AUGUSTA, Maine — In response to the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the racist, deadly attack against Ahmaud Arbery, the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) issued this statement:
“The Maine Center for Economic Policy joins our colleagues, family, friends, and neighbors to assert: Black Lives Matter.
“But that simple, powerful truth cannot be realized as long as racist structures and policies continue to deprive Black people of equal opportunity, access to economic prosperity, and their very health and lives. The disproportionately high risk of COVID-19, the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the racist, deadly attack against Ahmaud Arbery, are among the most recent traumas inflicted on the Black community. They are also part of a centuries-long system of racist policies and violence.
“Maine is not immune to the reality of racism in our communities, our public policies or our institutions. Data for our state paints a picture of economic, health, education, and criminal justice systems that work better for whites than for people of color. We must do better.
“We cannot achieve economic justice and prosperity for all Mainers without dismantling racism. MECEP is committed to the pursuit of anti-racist policies that break down systems of oppression and reduce inequality. We will continue to listen to Black leaders and Black communities in our state and will seek opportunities to work with others to reduce barriers and enact meaningful change so that all Mainers — black, brown, and white — can thrive.”
Additional information and resources:
- MECEP: Data on racial inequality shows need for solutions to advance racial justice
- MECEP: Maine’s racial disparities laid bare by COVID-19
- MECEP: Coronavirus relief for frontline workers has big implications for gender and race equity
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: 3 Principles for an Anti-Racist, Equitable State Response to COVID-19 — and a Stronger Recovery
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Advancing Racial Equity With State Tax Policy
