The Orange County Board of Commissioners will host a listening session Tuesday night on the issues of policing, racial justice and equity in the county.

The virtual session, which is also a partnership with in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange County Human Relations Commission, will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The end time flexible depending on the number of speakers. The goal, according to the county, is for leadership to hear resident’s concerns and comments regarding racial justice, equity and treatment in Orange County.

Orange County commissioner Penny Rich spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck about the session. She said it was sparked by the international reaction to the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

She said attendees should feel free to share all thoughts, but she also said to not expect for the leadership to respond on Tuesday night.

“It’ll give everybody an opportunity to come on and express their concerns,” Rich said, “and we’ll take those and will respond to them at another time. We’re not going to have a back-and-forth conversation. We have a capacity of 500, so the more people that come speak to us, the better we feel we’re giving everyone that opportunity [to discuss these issues.]”

Rich also said depending on the size of participants, the board may set a time limit to each speaker, similar to a public comment portion of its public business meetings.

Individuals who wish to attend and those who wish to speak may register for the Zoom webinar at the following link.

The session will include a short introduction by the Chair of the Orange County Human Relations Commission. It will then open up for public questions and comments from attendees. Questions and comments will be recorded by the Board of Orange County Commissioners for future discussion and action.

The full agenda for the upcoming listening session can be found on the Orange County government website.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
Trayvon Martin, 10 Years Later: Teen’s Death Changes Nation
Written by DEEPTI HAJELA Trayvon Martin’s final night began with a convenience store run, a quick trip for candy and something to drink. It ended in a confrontation with a neighborhood watch volunteer, a shot fired, the 17-year-old dead on the street. It might have been expected to end there — the violent deaths of […]
A Price Tag on Trauma? College Town Weighs Black Reparations
Written by PHILIP MARCELO Professor Edwin Driver arrived in Amherst in 1948 as one of the first Black teachers hired at a flagship state university in the country. But the 23-year-old sociology instructor at what would become the University of Massachusetts Amherst says he was denied pay raises for decades, despite being one of its […]
AP Exclusive: ‘Strike for Black Lives’ to Highlight Racism
A national coalition of labor unions, along with racial and social justice organizations, will stage a mass walkout from work this month, as part of an ongoing reckoning on systemic racism and police brutality in the U.S. Dubbed the “Strike for Black Lives,” tens of thousands of fast food, ride-share, nursing home and airport workers in more […]
The Orange County Trial Over 2 Teens' Violent Deaths Begins. Here's What to Know
Three years after the deaths of Lyric Woods and Devin Clark in rural Orange County, the prosecution and defense will fully argue their cases.
Orange County Sheriff's Office Brings Two Dozen Additional Charges Against Durham Man
Orange County authorities charged Durham's Keshaun Christopher Byrd over a November string of break-ins along Red Hill Lane and Seven Springs Road.
Orange County Sheriff's Office Details String of Break-Ins, Larceny Charges Against 2 Teenagers
The Orange County Sheriff's Office formally announced criminal charges against a pair of 18-year-olds for a string of break-ins in November.
Orange County Sheriff Primary Heats Up as Blackwood Seeks Fourth Term, LaBarre Joins Race
After an unopposed election for Orange County Sheriff in 2022, the 2026 Democratic primary will see a race for the position. 
'Who Are We Targeting?': Unpacking and Examining Impacts of ICE's N.C. Operations
The Orange County community felt the impact of federal immigration officers’ presence. Weeks later, people are still unpacking their emotions.
Soccer Fields and Open Space: Orange County Explores Potential Uses for Millhouse Road Site
Orange County is starting to make headway on a piece of land it has owned for two decades along Millhouse Road.
Orange County: CITEL Deal, Finishing Board Chair Duties and Filing Period
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford speaks with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Ahead of her rotating off as board chair, Bedford shares her plans to run for re-election in District 1, as well as shares the other candidates she knows so far. She also discusses what she can […]
›