The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations is excited to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified applicants to design and manage the Diane “dee” Clarke Justice in Policy Fellowship Program.

We are seeking applicants who will be responsible for developing and implementing a fellowship program, which will include developing partnerships to identify fellow candidates, creating and implementing a candidate selection process, and managing paid fellows to participate in research and policy change. Our goal is to create a more equitable society by supporting the development of leaders who are committed to addressing systemic injustices.

We are looking for individuals or organizations with a proven track record of working with historically disadvantaged populations. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized communities and be committed to addressing these challenges through data-informed policy reform.

Successful applicants will be responsible for developing and managing the program, including recruiting and selecting fellows, supporting fellows during their fellowship and in their transition to new professional opportunities, and collaborating with Permanent Commission staff to measure and report on program outcomes. The program will provide financial support to fellows and will include opportunities for professional development and networking.

If you share our commitment to ending systemic racism in Maine and have the skills and experience to help us lift up a new generation of leaders in Maine, we encourage you to submit a proposal. We are committed to working across race and place so all of us can thrive and nothing stands in the way of a great life, the way it should be, for all Maine people and families.

Click here to view the RFP (RFP number 202305116). The closing date for submissions is July 12, 2023.

This fellowship is named in honor of former Commissioner Dianne ‘dee’ Clarke. On October 31, 2021, dee passed away at the age of 64. Taken far too soon, she left an indelible mark on the Permanent Commission, Maine advocacy and policy making, and countless people whose lives were made better because of her fearless love and compassion.

Serving in the seat on behalf of an organization that focuses on housing or houselessness, dee let her own experiences guide her work with Homeless Voices for Justice and founder of Survivor Speak USA (SSUSA), an organization devoted to ending sex trafficking and exploitation by empowering survivors to create social and political change.

“To call dee a fierce advocate for the homeless, for the trafficked and for the traumatized would be a gross understatement,” said Commissioner Bruce King, who co-chairs the Permanent Commission’s Community Engagement Committee. “dee challenged every one of us to fulfill the purpose of the Permanent Commission by not just speaking for the most estranged and most vulnerable, but to include them in conversation. No excuse would suffice as to why decisions about anyone's humanity would be made without their input. She challenged every single person to make room, make time, and make efforts to expand access to governmental involvement. It will take all involved in this work to carry on this mandate that she made so clear to us: Nothing about us without us.”

“dee did everything she could to help somebody, even if she didn’t know them; whether it was to get a meal or find a place for them to stay for the night, dee would try to work with everyone she could. No matter what, you never felt unwanted by dee, and you always felt joy and happiness because of her. She loved everybody in her own way,” said Commissioner Amanda Comeau, who now serves in this seat and follows in dee’s footsteps as co-director of SSUSA.

“She went through horrors and trauma that no one should go through. She found purpose in her life. Now, there’s a legacy with her name on it. She left the world better. We are better people because dee Clarke lived and fought and survived and gave and shared and loved,” said Co-Chair Talbot Ross. “She was extraordinary because she went through such horrors, and she still had love in her heart to make someone else’s life better. She leaves us that legacy.”

As we reflect upon our nation's history and the struggle for freedom and equality, it is essential to recognize and commemorate Juneteenth. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, marks the emancipation of the last enslaved people in the United States on June 19, 1865. This momentous occasion not only represents the end of one of the darkest chapters in American history but also serves as a reminder of the work that remains to be done in achieving true racial justice and equality. 

Acknowledging Juneteenth provides us with an opportunity to confront the good and the bad of our past. While we celebrate the progress made towards racial justice, we must also confront the painful realities of slavery and the lasting impact it has had on Black communities. We must also acknowledge Maine’s role in the system of slavery in the United States. Our state profited from the transportation of enslaved people and the goods and materials produced by their stolen labor. Maine’s statehood itself allowed for the expansion of slavery in Missouri in 1820. By learning from our history, we can ensure that the tragic facts of the past are not forgotten and that we forge a more inclusive and just society for all.

