Agenda - 10-18-2022; 8-a - Minutes

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9 1 Commissioner Richards said she and Chair Price feel they are not apologizing as a 2 Board, but are expressing compassion for those who were affected by this and their families, 3 and for the loss of dignity they experienced because those in control did nothing to stop it. She 4 said they have no idea how many total people were victims of racial terror lynchings in Orange 5 County. She said in her own family, her mother tells a story about how her family always left a 6 light on for an uncle who got in trouble for looking wrong and never came home. She said this 7 story is probably told countless times by countless families. She said she appreciates the 8 gesture of this resolution. 9 As a member of the Orange County Racial Justice Coalition and a member of the 10 Marker Committee, Commissioner Greene recognized that a lot of work has gone toward this 11 moment. She said there are a lot of people who are not in the room who should be thanked for 12 their help including James Williams, Prinny Anderson, Glenn Hinson and his class of students 13 who have been working hard to document part of this story, and others. 14 Chair Price said the Coalition was started by her and James Williams a number of years 15 ago to bring some of these stories to light. She said that EJI only looks at a certain period of 16 time (1875-1940), but there was racial terror before then and after as well. She said the 17 Coalition worked to get EJI to include 1969, the Reconstruction period. She said there are many 18 more stories in Orange County that they are aware of that people don't talk about or will only 19 discuss with certain people. She thanked the Board for agreeing to pass this proclamation. 20 21 c. Proclamation Designating September 2022 as Suicide Prevention Month 22 The Board considered approving a proclamation designating September 2022 as Suicide 23 Prevention Month in Orange County. 24 25 BACKGROUND: This month recognizes suicide as a serious public health problem that can 26 have long-lasting effects on individuals, families and communities. Everyone also recognizes 27 that suicide is preventable and that everyone can help by learning the warning signs, promoting 28 prevention and resilience and making necessary social changes. 29 30 Commissioner Fowler read the following Proclamation: 31 32 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 33 34 PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2022 35 AS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH 36 37 WHEREAS, September is known as National Suicide Prevention Month and is intended to help 38 raise awareness surrounding suicide prevention resources available in the community; and 39 40 WHEREAS, suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, orientation, 41 income level, religion or background; and 42 43 WHEREAS, according to the North Carolina Injury Violence and Prevention Branch, suicide is 44 the second leading cause of death for youth in North Carolina ages 10 to 18, and the third 45 leading cause of death for those ages 19 to 341; and 46 47 WHEREAS, from 2016 to 2020, Orange County lost 72 lives to suicide 2; and 48 WHEREAS, suicide and suicide attempts affect the health and well-being of friends, loved ones, 49 co-workers, and the community; and 50