CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As the nation continues to grapple with police violence against people of color, the ACLU of Wyoming is hosting a virtual community forum on racism this Saturday. The event will take place online via video conference.

Antonio Serrano, advocacy manager for the group, said he hopes people in communities across Wyoming who have experienced racism in any form -- whether at school, at work, at the doctor's office or at the hands of police -- will share their stories.

"And this is going to be an event that's not going to be live-streamed; we're not going to be having law enforcement present, we're not going to be having media present. This is just for the community to be open and share what's really happening," Serrano said. "Because, too many places, we feel unheard. So, we want to make sure that people feel heard this time."

Serrano said at some recent events, hosted by elected officials and law enforcement, community concerns have been dismissed. He said leaders claim police misconduct isn't happening in their jurisdictions, or explain steps taken to ensure that behavior isn't tolerated.

Serrano pointed to the killing of unarmed Robert Ramirez in Laramie after a traffic stop in 2018, shot in the back by a deputy who still is employed in the Albany County Sheriff's Department, as one example that Wyoming still has work to do. He said people who have not experienced racism or police brutality but want to help create lasting change also are invited to the forum.

He said he expects many will be surprised to hear first-hand examples of oppression people of color deal with on a daily basis.

"I really hope that allies, they'll show up and listen, not take up space," he said. "They'll just hear what people around them, their neighbors and friends, what they're kind of experiencing all around us, and they don't even see it. It will be a good learning experience for people like that."

The forum follows in the wake of ongoing demonstrations across the globe -- including in Casper, Cheyenne and Laramie -- protesting the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

To join the community forum, register online at the ACLU of Wyoming's website, aclu-wy.org.


get more stories like this via email

DENVER -- Today marks the day Black women in the U.S. will finally earn as much as a white, non-Hispanic man was paid in 2020.

Ashley Panelli, associate state director of 9to5 Colorado, said gender and racial wage gaps deny women the money needed to own their own homes, help their kids get through college, and become financially stable.

She pointed to census data, which showed some women of color earn less than half their male counterparts' pay.

"When you have people making 50, 60, 70 cents on the dollar to their male counterparts, that added up over somebody's lifetime to hundreds of thousands, sometimes close to a million dollars, in lost wages," Panelli outlined.

Colorado's Equal Pay For Equal Work Act, which went into effect this year, aims to address the wage gap by requiring companies to include a salary range in any job posting.

Critics say the measure amounts to politicians micromanaging business, and warn companies could move to states with fewer regulations.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported some national companies have excluded job applicants from Colorado.

Panelli argued the report underscores the need for a national response to ensure wage transparency. Until then, she asserted it is important to put a spotlight on any bad corporate actors.

"Why is it that you are fearful to comply with this law? Because if you're implementing fair and just workplace policies, companies shouldn't have anything to hide," Panelli contended.

Panelli herself discovered during a candid conversation at a previous job a worker she supervised was making $15,000 more. She pointed out for too long, talking about how much money you earn has been a taboo subject, and she encouraged people to talk to coworkers and family members about salaries and the going rate for the kind of work they're doing.

"And bring that to their supervisors, bring that to their companies and really start this conversation," Panelli urged. "Because as long as there's a culture of silence around this, the gender wage gap will never change."

NEW YORK -- Over 10,000 New York and New Jersey front-line airport workers will get health insurance as part of new contract negotiations that come at a time when more people are flying.

The Healthy Terminals Act provides zero-premium cost health coverage to contract workers at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty international airports.

According to Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, it's the first state-level legislation of its kind in the country.

Rob Hill, union vice president and airports division director for New York and New Jersey, said it is a victory that they are finally being recognized as essential workers, but it comes at a price.

"And unfortunately, we lost some of our members due to the pandemic and the virus," Hill recounted. "To get the public to see that, and the airlines and state, that these workers have to have health care."

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected people of color, in part because many are front-line workers. Hill sees the addition of health insurance as a racial-justice matter, and since contract airport workers are predominantly people of color, he thinks similar measures should be in place at other U.S. airports.

Especially with new variants of COVID-19 spreading, Hill asserted workers having healthcare benefits is in the public interest.

"That concern is also why this is an issue not just for the workers, but for the traveling public," Hill explained. "To know that the airport workers they're coming in contact with have the ability to go to the doctor, and take care of themselves and have sick days, etc."

The contract includes quarterly reviews to ensure compliance with health and safety guidance, along with policies requiring personal protective equipment, social distancing and other precautions. Also included are new policies to protect workers from discrimination for natural hair or hairstyles tied to racial, ethnic or cultural identities.

MILWAUKEE -- Community leaders from Milwaukee rally today to try to convince Gov. Tony Evers to hear their concerns about police accountability efforts for the state.

Activists will be outside the State Capitol in Madison, calling for creation of an executive commission to extend public dialogue on police reforms.

Evers recently signed legislation, that, among other things, bans the use of chokeholds in certain situations.

Angela Lang, executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC), said despite the bipartisanship behind these bills, citizen voices were not given enough weight.

"You know, we fought really hard at our local fire and police commission meeting to say we didn't want an exception to the chokehold ban because we're afraid that that exception would be abused, and would not actually have saved someone like George Floyd," Lang explained.

The legislation arose from a task force on policing and racial equity proposed by GOP leaders. When signing the bills, the Democratic governor said he still wants to see a more robust attempt to address these issues. However, it's unclear if Evers will agree to assemble an executive commission.

Lang thinks with lawmakers dominating the conversation, there's still too much investment in police departments, and not enough in such areas as violence prevention. She's convinced if politics can be removed from the conversation, important perspectives can change the narrative.

"We are hopeful that people can see the humanity," Lang remarked. "People can hear the stories, people can, you know, see the people that have been impacted by criminal justice and law enforcement, and racial profiling."

Even though Black communities are still dealing with historical trauma from policing, Lang contended it's a topic that should be on the minds of all Wisconsinites.

"We think of safety and automatically equate it to the police department, and oftentimes, it's framed as communities of color," Lang pointed out. "But really, we can be talking about safety as a whole, and what it means for us to be safe in Wisconsin."

The group added it wants a commission that leans on community voices, and that will hold at least one of its hearings in Milwaukee.