Small State: Big Debate - Race, An Important Conversation Thanks to @CTMirror and Brett Orzechowski, CEO/Publisher

I have spent almost 2000 days as a resident of Connecticut (5 years) and learned quickly the politics of the tiny, yet powerful state. As I've worked to understand education policy, my search brought me to the CT Mirror,

a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet with a very clear mission: Produce deep reporting on government policies and politics, to become an invaluable resource for anyone who lives, works or cares about Connecticut, and to hold our policymakers accountable for their decisions and actions.

I read CT Mirror daily, and find it as a source for inspriing my thinking on a number of issues.

In 2014, several teachers attending a 5-weeking invitational summer institute for writing, partnered with the CT Mirror to contribute to a powerful collaboration called Special Report: Education, Diversity and Change in Fairfield County, an interactive website detailing statistics of educational disparities in southern Connecticut while addressing changing demographics in our schools. Several teachers worked with Brett Orzechowski and me to publish their thinking on school issues in the state. Hi staff did a remarkable job launching the one-of-a-kind location for sharing insight on education policies and realities.

It was no surprise when, yesterday, Brett Orzechowski brought a successful CT Mirror's debate on race issues to Fairfield University. Keynoted by New York Times columnist, Charles Blow, the forum invited leaders from a variety of professions to address political (and racial) issues on education, health care, housing, disparities, prisons, and opportunity. Unique to the discussion was the unique location where leaders interacted and discussed with policies to better assure democracy remains at the forefront.

One would think change would arrive to a citizenry that desires it, but it quickly became known that even when individuals have a passion to alter current state of affairs,  historical institutions are deeply rooted in traditions, economics and, at times, ignorance. This, sadly, causes more of the same. Race matters. Coupled with this, the pernicious inequality existing in a land of zip-code apartheid and financial disparity needs further debate.

Charles Blow was the highlight of the event with thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement, the history of violence on black bodies, and the ways history should not be divorced from the inequity experienced in Connecticut today. He spoke passionately, intelligently, with integrity.

For me, however, the day goes to the planning behind the debate by the CT Mirror led by Brett Orzechowski. In my five years as the Director of the Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University, I've gravitated towards individuals who work tirelessly to bring groups of people together to discuss the vast disparities omnipotent in Connecticut. Brett Orzechowski is a man of the state and his work for the Mirror deserves a round of applause and a standing ovation. Sure the crowd cheered Charles Blow for his words of wisdom, but my hat is off to Brett and his team for the phenomenal day at the Quick Center.

I hope the dialogue continues - it is healthy for us all.