Juneteenth is also a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans and Mainers. It is a moment to recognize and uplift Black excellence in all areas of society, including art, culture, science, literature, politics, and beyond. By acknowledging the outstanding accomplishments of Black Americans and Mainers, we honor their resilience, creativity, and determination in the face of adversity.

Juneteenth serves as a reminder that progress is a collective effort and that we all have a role to play in dismantling systemic racism and fostering an inclusive society. On this Juneteenth, let us join hands in solidarity, honor the past, celebrate the present, and work tirelessly towards a brighter future for everyone, no exceptions.

AUGUSTA - The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations announced the hiring of Ariel Ricci (she/they) as its first permanent Executive Director. Ariel brings 20 years of experience spanning international human rights law, organizational leadership, and program evaluation in Maine to the task of leading the Permanent Commission.

“Ariel brings critical leadership and vision to the Permanent Commission at a crucial time in its development. Since the Commission was established in 2019, the pressing need to address the impact of structural racism has only become more apparent,” said Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, co-chair of the Permanent Commission. “I look forward to working with Ariel, as she leads the Permanent Commission in its mission to improve the status and outcomes for historically disadvantaged racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations in Maine.”

“We are so pleased to have Ariel join the Permanent Commission as its first permanent Executive Director, bringing leadership and vision to the work,” said Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador Maulian Dana, co-chair of the Permanent Commission. “We are fortunate to have found someone with Ariel’s experience to lead our efforts to shine a light on racial disparities in Maine and work toward a brighter future for all of us.”

“I am humbled and honored to become the first permanent Executive Director of the Permanent Commission. I firmly believe that combating structural racism as it impacts Maine’s racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations is a necessary way to improve the quality of life for all Mainers,” said Ricci.  “I look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders to develop data-informed approaches to identifying and reducing racial disparities in Maine.”

Ariel grew up in Maine and spent 15 years living in London, England, before returning to Maine in 2017.  Ariel has a BA in Political Science from the University of Southern Maine and an MA in Human Rights from the University of Essex. While in London, Ariel practiced as a barrister, specializing in family law cases involving domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and international child abduction.  On return to Maine, Ariel conducted program evaluations and government accountability investigations at the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability, a non-partisan office of the Maine State Legislature.  Most recently, Ariel worked at an international non-profit evaluating effectiveness and outcomes for federal STEM entrepreneurship training programs, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations was established in 2019, with the enactment of LD 777 and began its work in late 2021, after receiving its first funding with the enactment of LD 1034.  The Permanent Commission has a mission to examine racial disparities across all systems with a goal of improving the status and outcomes for the historically disadvantaged racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations in the state. The Permanent Commission is empowered to advise all three branches of Maine government and to introduce legislation. More information about the Permanent Commission’s work can be found on its website: https://www.pcritp.me/

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations (Permanent Commission) research team will be led and managed by the Coordinator of Research, who will work to develop thorough, justice-focused research processes and products. The mission of the Permanent Commission in Maine is to investigate and document disparities among historically underrepresented racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations. The Coordinator is in charge of all work associated with this mission. The successful candidate will oversee the Permanent Commission's ongoing qualitative and quantitative research projects, such as community-based data analysis, public opinion research, library development and maintenance, and consultation with the State's data governance program in collaboration with the Secretary of State and Chief Information Officer. In addition, this position includes managing the research design, data collection, and data management for all other at-will and legally required projects of the Permanent Commission. The Executive Director oversees this position, which also regularly works with the Directors of Operations, Community Engagement, Policy, and Communications as well as external research consultants.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities: 

• Manage the Permanent Commission’s ongoing research initiatives, including community-based data analysis, public opinion research, library development, and data governance consultation with the Secretary of State and Chief Information Officer. 
• Develop (as required), direct, and oversee all research projects conducted by the Permanent Commission to determine the status of racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations, ensuring that research is conducted efficiently, accurately, and ethically, assuring compliance with established Commission principles as well as IRB (as needed).  
• Collaborate with contracted content experts leading at-will and statutorily assigned projects for the Permanent Commission, overseeing and supporting all project aspects that relate to research. 
• Manage all Permanent Commission data, drawing valid conclusions and examples to inform future research, public policy, community engagement activities, and communications. 
• Staff and lead the Permanent Commission’s Research Committee, helping them monitor and support research projects of the Commission. 
• Develop and execute policies and procedures that streamline the functions of the Permanent Commission’s research. 

