[link removed] [[link removed]] On this day 65 years ago, the police opened fire on a crowd at a peaceful anti-Apartheid protest in South Africa, killing 69 people.

The United Nations later marked this anniversary with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination — which kicks off a global week of solidarity with people struggling against racism.

Our little piece of the globe knows that struggle well. The hard truth is that racial discrimination lies at the very foundations of American history.

Abuse of Asian workers created the tea that funded British expansion to North America. Native American genocide framed our revolution for independence and fueled westward expansion. Enslavement of people of the African diaspora created our economy and built our cities. Fear of Middle Easterners established the modern police state.

These histories are not taught in schools the way they should be. And the everyday pains of racism don’t make headlines. But even when our society ignores the issue or forgets who we are — collective reminders of the hostility behind these realities are served up in the form of tragedies and hate crimes.

We saw it in Charlottesville in 2017 when a domestic terrorist drove his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters fighting white supremacy, killing one and injuring many.

We saw it in Jacksonville in 2023, when 3 people outside a Dollar General were fatally shot with a rifle marked with a swastika and racial slurs.

We’ve seen it over and over in local news reports as swastikas, anti-Arab phrases and the “n” word pop up on cars, trash cans, frat houses, and even schools across San Diego County.

And we’re seeing it at the national level, with an administration that is actively targeting groups that have paid the heaviest price for hate, denying diverse communities access to life-saving programs and stripping back the protections many gave their lives for.

But it’s not all bad. Sometimes, good wins out.

Throughout history, there have been Americans who have fought hard against racism and discrimination. Fought tooth and nail for rights and opportunities others take for granted.

The right to even be considered a citizen of the country you were born in. The right to vote or run for office. The right to be gainfully employed. The right to own a home or a business. The right to marry someone you love, even if they don’t look like you.

These wins feel broad, sweeping, and massive when we read them in history books. And in some ways they are. But when you think about the bigger picture, they were singular victories chipping away at the system of barriers put in front of some human beings simply for being born to the “wrong” parents.

This fight is made up of big moments, and small ones. Global action, and local. And this fight is more important now than ever before.

That’s why, as your Supervisor, I will never stop advocating for a more equitable San Diego County. That’s why I: * Fight for economic equity in communities impacted by discriminatory banking
* Fight for housing equity in communities impacted by discriminatory redlining
* Fight for climate equity in communities impacted by discriminatory polluting
* Fight for educational equity in communities impacted by discriminatory segregation
* Fight for judicial equity in communities impacted by discriminatory enforcement of laws

While this fight obviously hits close to home, I do it for all of us. Because a strong foundation supports us all, and if we want the American Dream to be a reality, a true mutiracial democracy is the only way forward. Ultimately, that’s work we do together.

I am so grateful you stand with me, and for the work you do to make our communities, our nation, and our world a more inclusive and compassionate place.

In solidarity and reflection,

Monica Montgomery Steppe
District Four Supervisor | San Diego County Board of Supervisors



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Born and raised in San Diego, Monica Montgomery Steppe is an HBCU graduate, and an attorney by trade. Monica believes in her heart that the neighborhoods and community members are vibrant and worthy of care and investment.To learn more about Monica and the work she's doing for District Four, click here [[link removed]]

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