ND Groups Join National Call to Action for Worker, Racial Justice
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FARGO, N.D. -- As the nation confronts a host of major issues, labor groups in the Fargo area are joining a national movement to call for systemic change to help people living on the margins.
The "Workers First Caravan" is to run through downtown Fargo this evening. Labor unions, including the North Dakota AFL-CIO, want federal lawmakers to enact substantial police reforms and to reduce the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on workers of color.
Local teacher Christina Nystrom, a member of the West Fargo Education Association, said she also would like to see greater diversity in education leadership, which she thinks would make it easier for teachers of color to succeed.
"It needs to start early," she said. "We need to be attracting pre-service teachers. We need to be seeking out high school juniors before they elect a major."
When students of color see a lack of diversity among teachers and administrators, Nystrom said, it discourages them from pursuing the profession.
The groups specifically are calling on Congress to pass both the HEROES Act and the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Supporters of the HEROES Act have said it would provide more help for school workers on the front lines as educators prepare for the possible reopening of classrooms this fall. However, Senate Republicans have resisted the proposal, saying the spending plans need more evaluation.
Meanwhile, following the police killing of George Floyd, Nystrom said they want federal leaders to get serious about holding police agencies accountable.
"We are also going to be talking about the racial injustices that we see specifically with police brutality," she said.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that, among other things, calls for enhanced police training, but many activists say it doesn't go far enough.
A separate caravan will be held in Grand Forks today as well. Details of the events are online at ndaflcio.org.