Specific Duties:

• Manage ongoing research initiatives, including public opinion research, community inquiry data collection, library development, and Data governance consulting with the Secretary of State and Chief Information Officer.
• Consult regarding the integration of racial equity into Maine’s Data Governance Project. 
• Oversee and support research design and execution across Permanent Commission projects and programs, including statutorily assigned research projects, and discretionary projects.  Statutorily assigned research project examples include LDs 1113, 870, 1226, and 1934 of Maine’s 130th Legislature.  
• Staff and direct meetings of the Permanent Commission’s Research Committee, collaborating with the Commission’s clerk regarding public meeting posting, agendas, minutes, and attendance recordkeeping. 
• Control, establish, and define data elements, relationships between elements, and standards for managing the physical structures in order to establish and maintain data consistency and organization
• Direct, design, and coordinate the use of data resources; develop and implement procedures and guidelines for data security, handling, and ownership in order to maintain the integrity of the database. 
• Analyze data gathered, develop information and documentation, and consider solutions or alternative methods in order to recommend organizational and system changes and modifications to public policy. 
• Ensure compliance of all Permanent Commission research with Permanent Commission principles as well as IRB protocols, as needed. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Understanding of data collection and interpretation methods and techniques
• Knowledge of databases
• Knowledge of the principles, theories, and practices of public administration, organization, workflow, personnel management, and financial procedures
• Knowledge of IRB boards and the IRB review process. 
• Ability to gather, assemble, calculate and analyze facts and draw valid conclusions 
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously 
• Ability to negotiate between diverse groups
• Ability to write clearly and effectively
• Ability to develop recommendations based in data for the creation, revision, and repeal of laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Minimum qualifications:

5 years of public policy research experience and bachelor’s degree; or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Additional Attributes of Strong Candidates: 

• Exhibit Permanent Commission’s cultural values of teamwork, responsibility, accountability, excellence, openness, and balance.

Preferences:

• Strong understanding of issues impacting marginalized communities.
• Strong ties to a marginalized community.

Contact information:

Questions about this position should be directed to Hunter Cropsey at hunter.cropsey@maine.gov

Apply:

Apply online at: https://mainebhr.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0x7q7/

On May 16th, 2019, The State of Maine made history by passing LD 944 An Act to Ban Native American Mascots in All Public Schools, the first legislation of its kind in the country. For Maine’s tribal nations, the landmark legislation marked an end to a decades-long struggle to educate the public on the harm caused by the appropriation of Native American mascots. 

Fighting Indians chronicles the last and most contentious holdout in that struggle, the homogeneously white Skowhegan High School, known for decades as “The Home of the Indians.” This is the story of a small New England community forced to reckon with its identity, its sordid history, and future relationship with its Indigenous neighbors. It is the story of a small town divided against the backdrop of a nation divided, where the “mascot debate” exposes centuries-old abuses while asking if reconciliation is possible.

Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a talkback about the film with filmmakers Mark Cooley and Derek Ellis and Passamaquoddy language-keeper Dwayne Tomah.

REGISTER HERE

Learn more about the Permanent Commission, the Place Justice Project, and the full event series.

Place Justice is a statewide truth-seeking and historical recovery initiative of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations that seeks to engage Wabanaki and Maine communities in examining a wide range of commemorative practices to better understand and respond to the ways in which racialized and Indigenous populations are represented in or absent from the narratives inscribed on our natural and built environment.

Launching February 7, a nine-part Place Justice Event Series will feature free, virtual and in-person panel discussions and film screenings to engage the public in considering some often complex and contentious issues. Whose stories are being told and whose suppressed? Whose legacies are being forwarded, and at whose expense? 

