John, this Black History Month, I hope you’ll join me in reflecting upon how much more work we still have ahead of us to create a truly just society.

As a member of City Council, I’m proud to advance legislation focused on providing African Americans with the tools and resources to thrive in our City. As a Black man, this work is deeply personal to me, and I vow to always center racial equity in my work for Philadelphia.

As many of you know, I have been working diligently to create a public banking system in Philadelphia. Historically, African Americans have been discriminated against by private banks and denied access to capital, making it harder for Black families to develop intergenerational wealth.

A public bank would provide opportunities for Black and Brown residents to utilize money that they have already paid in taxes, and will bring Black and Brown business owners the resources they need to start and fuel their businesses.

You may also know that Republican attacks against voting rights are sweeping our nation, and they’re disproportionately impacting voters of color. This is why I’m working to make it easier to vote in Philadelphia through an ambitious new package of bills aimed at reforming our city’s elections.

Through my Civics Agenda, I hope to explore the possibility of ranked choice voting in Philly, public financing of elections, lowering the age of eligibility for people to run for City Council and Mayor, strengthening conflict of interest laws, and creating more trust in the voting process by enforcing spending rules for political candidates.

As always, thank you for your support of my work on Council. I look forward to building a better future for Philadelphia with you.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Derek Green
 

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