Racial and Social Equity Committee (RASEC)
The Racial and Social Equity Committee (RASEC) was formed in 2020 to provide opportunities to build awareness, engage in mutual learning, and recommend actions that will foster a thriving, inclusive, and diverse community.
If you would like to join or learn more, call one of the contacts or send an email to [email protected].
The goals of the Committee are to:
- Learn and share knowledge about the history of racial injustice as it relates to Washington Grove and other communities,
- Examine policies and practices (including those that are seemingly neutral) to determine whether they are contributing to racial inequity and promoting inclusivity,
- Build relationships and make amends with neighboring communities, and
- Collaborate with other town commissions and committees to realize the above goals.
To accomplish its work, the committee has established a Leadership Team and set up the following subcommittees and workgroups:
- Town Inclusivity Subcommittee
- Research and Education Subcommittee
- Communications Subcommittee
- Neighboring Communities Subcommittee
- Emory Grove/Washington Grove Workgroup
- Workgroup on Removing Racially Restrictive Covenants
- Equity and Inclusion Survey Workgroup
- Town Anti-Racist Statement Workgroup
- Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Workgroup
Committee Documents
Documents Implementing the 2023 Town Council Resolution “Acknowledging Washington Grove’s Racially Exclusionary Past and Committing to an Equitable and Inclusive Future”
(View the resolution here in PDF format)
- 2024 RASEC recommendations implementing and supporting the resolution:
- Cover letter (PDF)
- Create a Town Website Protocol (PDF)
- Collaborate with Neighboring Communities Regarding the Shared Use Path (PDF)
- Consider Restoring the Name of McCathran Hall to “Town Hall” (PDF)
- Attachment 1: Presentation by Lynn Mento and Dick Cavicchi (PDF): explains the rationale for the ratified position of RASEC
- Attachment 2: Presentation by Joan Mahaffey re: Roy McCathran (PDF): expresses the dissenting view of a Recommendation Workgroup member and opposes any name change.
- Hire a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Specialist (PDF)
- Establish a Communication System between the Town and Heritage Emory Grove (PDF)
- Residents’ comments on the recommendations are located on the Written Testimony and Correspondence from Town Residents to the Town Government page
Organizational and Procedural Documents
- Procedural Guidelines (PDF)
- Agendas and minutes are located at https://bit.ly/RASECDocs
Miscellaneous Documents
- Position paper on the Town allowing ADUs (PDF)
- Emory Grove and Washington Grove Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour (PDF)
- Presentation for 2023 Annual Town Meeting (PDF)
Related Resources
- Reporting a Hate Bias Incident (Montgomery County Department of Police)
- Fighting Hate Crimes: A Resource Guide (Maryland Office of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Division) (PDF)
- Examples of Acknowledgements and Apologies for Past Racism:
Contacts
Leadership Team Contacts
Paula Puglisi: 301-963-8555
Betsy Klinger: 301-325-1956
Via committee email: [email protected]
Committee News
The latest news from the Committee is described in the RASEC section of the most recent monthly Town Bulletin.
Fall 2022 Presentations on Accessory Dwelling Units
- Recording of September 22, 2022 presentation from Kol Peterson (Passcode: Myw5.J=R), nationally-known ADU advocate, author of “Backdoor Revolution: The Definitive Guide to ADU Development,” and founder of the world’s first tiny-house hotel.
- Recording of October 26, 2022 presentation from Lisa Govoni, a housing planner with the Montgomery County Planning Department, and Ehsan Motazedi, Deputy Director of the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (Passcode: 9^fU95nR), about the county’s ADU program and its goals.
- Slides from December 1, 2022 presentation from Nick Patten, an attorney who practices housing law in DC (PDF), about research regarding ADUs, diversity, and social equity.