EVENT: Four Decades & Four Bills: Dealing with Offensive Names & Symbols in Maine

February 7th, 5:00PM-6:00PM | Attend live via Zoom

Hosted by the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations.

Until very recently, racial slurs remained inscribed on Maine’s landscapes and racist mascots were cherished by schools and their communities. How did these symbols that disparage and dehumanize Black and Indigenous people come to be? Why have they persisted for so long? And what harmful vestiges remain still today? 

Join Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross and Penobscot Tribal Ambassador Maulian Dana  to learn about efforts on the part of civil rights and Indigenous leaders over the past 40 years to eradicate offensive place names and images and to consider why earlier legislative efforts to eradicate them have proved insufficient.

REGISTER HERE

Learn more about the Permanent Commission, the Place Justice Project, and the full event series.

Contact us with your questions: placejusticemaine@gmail.com

Position Description:

The Executive Director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations (Permanent Commission) will act as the organization’s central director overseeing all projects as well as the organization’s annual budget and administration. The Executive Director will oversee the development, execution, and reporting of all projects initiated by the full Permanent Commission, ensuring that commissioners and staff are engaged collaboratively throughout the project lifecycle. The Executive Director also can approve and execute small projects (under 5% of the Commission’s annual budget) at their discretion. To ensure coordinated management across projects, the Executive Director must steward the Permanent Commission’s annual budget, steering it in accordance with the strategic plan set forth by Commissioners. Furthermore, the Executive Director must maintain the Commission’s status as a sound state organization by collaborating with other Departments regarding administrative needs. The Executive Director manages the four staff directors within the Permanent Commission: Policy and Communications Director, Community Engagement Director, Research Director, and Operations Director. The Executive Director reports to the Co-Chairs of the Permanent Commission as well as the Finance and Operations Standing Committee.  

Duties, Functions, Responsibilities: 

• Direct and oversee all projects committed to by the Permanent Commission, ensuring that projects are designed, implemented, and reported on in accordance with established project management workflows, leveraging the expertise of commissioners, staff, and contractors to ensure project success. 

• Direct and oversee the financial status of the Permanent Commission, ensuring the sound management of the Commission’s annual budget, contracts, and other administrative needs related to budgeting and accounting, working with other commissioners and staff as relevant. 

• Collaborate with government partners—such as DAFS, BHR, OIT, Secretary of State, and the Attorney General—to ensure the smooth administration of the Permanent Commission within state government. 

• Serve as a forward-facing representative for the Permanent Commission in government, community, and other spaces as needed for engagement and networking purposes, working with other commissioners and staff as relevant. 

• Manage and retain highly qualified professional staff, overseeing and supporting their execution of duties through regular personal engagement, coaching, and professional development opportunities. 

• Report to the Permanent Commission co-chairs at least biannually regarding the execution of Executive Director duties. 

Specific Duties: 

• Responsible for the planning, organizing, and directing of the organization’s operations and programs according to established project management workflows. 

• Oversee and report on project management and results to Commissioners. 

• Contract management with contracted entities (procurement), internal contract management with operations director

• Develops and implements consistent inventory and cost accounting policies, procedures, and operational reporting/metrics.

• Ensures that services and funding relationships are robust enough to meet or exceed strategic goals and objectives.

• Coordinates and leads annual budget reviews, monthly and quarterly reviews, and periodic forecast updates with operational and senior management for all locations.

• Supervises the development of operations-based financial modeling. 

• Serve as forward/outward-facing representative in government, community, other spaces, including regarding fund development and networking. 

• Testifying/lobbying/etc. – Activities related to the legislature and legislative policy.

• Communications broadly – second set of eyes, drafting internal and external documents.

• Commission/commissioner management/liaising with the full Commission if applicable. There are many examples of this online, especially related to nonprofit management. 

• Retains a diverse, highly qualified staff and provides career coaching, growth, and personal development for direct/indirect report employees.

• Provides leadership to and manages the efforts of site staff to ensure appropriate support of all departments.   

Qualifications/ Skills: 

• Strong understanding of issues related to BIPOC communities, through lived and/or professional experience. 

