A group of businesses, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations met virtually last month in North Carolina to discuss the economic condition of the state’s eastern region. The East Carolina Alliance has, for nearly a decade, met to build consensus and corporate will around critical areas of development for the region, from transportation to tourism, corporate recruitment, and workforce development.
This story is such a sad testament to where we are in terms of race relations and economic development in the US in general and North Carolina specifically. With so few institutions of Higher Education in Eastern North Carolina, how could any group attempting to build a better economic infrastructure in that part of the state, willingly leave out the one institutional entity which could provide access and brain power for enhancing the lives of all citizens of Eastern NC, but in particular its poor Black, Hispanic and Native American citizens.
Just as the Medical School at ECU has improved the health of citizens in that part of the State, the inclusion or the lack thereof of this venerable institution, which has provided educational opportunities for Black teachers, scientists, speech pathologists and great business people and entrepreneurs. The only reason for the leaving the University out is pure and hideous Racism. It is shameful that in 2021 we are exhorting behaviors more akin to 1821. Shameful! Just damn shameful!
This story is such a sad testament to where we are in terms of race relations and economic development in the US in general and North Carolina specifically. With so few institutions of Higher Education in Eastern North Carolina, how could any group attempting to build a better economic infrastructure in that part of the state, willingly leave out the one institutional entity which could provide access and brain power for enhancing the lives of all citizens of Eastern NC, but in particular its poor Black, Hispanic and Native American citizens.
Just as the Medical School at ECU has improved the health of citizens in that part of the State, the inclusion or the lack thereof of this venerable institution, which has provided educational opportunities for Black teachers, scientists, speech pathologists and great business people and entrepreneurs. The only reason for the leaving the University out is pure and hideous Racism. It is shameful that in 2021 we are exhorting behaviors more akin to 1821. Shameful! Just damn shameful!
H Donell Lewis Sr., Ph.D