The Racial Reconciliation Committee (RRC) in Tampa, Florida, is actively addressing inequalities faced by the Black community. Recently, on April 30, the committee released an editorial criticizing the city for lack of progress, engagement, and dedication to their initiatives.
In their editorial, RRC members emphasized that true improvement requires collaboration with city leaders who originally appointed and supported the committee. “It’s crucial that we begin this work immediately, anything less is just a waste of time,” they stated.
During a meeting Tuesday, they reviewed their recommendations for the policy areas, which sparked heated comments about what’s been done so far.
A committee member expressed the need for solutions that go beyond just policy changes. “Black communities need tangible support and reassurance, which I feel is currently lacking,” they noted. “With the city having a $1.9 billion budget, I propose that 25% be allocated to the Black community to address our pressing concerns.”
They are focusing on five areas: economic development, opportunities for youth, ignored history, returning citizens, and affordable housing.
Allison Hewitt is a third generation Tampa resident and economic development specialist who spoke at the meeting.
“Right now, I am firmly convinced that between the city council and the mayor, we are going to gentrify the core of African American history in east Tampa,” Hewitt said. “How do we put services there to negate those hotspots, to negate those youth opportunities rather than be arrested and they can’t have a job because they’ve become returning citizens.”
She gave the committee questions she felt they should ask the city to get the appropriate data in order to develop and strengthen their recommendations.
The committee said they’ve already sent in questions, and in return, they claim the city isn’t giving them the support or resources they need to do the job.
The city had staff at the meeting Tuesday night.
“The mayor did approve to supply logistics and has opened her arms to any data. We expected to see motions towards that data,” said Mayor Jane Castor’s Chief of Staff John Bennett.
But the committee argued some of the data they received was uninterpreted, leaving them making recommendations in the dark.
“If your staff had a hard time with data, imagine how it was for us,” said a committee member.
“Let’s see what we can do to get it done. We need to find a way to close the gap. We don’t want this to be a missed opportunity. We do need measurable outcomes. But it begins with making sure we have alignment,” Bennett said.
Shortly after speaking, some of the city staff left the meeting, which did not sit well with some of the RRC members.
“It seems disingenuous, and it feels insulting,” said Christopher Harris, a committee member.
The RRC said they need clarity on the data to support and develop their recommendations. They motioned to have more meetings to get the data and hopefully finalize their plan.
The city sent this statement before the meeting:
“The administration was clear from the start that we would provide any resources, records, staff, and information that the council requested, and we have. We have provided funding for a facilitator, we have offered subject matter experts, and so on. The committee recently asked the administration to complete a service gap analysis that seemed to be the very purpose and reason for the creation of the committee. Completing a gap analysis and making policy recommendations to the administration is more appropriate for the community and committee to do than the administration, but we are very happy to assist.”
