CAMBRIDGE, Md. -- On Thursday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore stopped in Cambridge. The day consisted of a community roundtable, the signing of an executive order, and the announcement of initiatives aimed at closing the state's racial wealth gap.
"This is going to be one of the most aggressive ways in state history that we are addressing the issue of the racial wealth gap," said Moore during his opening remarks.
On Thursday, 419 areas across the state received Just Communities designations.
Just Communities
The Moore administration is targeting communities that have been impacted by decades of disinvestment and discriminatory policies.
"You're talking about redlining from home ownership, you're talking about urban highway construction that erased entire black neighborhoods, and ultimately, you're also talking about historic efforts to invest in places that really displaced a lot of people like urban renewal in the 1980's and 1990's," said Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jake Day.
This area of Cambridge fit the bill.
"Check, check, check and check," said Greg Meekins, a civic leader and former educator in Cambridge. "All of those have impacted Cambridge for years."
For the next five years, Cambridge, along with the other 419 Just Communities, will have top priority for Department of Housing and Community Development grants.
In the first two years, an estimated $400 million of designated funding will be available.
It's far too early to determine how much money Cambridge will receive. Still, whatever the amount ends up being, Meekins said it will be crucial to spend the money wisely.
"It will only help if we can pull many of our non-profits together, let them get out of their towers, work with one another when appropriate, and I think we'll see results," said Meekins.
Executive Order
Moore also signed a new Executive Clemency Order, making an additional 6,938 cases of simple cannabis possession eligible for pardon.
On June 17th, 2024, Moore's office pardoned 175,000 Maryland convictions for cannabis possession, including convictions for misdemeanor possession of cannabis and certain convictions for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
The additional 6,938 cases were coded wrong in the state's judiciary system, according to Moore's office, which is why they were not included in his initial pardons.
Moore corrected that on Thursday.
Racial Wealth Gap
After the community roundtable wrapped up, Moore spoke to the hundreds of people in attendance at the historic Bethel AME Church on Pine Street. He addressed the state's dark history.
"Maryland is home to some of the most legendary Americans, and Maryland, also, is home to some of the most racist laws in American history," said Moore.
He also addressed the damage the racial wealth gap caused over the past 20 years.
"The racial wealth gap has cost this country $16 trillion dollars in GDP over the past two decades, that's not GDP of a group, that's GDP," said Moore. "It highlights a simple fact that bigotry is expensive, and racism is expensive."
It was a packed house and a jam-packed day for Governor Moore's most recent trip to Maryland's Eastern Shore.