Whatcom leaders hold first listening session on racism. This is what they heard

At Whatcom County’s first community “listening session” Tuesday evening designed to address systemic racism and racial injustice and inequality experienced by people of color, more than a dozen speakers addressed a wide variety of topics.

Throughout the two-hour session on July 28, speakers addressed issues such as defunding the police and law enforcement’s relationship with the community, homelessness, poverty, the need for rental assistance and anticipated evictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic violence and youth programs. Roughly half of the 18 participants who spoke were white.