Representation in government matters more than ever before
“Diversity improves the quality of our services, makes for better policy decisions and promotes the public trust between government and citizens.”
In March, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities will be holding Representation Matters, to promote more diverse leadership in state and local government and to offer a guided track to civic engagement.
First, some numbers. From a 2020 Report on gender and racial diversity on Connecticut state boards and commissions prepared by the secretary of the state’s office, we can see exactly how representative our appointed leadership is. While white, non-Hispanic individuals make up 66.5 percent of our state’s population, they make up nearly 80 percent of our boards and commissions. This overrepresentation is to the detriment of communities of color.
Black, non-Hispanic individuals make up 12 percent of the population, and 10.4 percent of the representation. Hispanic individuals are 16.5 percent of the population and only 4 percent of our boards and commissions. And the Asian population, comprising 4.9 percent of all Connecticut residents, makes up only 1.7 percent of these state boards and commissions. In terms of gender, women make up only 43 percent of these positions despite being over 50 percent of the population.
To put these figures in a different context, in 2019 you could find a white male on 96 percent of boards in commissions in Connecticut and a Black female on just 33 percent.
Armed with this knowledge, it would be hard to argue that our government is representative of our state.
Representation Matters’ goal then is very simple — representation in every level of government matters. The secretary of the state said it well: “Diversity improves the quality of our services, makes for better policy decisions and promotes the public trust between government and citizens.”
In our first year of Representation Matters, we partnered with the Campaign School at Yale to provide guidance to hundreds of individuals from around the state with a focus on local appointed boards and elections. We brought in folks like Aidee Nieves of Bridgeport and Suzette DeBeatham-Brown of Bloomfield to talk about their experiences in running for local office.
They reinforced just how important it was to make the choice to run. Speaking on CCM’s Municipal Voice podcast, Debeatham-Brown said she questioned whether it was the right thing to do: “When you have those thoughts, you remember the reason why you’re actually doing this. It kind of drowns [the other voices] out. That’s why I said you have to do it scared. Get yourself a group of people that support you and do it anyway.”
Just getting there can make a world of difference for people of color. Nieves said that she did all the things she had to do to be a strong leader. “I don’t have to doubt myself — my responsibility is to continue to build those opportunities for others.”
That is the goal of Representation Matters, which will focus on state office this year. It’s about making opportunities for communities of color by demystifying civic engagement, opening doors, and getting testimonials from individuals like Paul Mounds, chief of staff for the governor, and state Sen. Tony Hwang, who have already made the all-important decision to say that their voice matters.
With each passing census and subsequent report, it’s clear that not only is Connecticut getting more diverse, but those who represent us in government are getting more diverse, as well. In 2001, men made up 65.5 percent of boards, while in 1999, white individuals made up almost 90 percent of boards and commissions. In two decades we have made progress, but it has been slow. We cannot just have conversations about diversity and inclusion. We must act by opening doors and showing our leaders and our communities that representation matters.
Representation Matters: Are You Ready To Run For State Office? will take place on March 12 and 19. It is held in conjunction with the Campaign School at Yale and is sponsored by the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency; Commission on Women, Children, Sneiors, Equity and Opportunity; and the Parent Leadership Training Institute.
To register, visit CCMCARES.com