At their April 20, 2021 meeting, the Common Council passed Resolution 2021-09 Recognizing April 22, 2021 as YWCA Stand Against Racism Day in the City of Milton, State of Wisconsin.
The resolution states “the City of Milton proudly supports the YWCA Rock County in celebration of Stand Against Racism, a signature campaign of YWCA USA to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism in our communities.”
During the meeting, Common Council members and City staff held signs for the campaign for a quick photo through Zoom.
Joseph Goodrich is considered the founder of Milton, and he was an abolitionist who owned the Milton House, a documented Underground Railroad site. The Milton community has a history of supporting freedom seekers; however, we also have the history of being a sundown town (https://rchs.us/sundown-towns-rock-county/) as well as other pieces of our past that were less than welcoming to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
As a community, we are on a journey to becoming more inclusive and supportive. The City’s strategic plan for 2020-2024 has a goal of being a safe, inclusive, and welcoming community. This is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Through community conversations hosted by Mayor Welch, being a sponsor for the YWCA’s Racial Justice Conference, and continually exploring different ways to engage with our community members, the City of Milton is working toward this goal.
Please join us on this journey by first taking the Stand Against Racism pledge (https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/24033/) and watch for ways to become involved in this important work.