, diverse communities, and innovative spirit — makes it a place like no other.”

Colbert continued, “I will approach every challenge through the prism of preserving these values, focusing on solutions that promote economic vitality, environmental stewardship, and resilience. My pledge is to listen to your concerns, act with integrity, and ensure that every voice is heard as we tackle the issues that matter most and building a brighter future where opportunity and compassion go hand in hand.”

The Marin County Board of Supervisors members are (from left, standing) District 3’s Stephanie Moulton-Peters, District 4’s Dennis Rodoni, District 5’s Eric Lucan, District 2’s Brian Colbert, and (seated) District 1’s Mary Sackett, who is serving as Board President for 2025.

The ceremony included Colbert taking his public oath of office, administered by his daughter. There were also celebratory elements such as a performance by gospel singers from his district.

Supervisor Colbert’s swearing-in is a milestone for Marin County, as he is the first African American elected to the Board since its inception in 1852.

The Board typically meets two or three times a month on Tuesday mornings in the Board chamber of the Marin County Civic Center, Suite 330 in San Rafael. Meetings are conducted both in person at the chamber and also via videoconference to increase public engagement opportunities.

Meeting start times are usually 9 AM. All Board meetings are televised live on channel 27 for Marin County subscribers of Comcast/Xfinity and streamed live on MarinCounty.gov. Videos and agendas of the meetings dating to 2005 are archived on the website as well.

“We have a collaborative Board of Supervisors that is grounded in finding solutions for the good of our constituents, the County overall, and the health of our planet,” Sackett said during her opening remarks Tuesday. “I am focused on the County delivering essential services efficiently and effectively.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Funds Available for Nonprofits Assisting Marin’s Households

As of Jan. 22, applications are being accepted within the County of Marin’s annual funding cycle for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) grants. Both are administered by the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA), which leverages several local, state, and federal funding sources for the programs.

Published

3 months ago

January 25, 2025

Oakland Post

Casa Canal, a housing project at 3301 Kerner Boulevard in the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael – designated as housing to reduce the risk of homelessness -- is an example of a nonprofit development that received County of Marin funding assistance. Courtesy image.

Feb. 19 is the deadline to apply for more than $3.6 million; Webinars set for Jan. 29

Special to The Post

An annual funding opportunity is now open for developers and nonprofits considering projects focused on the creation of affordable housing, community infrastructure and other services in Marin County – especially those designed to assist local lower-income households. All told, $3.6 million is on the table.

CDA also administers the State of California’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation, including a 1-to-1 match from the Marin Affordable Housing Fund. This year, in partnership with the City of San Rafael, applicants may also apply for City of San Rafael Affordable Housing Trust Funds (AHTP) through the same application.

Local agencies have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, to apply for the funds. Application webinars will be held online Wednesday, Jan. 29, to provide details to potential applicants.

Many residents struggle to meet basic needs with housing, health, childcare, and food security. Marin has one of the highest median household incomes in California – $186,600 for a family of four. However, it also has some of the highest home prices and development costs in the country. The median local price for a single-family, detached home has neared $1.8 million in recent months, and typical rents range from $2,500 to $3,400.

There is increasing pressure on charitable organizations to provide help. The federal grants program offers funding to those nonprofits delivering key services to the community with a minimum grant size of $15,000.

Application materials for the 2025 cycle are available on CDA’s Notice of Funding Availability webpage and in CDA’s Marin County Civic Center office at 3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 308, in San Rafael. The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. 4 p.m.

Applications are assessed on how they meet funding priorities and goals, affirmatively further fair housing, serve low-income residents and serve local members of protected classes based on race, gender, disability, and other factors. The grants are not available to individuals; those in need of housing assistance and resources are encouraged to review the County’s Housing Help webpage.

During the Jan. 29 webinars, participants will learn more about the application process, types of eligible projects, and new project requirements. The sessions are organized into two distinct presentations:

1:30-2:30 p.m. – Community Infrastructure (Capital) and Public Service Projects
2:30-3:30 p.m. – Housing Projects

CDA staff members are available throughout the application process to consult with organizations unable to attend the online sessions. Office hours will be held throughout the application process; register via the division’s webpage. For more details, email the Housing and Federal Grants Division.

Staff will review applications and conduct public hearings about recommended allocations this spring. By June, the Board of Supervisors will hold a final public hearing and make recommendations to be submitted to the federal government. Approved allocations would be received by the applicants by autumn.

The County of Marin Media Relations Department is the source for this story.