Let Justice Ring: "Slow Walking?" Or, Why Has It Taken So Long, Mr. ...

Let Justice Ring: "Slow Walking?" Or, Why Has It Taken So Long, Mr. ...: The wheels of justice grind slowly. The wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly. While the grind is slow and painful, people are dying, losing th...

Equity: Federal Government and the USDA

Shortly after President Biden was inauguarated he issued a formal, presidential executive order, "Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government," signed January 20, 2021. This was an effort I applauded. 

Shortly thereafter, the USDA under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, announced the intention to establish an Equity Commission, ostensibly to root out inequities in the Department. While the USDA can be applauded for acknowledging decades of systemic racism and its determination to root it out of the system, the folks that I hang with were not impressed. I was not impressed. We were totally unimpressed. 

"Why were we not impressed?" you might ask. Good question. An Equity Commission is being set up to assess what we already know, to find solutions to questions that we already know. And, we know that the USDA knows. The USDA has done internal investigations for decades, and external investigations have been conducted for decades, so what will an Equity Commission find that has not already been found and announced before? Good question. 

What documents do we have access to that buttress our opinion? Here they are, and they have been listed in a variety of communications that we've had with the USDA and even with the White House: the 1965 Civil Rights commission report, the 1982 Civil Rights commission report, the 1997 Civil Rights Action Team Report, the 1997 Civil Rights Implementation Team Report, the D. J. Miller Report of 1996, the Jackson-Lewis Report of 2011, the Office of the Inspector General Report of 2021, and many, many more. 

The Equity Commission will present its findings in 2023 or 2024. In the meantime, how many Black farmers will die? How many have to die while the Commission is studying what we already know to be the case? I think this is a shell game. I think this is an unnecessary kicking the can down the road game. 

Here is what I wrote for an investigative reporter: "It is notable that President Biden is focusing upon equity across the federal government. It is also significant that Secretary Tom Vilsack is appointing an Equity Commission and a subcommittee for Agriculture; however, I am not optimistic about their relevance nor their abilities to contribute to change within the department. It has taken an inordinate amount of time to put it together. Its work will not be forthcoming until 2024. In the meantime, how many more Black farmers will have lost their land?

The USDA has a long and storied history of examining itself via both internal and external investigations. Numerous reviews are available: the 1965 document on Civil Rights; the 1982 document on Civil Rights; the D. J. Miller Report of 1996; the Civil Rights Action Team Report of 1997; the Civil Rights Implementation Team Report of 1997; the Jackson-Lewis Report of 2011; and many more from the GAO and the OIG.

 It is my opinion that the Equity Commission will find only that which has been found before. It find once more that gross disparities have existed for decades between Black farmers, other farmers of color, and white farmers in terms of programs and services.  It is also my opinion that the real truth of the matter is whether or not the secretary will give the Commission the freedom to do its work and then to bring about the systemic change that has been needed for decades. I am not optimistic about these matters given the history of the USDA.

 At best, some findings will be published. At worst, they will be placed in a filing cabinet and lost until the next report and commission."

Committee members and subcommittee members, please tell the truth and tell the truth quickly. Do not let the Secretary perform some slight of hand. We are watching. We are waiting. We will continue to hold Secretary Vilsack accountable. We will continue to let President Biden know of the liabilities of his appointee. The USDA has been guilty of malfeasance for decades. That's what our documentary is all about: Blackfarmersinsearchofjusticefilm.com. 

Good luck with your work, and as you do, start with the list that we've generated in previous communications with Vilsack and the president. We will be more than happy to share them and others with you. 

Equity Commission members: 

 

Arturo S. Rodriguez, California

Hazell Reed, Arkansas

Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, Washington

Derrick Johnson, Mississippi

Ronald Rainey, Arkansas

Mireya Loza, District of Columbia

Charles Rawls, Virginia

Shorlette Ammons, North Carolina

Poppy Sias-Hernandez, Michigan

Todd Corley, Ohio

Yvonne Lee, California

Elizabeth Lower-Basch, Virginia

Shirley Sherrod, Georgia

Ertharin Cousin, Illinois

Rick Smith, Missouri

           

The new agriculture subcommittee members are:

 

Shari Rogge-Fidler, Illinois

Savonala Horne, North Carolina

Alexis Racelis, Texas

Gina Eubanks, Louisiana

Michelle Hughes, Virginia

Kari Jo Lawrence, South Dakota

PJ Haynie III, Virginia

Russell Redding, Pennsylvania

Janssen Hang, Minnesota

Erica Lomeli Corcoran, California

Sarah Vogel, North Dakota

Gary Matteson, New Hampshire

Jennie Stephens, South Carolina

More details can be found at: www.usda.gov/equity-commission.

Let Justice Ring: America the Wounded

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