September 28, 2021
TCI’s Ashley C. Kenneth Appointed to Governor’s Commission to Examine Racial & Economic Inequity in Virginia Law
The Commonwealth Institute is excited to share that our President & CEO, Ashley C. Kenneth, has been appointed to serve on Gov. Northam’s Commission to Examine Racial & Economic Inequity in Virginia Law!
We know how important thoughtful policy choices are to building an equitable, just commonwealth. Examining the effects of Virginia’s laws—past, present, and future—on different communities by race is fundamental to dismantling a status quo that leaves too many behind.
A new lens is necessary to see systemic barriers to shared prosperity, such as Virginia’s upside-down tax code, which places a disproportionate burden on people of color with low and moderate incomes. The Commission to Examine Racial & Economic Inequity in Virginia Law will continue to play an essential role in applying this lens to Virginia policy, from housing to land conservation to tax policy and equity in rural communities.
“I am honored to have been appointed by Governor Northam to the Commission to Examine Racial and Economic Inequity in Virginia Law,” says Kenneth. “It’s time to chart a new path in Virginia. We can tear down the barriers that have shrunk opportunities for communities of color and build new, inclusive systems of justice and opportunity.”
Ashley has been a key player in pushing for better analysis of Virginia laws to advance racial equity. During the 2021 General Assembly session, Ashley, along with Del. Lashrecse Aird (63rd District), designed a successful bill—HB 1990—allowing for criminal justice related legislation to be assessed based on its potential impact on people in Virginia by race before becoming law. Her appointment to the Commission is an exciting next step in helping move the commonwealth toward equitable policymaking.