Tonight Governor Holcomb gave his annual State of the State address virtually to the State of Indiana. First, I want to commend the governor for taking a safe approach to the evening’s remarks. The governor clearly prioritized the health of elected officials in the decision to host this event virtually. However, the governor’s remarks concerning the health of Black Hoosiers were lacking.
Governor Holcomb clearly needs to come to some of the neighborhoods in Senate District 34 where crime is still too high, access to transportation is limited, and access to healthy food is inconsistent. My district contrasts starkly with the rosy picture he painted of the State of Indiana today.
Black communities are disproportionately suffering from the health and economic effects of COVID-19, and we are seeing serious shortcomings in our hospitals when it comes to protecting Black lives. This pandemic highlighted the glaring inequities in our health care and economic systems, and sadly, tonight’s address from the governor failed to not only offer solutions to tackle those inequities, but to acknowledge these inequities altogether. We cannot move forward as a state until the wellbeing of Black Hoosiers and the realities we live are truly acknowledged. Indiana should be a state that uplifts and stands for every Hoosier.