Orange County NC Website
4 <br />just'~ce is a tough issue to deal with and it is so broad. The HRC thinks that, "The aim of <br />social justice is full and equal participation of`all groups 'in a society designed' and <br />mutually shaped t9 meet-their rteeds_" 'He said that the report includes certain particular' <br />areas of social justice that were discovered in the research that was done over several <br />years. <br />ViVette Jeffries-Logan listed the categories for social justice ranked in <br />descending order,. based on the amount of money allotted to each category by Orange <br />County residents. Approximately 550 residents spent $7,169.02 on social justice at <br />different listening sessions across the County using the.: Pennies in a Jar Tool.. These <br />are listed on page 8 of the report. <br />1. Eiminat~n of Oppression <br />2. Economic Self-Sufficiency (incoming wealth, health care, and housing} <br />3. Physically and Mentally Safe Communities <br />4. Environm+rntal Justice <br />5. Civic 1'artic'rpation (voting) <br />6. ether (tax relief., transportation, reproduct'Ne justice, animal protection, and. <br />taking money from the rich to give to the poor) <br />Bryant Colson explained the Pennies in a Jar, where each citizen was allotted 13 <br />Orange dollars, and was asked to allocate the dollars to the fiveareas of social justice. <br />There were three public listening sessions,.and the advisory boards were also solicited <br />for opinions. People were also questioned at University Mall and Hag. Day. <br />Bill Hendrickson read from the Memo of Transmittal that; "The .enclosed reparf <br />proposes to achieve social justice in Orange County and th"e County shall perform <br />government duties including policy-making -and budgeting..." He said that the County <br />Commissioners are the implementers and budgeters, and the HRC includes just the <br />.advisory people. He said that the County Commissioners would be congratulated for <br />initiating the first justice goal for any county in the whole country. <br />Bryant Colson added that, during this process, the commission learned a lot: <br />about C?range County's residents and one another. He said that he has a newfound <br />respect. and appreciation for his colleagues through this process: <br />Commissioner Carey asked how the HRC came up with the five categories. <br />,James Spivey said that there were lots of subcommittee meetings and brainstorming:. <br />He made reference to page 20, and the summary of the topics.. <br />Barbara Chapman said that the first step was to educate themselves after they <br />were asked to do this report. Staff put together a workshop for the HRC on Overcoming'. <br />Clppression, which was very challenging. There was also a subcommittee that. <br />brainstormed ideas. She said: thatthey tried to make it as inclusive as possible, but <br />manageable in terms of people understanding categories. <br />Shoshannah Smith made reference to page 28 and the: list of eventslgroups <br />solicitations of ideas. <br />Jack Vogt said that he came in at a later stage in this process and he looked at it <br />quite critically. He said hat the core of it is on page 10 and the Social Justice. Visio <br />He said that he had some difficulty with the term, "oppression," and he would prefer <br />"discrimination." He thinks the report is as good a statement of social justice that he has <br />seen. He does have some questions about some of the costs of the recommendations <br />and who should bear them. He said that the recommendations are meant to highlight: <br />what the general point means. <br />Bill. Hendrickson said that this goal is now on the table and he does not want. it to <br />gather dust. The HRC would tike it to remain a iving creature. <br />