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8 residents of color submitting comments re: hiring Police Officers of color.
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To the Honorable City Council:
I humbly submit a letter (attached) written by several people of color in Somerville. In the letter, we give our support for hiring police officers of color. We believe that diversity is important and throughout US history scientific racism (see <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_racism>) has been against people of color. Diversity is known as a way to ensure all voices are heard, especially the need for diversity in leadership.
We further uphold that people of color and those most impacted by police need to be the only voice that is heard on re-imagining the police. Many have decided to sign with their last initial. This is a reflection of cultural heritage and the fear of speaking up about politics. This is a reflection of many of the voices that are never heard. I thank you for your consideration.
Benjamin Echevarria Jr.
Executive Director
The Welcome Project