On Thursday, Biden for President held a North Carolina roundtable on the fourth plank of Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” economic recovery plan. Former White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett joined Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin, and State Representatives Yvonne Holley and James Gailliard to discuss Biden’s plan to address systemic racism and advance racial equity in North Carolina and across the country.
“As President, Joe will live his values beginning on day one, bringing together a forward thinking administration that reflects the diversity of the United States of America itself,” said Former White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett. “And Joe's cabinet will be tasked with advancing his plan for racial equity. That plan begins with removing barriers that block Black and Brown workers, small business owners and families from having a fair shot in every aspect of our economy.”
Speaking to Jarrett, Mayor Vi Lyles said, “When you talk about how you've worked with [Joe] and how you've seen his dedication to people and the problem solving that he is doing, that makes it much more real. And then to actually go through the Build Back Better plan and understand that Black people or all people that are minorities, ethnic and racial minorities, aren't just a side thought. The plan integrates the work that the Vice President wants to see happen for all of this country. When he says Build Back Better, he knows that we have a longer path, a longer runway to go through, but having that understanding is a great commitment and attribute for someone that's going to lead us as we go forward.”
“The minimum wage used to take care of one person,” said State Representative Yvonne Holley. “Now we're asking for minimum wage to take care of families, and many times, our workers and our citizens are working two and three jobs...We've made it a war on poor people and it needs to be a war on poverty. We cannot keep continuing to attack the poor. Being poor is not a crime…This program that [Joe Biden] is talking about puts emphasis in the areas that are critically needed. And it just warms my heart to know that we are going to have a President that's going to be about the people.”
“Oftentimes, when we talk about the issue of racial inequity, we don't recognize the true nature of how structural it is,” said State Representative James Gailliard. “And the structures have really not changed. And what jumped out for me around the Biden plan here is that it touches on every area where inequity exists...Unless we address every aspect of structural inequity, we really will not move the needle. And I think soon-to-be President Biden has gotten it spot on because he recognizes that we have to have a structure of racial equity.”
“What makes Vice President Biden unique to me is that he started his public service as a local government official,” said Mayor Mitch Colvin. “And oftentimes that means he has some empathy as to what you and I deal with, Mayor Lyles, attempting to solve all of our constituents' problems on a local level, which is very difficult without a federal state partner that sends us the resources...America has experienced a national stress test of all of its systems. And it has shown that the vulnerable communities have been impacted in health care, of course housing, in the justice system, in education...I think the Vice President's plan talks about critical points...and he's talked about direct investment into communities of color to give us the resources that we need.”
