Last week the Complexities of Color coalition, made up of black faith leaders and professionals, released a set of recommendations that promote equality and address issues that plague communities of color.
The group is led by Reverend Doctor Donald Morton, who says the goal was to create holistic recommendations with several different stakeholders from within the community.
"A unified leadership is necessary," said Dr. Morton. "What the agenda does is two things, it celebrates the organizations doing great work...and it also identifies the chasms that exist." He added that highlighting those chasms creates space for new initiatives. The goal is to unite diverse players and not, as he said, "recreate the wheel."
The group focused on eleven key areas, ranging from education to the criminal justice system to international affairs. Specifically, recommendations range from increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour and working to valorize single mothers to promoting international travel to Africa and reforming drug laws.
"At the end of the day, we want to make sure that black lives matter," said Morton. "Not just as it relates to criminal justice issues, but also as it relates to economic issues, as it relates to health issues, and any disparity that exist in our communities."
Some recommendations addressed less tangible issues, such as spirituality and a lack of representation. Morton also argues local media outlets have not done an adequate job reporting on communities of color.
"The narrative kind of gets crafted in a way that sometimes black people, and brown people can be demonized," said Dr.Morton.
He added that the concept of black on black violence is disproportionately covered in the news.
The group is working on creating an alternative news media outlet, which would include more employees of color. The coalition says its next step is to try and influence policy makers to enact change. In the near future, the group wants to focus on repealing the death penalty and building art spaces.
