The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has announced that it will be staging a series of public regional discussions across Connecticut on the critical and long-simmering issue of race equity with more than 20 key stakeholders from four regions of the state on October 20, 22, 26, and 28.

“Over the spring and summer and into the fall, America was confronted once again by the ugly truth that systemic racism persists throughout our society,” said Joe DeLong, CCM executive director and CEO. “The effects of systemic racism have consequences in housing, education, health, public safety, wealth, and nearly every other part of daily life — in fact, race is still the number one predictor of success and well-being in our country.”

“We need to begin having the hard conversations in our communities,” DeLong added. “That is why we are inviting leaders and the public to CCM CARES — Communities Advancing Racial Equity Series, which will take that crucial first step of starting the conversation. We feel that change begins at home.”

Each 90-minute session will feature a panel of community and municipal leaders, covering topics such as policing issues, local public education, public health and affordable housing, with an open dialogue to follow. “The challenge for our state — and country — is to meet this moment, normalize conversations about racial inequities, and begin to make lasting changes through smart policy decision that will benefit everyone.”

These forums will cover the Western, South Central, North Central, and Eastern areas of our state, and will take place on October 20, 22, 26, & 28, from 6:30 pm to 8 pm, via Zoom and Facebook Live.

For additional information and to register, go to ccmcares.com.

“We look forward to working with every stakeholder and the public on this groundbreaking series for CCM and our state. These forums mark the beginning of CCM’s efforts in this critical arena.”

Panelists and facilitators for each region:

Western Connecticut — Tuesday, October 20.

Aidee Nieves, Bridgeport City Council President

Jim Marpe, First Selectman, Westport

Anthony Bennett, Pastor, Mt Aery Baptist Church, Bridgeport

Elinor Carbone, Mayor, Torrington

Shaun McColgan, Deputy Chief of Police, Danbury

Bianca Shinn-Desras, Director, Parent Leadership Programs, Stamford

Facilitator: Chris Keating, Capitol Bureau Chief, Hartford Courant

South Central Connecticut — Thursday, October 22.

Justin Elicker, Mayor, New Haven

Bishop Theodore Brooks, Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church, New Haven

Arturo Perez-Cabello, Chairman, Hamden Board of Education

Michael Freda, First Selectman, North Haven and CCM President

Kerry Ellington, Leader, People Against Police Brutality, New Haven

Khalilah Brown-Dean, Associate Professor & Senior Director for Inclusive Excellence, Quinnipiac University

Dr Darnell Young, Elm Family Dental, West Haven

Doris Dumas, Leader, NAACP, New Haven

Facilitator: Keith Kountz, Anchor, WTNH-TV, Channel 8

North Central Connecticut — Monday, October 26.

Luke Bronin, Mayor, Hartford

Michael Oretade, Black Lives Matter 860

Shari Cantor, Mayor, West Hartford

Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, Superintendent of Schools, Hartford

Suzette DeBeatham-Brown, Mayor, Bloomfield

Ed Ford, Jr, Middletown City Council

Yukiyo Lida, Parent Community Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Group, West Hartford

Facilitator: Michael Savino, Reporter, WFSB-TV, Channel 3

Eastern Connecticut — Wednesday, October 28.

Michael Passero, Mayor, New London

Dwight Bachman, Willimantic NAACP

Patrick Daley, Chief of Police, Norwich

Benjamin Watts, Senior Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church, New London

Stephanie Clark, Program Officer, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut

Facilitator: Christine Stuart, Editor, CT News Junkie; reporter, NBC 30