The petition by the Mohegan to the Connecticut General Assembly in May 1789 describes, in poignant and poetic language, the environmental impact of British colonial settlement on Native American communities. And offers a glimpse of history long-forgotten or forever unknown in the Land of Steady Habits.

It was 1786. The Blue-backed Speller was designed to teach America’s children how to read and write—and how to be American—at a time when the United States had just won its independence from Great Britain. Noah Webster challenged traditional spellings, especially those he viewed as particularly British, believing the young nation needed its own language. And here we are.

There are several connected systemic issues that contribute to the inequity experienced in the United States. These issues of inequity disproportionately impact people of color. In order to practically address this issue, we need to build data driven systems and solutions that look at all of the components of systemic and individual racism.

As part of efforts to dismantle structural racism and improve social and economic mobility for Black and Latinx residents of Greater Hartford, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving seeks to increase the number of Hartford residents living in higher opportunity neighborhoods. Today, Connecticut is one of the most racially and economically segregated states in the country.

Fifty-three years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the wealth gap between Black and white Americans is as wide as it has ever been. A new report argues that flexible and equitable homeownership programs are key to closing this gap, while providing recommendations on how lawmakers in Connecticut and beyond can create better homeownership assistance programs.

Lately, we’ve seen a rash of stories about the problem of bullying in nonprofit organizations. Yes, these organizations meant to make the world a better place can be the place where people are made to feel awful. We’re not at all exempt. Sometimes, I think we might be more at risk.

Mental health has long been an under addressed issue. Legislation being considered at the State Capitol would change that in Connecticut schools.

Only 41% of Connecticut’s fourth graders are hitting the proficient mark in reading, and research clearly indicates students learn to read and write far better with a curriculum that Connecticut is NOT universally using. It’s time to change that.

At a time of increased anxiety and concern over widespread discrimination, hate crimes, and civil rights violations, Connecticut has an opportunity to strengthen civil rights law enforcement by clearly recognizing the role and authority of the Office of Attorney General.

The 65th regiment was nicknamed the Borinqueneers during the Korean War, a name derived from a combination of Borinquen, (the name given to the island of Puerto Rico by its original inhabitants, the Taino), and buccaneer. The rest is not only history, but honored by a prominent New Britain monument.