Cincinnati NAACP Deeply Disappointed by Councilwoman Owens Appointment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 15, 2024
Contact: Joe Mallory, President Cincinnati NAACP
info@cincinnatinaacp.com |  513-281-1900

The Cincinnati NAACP is deeply disappointed and profoundly disheartened by Councilwoman Meeka Owens’ decision on the appointment to the vacant Cincinnati City Council seat. Her choice sends a harmful message—that the importance of Black representation, particularly Black male representation, can be easily disregarded. At a time when our nation is grappling with the legacies of institutional and systemic racism and striving for equity and inclusion, this decision is a step backward. It dismisses racial equity and erases the contributions and presence of Black men in spaces where they are already underrepresented.

What makes this even more concerning is that it comes from someone who, as a Black woman, has directly benefited from the very racial equity framework she now chooses to ignore. If she believes she hasn’t benefited from these efforts, she is out of touch with the very processes that enabled her to walk through doors opened by the sacrifices of many others.

By neglecting the principles of racial equity, Councilwoman Owens has reinforced the damaging notion that Black voices, experiences, and leadership are replaceable. Her failure to apply a racial equity lens in such a critical moment reveals a troubling disregard for the consequences of diminishing Black male representation. This decision is not only disappointing; it is disrespectful and cannot be overlooked.