The Granby Racial Reconciliation (GRR) Board of Directors would like to clarify a March 2022 Drummer article submitted by one of its task teams. As stated on its website, granbyracialreconciliation.com, GRR’s purpose “is to raise awareness and continue the conversation on racial justice in our community so that Granby can be a great place for everyone.”
Upon review, we found no falsehoods in explaining the Connecticut State requirements for the Granby Affordable Housing Commission. However, the article should have clarified Ken Mouning’s quotation regarding Sara Bronin of Desegregate CT as an invited speaker presenting at GRR’s Courageous Conversation on Affordable Housing in August 2021.
It is our view that informing our neighbors of past community dialogues regarding Affordable Housing speaks to the active life of this community. GRR will strive to improve its communications to make more people aware of such offerings and we invite interested readers to check the website for future events.
Additionally, GRR would like to acknowledge that two GRR members are also on the Affordable Housing Commission: one a woman of color, one a white woman; one a Republican recommended to the BOS by the Granby Republican Town Committee, and one a Democrat appointed by the town’s Bipartisan Economic Development Commission. Although GRR does not take a particular stance on the outcome of the affordable housing plan, due to the historical nature of housing segregation in Connecticut, it is unsurprising that GRR members would also be willing to volunteer on this particular town commission.
GRR believes it is important to recognize that Connecticut is 68 percent white and 32 percent Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Hartford County is 62 percent white and 38 percent BIPOC. The Town of Granby is 96 percent white and 4 percent BIPOC. (2020 US Census statistics at census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/granbytownhartfordcountyconnecticut,CT/PST045221).
GRR will continue to raise awareness and be curious about the possible systemic, historical and cultural influences that put Granby at this particular end of the racial demographic spectrum. Many in the Town of Granby value an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming community. We will work together with all interested members of the community to respond to the reality in which we find ourselves, being receptive to the gifts of our differences, and open to give and receive neighborliness. GRR is committed to facilitating and generating respectful conversations in order to foster community and help Granby continue to become a great place for everyone.
The Rev. Dr. Sandra L. Fischer, member
for the Granby Racial Reconciliation Board of Directors