Celebrate our diversity
In our June 29 edition of the Maryland Independent, we published a story on the front page with a headline stating a fact: The majority of the Charles County population is now black, according to the latest Census data.
After it was published, a handful of readers were hung up on the headline itself, and reached out to us asking why we would use a headline like that, as if we were trying to imply something negative about the latest Census data. We certainly were not. We were only stating a fact. When reading the story, it quickly becomes clear to see this is a positive reflection on the county. Charles County is increasingly becoming more diverse, the median household income is continuing to rise and the county’s economy is being driven by this diversity, with more and more minority-owned businesses popping up to serve the community.
Nothing at all negative was intended or reflected in the story. Charles County should be proud to be home to a diverse community.
It’s not a secret right now that racial tensions are the highest they have been since the Civil Rights movement for a variety of reasons, be it something provocative spouted by a public official, someone running for the highest office or on social media, or a tragedy involving police of one race and victims of another. It’s heartbreaking to pay attention to the news these days and see all the negativity surrounding race issues. Here is a chance to celebrate diversity, rather than search for any negative hidden meanings.
When put in context, Maryland is home to the largest population of college-educated black men and women in the country, and that population also holds the highest median household income of the same statistic. As the region continues to grow, diversity is going to be important. With it, more economic opportunities present themselves. People from different backgrounds bring with them different perspectives and ideas. We should take this opportunity to embrace these ideas and opportunities and use them to build a bright future for Charles County. Only by embracing our differences and using them to our advantage as a community will we truly make that next step toward racial harmony.