Q4: "With the current landscape of economic and social injustice, what is your perspective on potential solutions to address the problems?”
“In today’s race-based society, to address these omnipresent, deeply-rooted systemic issues, we need much more than social media hashtags, innocuous apologies and annual retreats on the importance of diversity. To work towards real solutions we need direct and revolutionary systemic change, now! To accomplish this, a radical shift must occur in the traditional and institutionalized mentality of society to acknowledge the long-standing inequities and stigmas that are prevalent within Black communities. Our legislative, public and societal leaders must genuinely and unequivocally believe Black lives matter every day in every way, and consistently show such belief through their respective policies and everyday endeavors. We need a
comprehensive and equitable policy reform movement on all local, state and
national levels in the public and private sectors. This policy reform movement must be a collective mission and effort that’s intentional in implementing short and long-term initiatives to help shrink the racial wealth gap and ultimately eradicate all vestiges of institutionalized racism and systemic inequities against Black and other disenfranchised communities. To have a direct and proximate tangible impact, this policy reform movement must be strategically prioritized in all legal, legislative, financial/business, law enforcement, healthcare, education and housing realms.
This can be accomplished through (a) the equitable disbursement of pecuniary support to certain communities for a designated period of time, (b) the elimination or forgiveness of certain medical, housing and educational debt (c) decreasing the incarceration rate by repudiating certain judicial statutes and other federal/state laws that are archaic and outdated compared to modern day societal standards and norms; (d) implementing a wealth tax and/or a Value Added Tax (VAT) on major corporations; (e) directly appropriating more federal/state funding to affordable housing and public education; and much, much more.
But this new way of life won’t just fall into our laps, we must continue to do our part and keep our foot on the gas pedal. Individually as citizens, to assist in maximizing the impact of this equitable policy movement, we must alter our own mentality and get more serious about political, civic and social engagement. We must stay steadfast and continue to fight. The price of
freedom is high—always has been, and always will be. It’s a price we all must be willing to pay, or change will never come. As Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
Corbin I. Carpenter is a owner and managing member of Carpenter Law, PLLC. He can be reached at www.CarpenterLaw1978.com.