Marin Voice: Candidates must confront county’s poverty-driven racial inequities

Marin County has improved its standing. We’re no longer the worst “racially diverse county in the state.” We’re the third worst. This listing is according to Catalyst California, a Los Angeles civil rights organization.

The reasons could be anywhere from a conscious effort to do better (we’ve allocated several million dollars for racial equity initiatives) or because other counties are doing worse.

Regardless of the reasons, the issue must be the concern of each of the five supervisors representing the county. Candidates should be prepared to confront Marin’s poverty-driven racial inequities whether solving problems in the poorest parts of their own district or campaigning for support in the county’s richest neighborhoods.

Let’s not fool ourselves. According to the IJ article about the rankings (“Marin improves — slightly — in study of racial inequity,” Nov. 5), the county is rated the most disparate in the state for crime and justice.

On this topic, when someone asks for my support, I ask three important questions before moving forward:

• How did you respond during the outcry over the troubling video of a Tiburon police officer questioning the Yema store’s Black owner while he moved merchandise after hours in his own store?

• What was your stand during the movement to change the name of San Rafael’s Dixie School District?

• How do you plan to improve Marin County’s abysmal standing on racial equality?

Not everyone sees race as the priority; Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters does. Among the many feathers in her cap, racial equity stands high on her list of priorities. Her Marin City constituents support her close monitoring, reflecting their concerns.

Moulton-Peters can’t do it alone. It’s important to point out that there needs to be at least three out of the five votes on the board to move any legislation. Racial inequality should be as crucial to every supervisorial candidate, irrespective of what district they represent.

Endorsing boards and entities must hold each candidate’s feet to the fire. Where do they stand on a host of issues? It’s no longer good enough to cite plans for fire safety, climate change, traffic and housing for teachers and first responders as sole priorities when inequality looms so large.

I sit on the Marin Community Foundation Board of Directors, where we also address issues of poverty. Marin ranks as the most disparate, with 25% of residents judged to be living in poverty after their incomes are adjusted for the cost of living.

As a county, we need to open our eyes to the ongoing issues lurking under the surface of our beautiful surroundings.

It is not enough to luxuriate in our bountiful open spaces, vast shoreline vistas, and our tall Mount Tamalpais, blessed with numerous hiking and bike trails.

With apologies to poet John Dunne, I say ask not for whom the vote tolls. It tolls for thee.

Donne wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in 1624, but it had no more significant inspiration than in former President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address of 1961, when the 35th president intoned, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

I say, ask not what your county can do for you, but what you can do for your county.

What each of us can (and should) do is appreciate that none of us can afford to be unconcerned with inequality and poverty. It’s easy to do when we live well and our children thrive. Our lifestyles place us in one of the country’s most desirable counties.

We live in a fool’s paradise when we don’t care for the least of these.

Each candidate seeking your support must list Marin’s pressing racial inequality and poverty as a priority. Your county needs you.

Noah Griffin is a former member of the Tiburon Town Council.