HdG Diversity Rallies Planned for Next Week

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Two rallies are planned next week to raise awareness about the lack of diversity among elected officials in the city of Havre de Grace.

“What we have is not diverse,” said Jerome Hersl, organizer of Harford Campaign 42, which aims to raise awareness about the issue.

The current elected city officials, all white men, include Mayor Wayne Dougherty; Council President Bill Martin; and Councilmen Fred Cullum, John Correri Jr., Randy Craig, Steve Gamatoria and David Glenn.

All have served more than one term in office, and at least four have filed to run again.

Related: Candidates Begin Filing for 2015 HdG Election

“My campaign is asking the voters to consider diversity. Look at city council now. There’s no diversity,” said Hersl. “We should have more input, and it’s not just input—it’s the sharing of political power. No group should feel above the other groups.”

Havre de Grace is approximately 75 percent white, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the census, 16.8 percent of the population is African American, and 51.6 percent is female.

Hersl has formed a commission of people from around the county to work on Campaign 42, the goal of which is to identify and support candidates that represent the town where they live and raise awareness about diversity.

To Hersl, success is not necessarily measured by who gets elected. His main goal is to start the conversation and drum up citizen participation.

“It’s important ... to show all assets in the town that you care. If a woman or minority could not get on the council, and the town really cared and we put it on the table and almost got there but didn’t, at least they cared about it,” Hersl said. “Maybe we won’t win this election but we’ll win the next one. If I can get women and minorities to go home from the election and say, ‘The town cared about us,’ that’s a success.”

Two Rallies Coming Up

• A rally to raise awareness about the lack of African American elected city officials will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, at a location to be determined; follow Harford Campaign 42 on Facebook for updates.
• A rally to raise awareness about the lack of female elected city officials will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, at the Presbyterian Church of Havre de Grace, 551 Franklin Street.