• Demonstrated advocacy with BIPOC communities, whether micro (individual) or macro (from community to policy/systems transformation)

• At least a generalist understanding of state government, public policy, and law

• Strong relationships and relationship-building skills, especially with impacted communities and community members, state government actors (Executive, Legislative, Judicial branches), community partners, and others

• Ability to manage and support professional staff—especially the ability discern what kinds of training and supports are necessary to help staff, commissioners, etc., in implementation of the broader mission of the entity. 

• Ability to work collaboratively in various team settings, with other organizations and entities

• Ability to multitask, work independently, take initiative, and creatively problem solve

• Ability to be to be flexible and adaptively manage individual projects as well as the broader growth of the Permanent Commission. 

Additional Attributes of Strong Candidates: 

• Exhibit Permanent Commission’s cultural values of teamwork, responsibility, accountability, excellence, openness, and balance.

Education and/or equivalent experience:

• 5 years of management experience and a relevant bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Preferences:

• Strong understanding of issues impacting marginalized communities.

• Strong ties to a marginalized community.

Salary:

• $71 - $96,000 per year

Apply:

Apply online at: https://mainebhr.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0xqgi/

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations is hosting a community listening session in Bangor on December 19, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. This event is intended to provide an opportunity for the Permanent Commission to hear directly from racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations about their lived experiences related to disparities caused by structural racism in Maine. The community listening session will be the first in an ongoing series and is part of  the Permanent Commission’s goal to build the capacity of overburdened communities to identify issues that affect their communities and participate in, influence, and take on leadership roles in related decision-making processes. Additionally, these listening sessions are intended to build solidarity and strengthen statewide networks among individuals and organizations across all communities, especially those traditionally excluded from these conversations. Dinner and childcare will be provided on-site.

Register to attend here!

A barrier-breaking renaissance man, James Weldon Johnson was a novelist and poet, a songwriter and journalist, an educator and activist, and a diplomat with legal expertise. He was a prominent leader in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during its early years and an outstanding voice in combatting racism in our country. The first African American to serve as the organization’s executive secretary, he led the fight against racial discrimination and segregation. As the organizer of a silent march in 1917, he led more than 10,000 African Americans down New York City's Fifth Avenue to protest lynching.

Johnson is known in particular for writing the lyrics to “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” a powerful song of enormous importance to Black Americans for more than a century. Set to music by his brother, it was first performed in 1900 by a 500-voice children’s choir to mark Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. 

James Weldon Johnson may not be a name that is known in every household. But in the moment in which we are currently living, when the struggle for racial equity and equal justice for all is at the center of our state and national dialogue, his legacy is ubiquitous.

In 1938, Johnson’s life was cut short. He and his wife, Grace Nail Johnson, had been visiting friends near their Dark Harbor home. When passing through Wiscasset, their car was struck by a train, killing this national figure and grievously injuring his wife. More than 2,000 mourners attended his Harlem memorial service. 

This first annual state observance grew out of the collaborative efforts of organizers in Johnson’s birth state of Florida, Wiscasset residents, and others here in Maine who wish to honor Johnson, memorialize his civil rights activism, and pursue his work to end racism.

Contact permanentcommission.ritp@maine.gov for more information about these events.

Friday, June 17, 2022 | Wiscasset, Maine

James Weldon Johnson Day Commemoration

Morning program at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

Midday program at the Wiscasset Town Common

Afternoon program at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

Space in the church is limited. Registration is required. Get your free tickets here.

Saturday, June 18, 2022 | Bath, Maine

Recovering Maine’s Black History

Registration is required. Get your free tickets here.

Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Westbrook, Maine

Westbrook Juneteenth Freedom Celebration

Commissioner Darrell Newell, Vice Chief of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk, Indian Township, delivered the prayer for both the House and Senate on the last day of business for the 130th Legislature. Vice Chief Newell was there in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Day, as designated by a Joint Resolution passed by the Legislature later that day; and to pay tribute to Kim Neptune of Sipayik, who was taken from her loved ones and community far too soon.

Watch the video here: