Vermont For All
Vermont should be a place where all feel welcome. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. We must work to remove societal biases and laws that disproportionately harm nonmajority communities in Vermont. We must lift up Vermont women, indigenous Vermonters, Vermonters of color, LGBTQIA Vermonters, rural Vermonters, Vermonters of all religions, Vermonters with disabilities, and Vermonters of all socioeconomic classes. We must stand up against hate speech and ensure equal employment opportunities and equity.
All Vermonters, and especially our government, should work to make sure that traditionally underrepresented and diverse voices are invited to participate in our collective future and will be respected and heard.
We all do better when we all do better.
Women’s rights are human rights.
Women should be paid equally and treated equally. While we can be proud that the gender pay gap in Vermont is the lowest of any of the United States, no gap is acceptable. Vermont women made 87 cents to every dollar that a Vermont man made in 2019, and the gap increases when race is taken into account. Policies like paid family leave and better pre-k childcare will address some of this gap, but we must also address underlying sexism and ensure pay equity. Raising the minimum wage also lifts women’s pay more than men since more women work in minimum wage jobs.
A woman’s right to choose is imperative to our democracy and to the freedom of over half of our population. Vermont has made strides in protecting Vermonters from national politics that may reduce abortion rights across the country. However, we can never be complacent, and we must work to pass Proposition 5 to add reproductive autonomy to the Vermont Constitution to insulate Vermont from negative changes at the federal level.
No one should be penalized or discriminated against for the color of their skin.
Our criminal justice system unfairly and disproportionately lands more black and brown Vermonters in prison than others. Without publicly available data, we face significant challenges to addressing disparities and advancing meaningful reforms. That is why we need an extensive and systemic collection of racial data about everything from school suspensions to police use of force, along with traffic stops and all court processes, to address disparities and advance meaningful reforms.
We must address implicit bias in all aspects of our communities, from education to employment, and the long-term impact that it has on all people of color.
It is imperative that we work to right the legacy impacts of policy decisions that have disadvantaged people of color and have had pervasive and persistent ramifications. It is equally important that with each new solution crafted to address today’s challenges, we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and instead ensure that all of our work is informed by an intention to root out structural and systemic oppression.
All Vermonters live on Native land.
We must acknowledge what colonization has done to Native communities all around the country and especially here in Vermont. When we implement policies at the state level, we must always determine how they will affect the most disadvantaged communities by listening to these communities rather than dictating what we may believe is best. We must bring indigenous and disadvantaged voices to the table when making decisions that affect all Vermonters.
Love is love.
In 1982, then-Mayor Bernie Sanders helped LGBTQIA Vermonters organize Burlington’s first-ever pride parade, in 2000 Vermont was the first state to create civil unions, and in 2009 David and the Vermont legislature codified the right of same-sex couples to marry in Vermont by overriding Governor Jim Douglas’ veto. We as Vermonters will continue to uplift the LGBTQIA community by ensuring that the same rights apply to all Vermonters. We will never and should never implement legislation that disadvantages one group over another because of their identity or who they love.
Nothing for us, without us.
Many people with disabilities face discrimination and barriers that create restrictions to participating in society on an equal basis. We must prioritize legislation that incorporates equity. We must provide incentives and support to Vermont businesses to hire people with disabilities and ensure that schools are providing education that meets each child’s needs. We must expand public transportation options so those who are disabled do not become isolated. Vermonters with disabilities deserve the same quality of life that all Vermonters deserve.
All Are Welcome.
Vermont has welcomed immigrants since before we were a state. Immigrants have played central roles from building our railroads to quarrying and stone carving to working in the machine-tool industry. In 1989, Vermont joined a federal refugee resettlement program and since then more than 7,000 men, women, and children have resettled here and now call Vermont home. New Americans can both help Vermont address the current shortage of workers and are creative entrepreneurs who can start new businesses in our state. We must examine barriers for New Americans and work together to ensure that everyone has access to the tools and support needed to thrive in our communities, businesses and government.
Discrimination comes in many forms. Many are listed on this page and many are not. Vermonters of all races and ethnicities, religions, nationalities, economic classes, genders, and abilities are welcome in Vermont. We cannot and will not stand for discrimination in any form. We will hold ourselves and our government accountable for policies that discriminate or hold bias – whether implicit or explicit. We will work to protect all Vermonters from discrimination, bias, and unfair policies.
All Vermonters feel welcome: those who are indigenous, those who were born here, and those who have chosen to be here and will all be part of our vibrant and inclusive future.