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16 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 WHEREAS, since the desegregation of schools, Black/African American students still are <br /> 3 denied access to quality learning, are directed away from advanced courses, and face <br /> 4 disciplinary actions at a disproportionate rate from white counterparts; and <br /> 5 <br /> 6 WHEREAS, as evidenced in morbidity/mortality rates, Black/African Americans received and <br /> 7 still receive inadequate and sometimes detrimental healthcare and biased treatment by medical <br /> 8 professionals; and <br /> 9 <br /> 10 WHEREAS, Black/African Americans have been and continue to be unjustly targeted, <br /> 11 mistreated and abused by law enforcement and the criminal justice system; and <br /> 12 <br /> 13 WHEREAS, systemic racism in America, which originated over 400 years ago and has evolved <br /> 14 and persists to the present day, has manifested itself as a specific trauma within Black/African <br /> 15 Americans and the Black experience, and has affected American society as a whole; <br /> 16 <br /> 17 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County <br /> 18 Commissioners, on behalf of the people of Orange County, affirms the dignity and humanity of <br /> 19 all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, <br /> 20 religion or creed; and <br /> 21 <br /> 22 BE IT RESOLVED, that Orange County apologizes for its role in the enslavement of <br /> 23 Black/African American people, its enforcement of segregation, its promotion of prejudicial <br /> 24 policies, and its implementation of discriminatory and detrimental practices and procedures; and <br /> 25 <br /> 26 BE/T FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners calls on the <br /> 27 federal government to work toward the immediate enactment of the following policies and bills: <br /> 28 <br /> 29 a. A program to provide reparations to the descendants of enslaved Africans sufficient to <br /> 30 eliminate the racial wealth gap; <br /> 31 b. A program to provide a universal basic income to all citizens sufficient to meet each <br /> 32 person's basic needs; <br /> 33 c. A program to provide a guaranteed federal or federally-funded living-wage job to all <br /> 34 citizens; <br /> 35 d. An increase in the federal minimum wage to $15/hr. or higher, with regular increases <br /> 36 to account for increases in cost of living and inflation; <br /> 37 e. A program to provide universal health care; <br /> 38 f. H.R. 40, a bill to establish a federal Commission to Study and Develop Reparations for <br /> 39 Black/African Americans. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners hereby <br /> 42 is committed to working toward the elimination of racial bias and individual racism, the <br /> 43 dismantling of institutional racism and the eradication of structural racism; and <br /> 44 <br /> 45 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners will <br /> 46 support and augment the work of the One Orange Government Alliance on Race & Equity <br /> 47 [GARE] Team; and <br /> 48 <br /> 49 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners will <br /> 50 proceed to collaborate with schools boards, county departments, governmental agencies, <br />