The rollback of diversity initiatives in Utah and around the county doesn’t mean Black people have suddenly achieved parity in how they’re treated, says Betty Sawyer, head of the Ogden Chapter of the NAACP.
“If you look at home ownership, if you look at the wealth gap and all of those things, if you look at housing, if you look at education, those gaps are still there,” she said at a Monday event in Ogden to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “We’ve had over 150 years of structural racism, institutional racism, and that stuff just doesn’t whittle away on its own. We’ve had about 50 years of half-hearted efforts to address affirmative action and equity and inclusion, and at every turn, there’s been kickback, pushback to say, ‘No, it’s not needed.’”
Indeed, she and others say the civil rights struggle continues, and numerous activities unfolded around Utah on Monday, like the Ogden event, to honor King and continue his efforts. Of particular concern to many involved in civil rights advocacy in Utah has been elimination last year of diversity initiatives at Utah’s public universities, paralleling moves around the country and similar moves of late within the private sector.
“We want to keep his dream alive,” said Denise Elbert, who attended the Ogden event with her grandson. “We still have a long way to go.”
Among other activities, rallies and marches were also planned at the Utah Capitol and at the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Monday to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day…