The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities recently released a special issue of its Connecticut Town & City magazine, titled “Equity Matters,” which explores how towns and cities can move toward racial equity.

The publication is available here.

The issue includes CCM’s Racial Equity Toolkit and Municipal Checklist – which outlines recommendations in how to achieve a more representative local government – as well as opinion pieces, articles, and recaps of the work done in conjunction with municipalities.

One of the events highlighted is CCM’s  “Representation Matters” training sessions that were held in February. The training sessions, which CCM hosted along with the Campaign School at Yale University, was aimed at providing people of color the skills they need to run for local public office or to serve on a local board or commission. Nearly 100 Connecticut residents from 28 communities completed the free, two-day Zoom training session.

CCM representatives say that while 35% of Connecticut’s population is made up of Black, Latino, and Asian people, they make up only a small portion of the members of all the local elected offices and board in the state’s 169 towns and cities.