Maine’s Democratic lawmakers are headed to the Augusta Civic Center on Thursday for an all-day “Racial Equity Training” seminar.
But first, Democratic House Majority Leader Rep. Maureen Terry (D-Gorham) and Assistant Leader Rep. Kristin Cloutier (D-Lewiston) have asked their caucus members to fill out an online survey disclosing their race, as well as whether they are “cisgender,” “genderfluid,” “two-spirit,” or one of the 13 other descriptors listed in the survey.
“Our specific goal with this seminar is to deepen our understanding of the impact of race in public policy,” said Terry and Cloutier, in an email obtained by the Maine Wire.
The survey was provided by Race Forward, the organization putting on the event. It wasn’t immediately clear what the taxpayer cost for the event will be.
The seminar, which will take place from 9:00am-4:30pm on Thursday, will provide a free lunch for all who attend.
The survey asks if respondents have a basic understanding of racism and racial equity, an ability to identify “institutional racism,” and an ability to combat “institutional racism” in the workplace.
The survey provides respondents with 19 races to choose from and allows them to choose any combination of races to identify themselves.
The survey is careful to provide for even minor distinctions in some cases, separating central Asian, East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian, into distinct categories.
Race Forward is far less concerned with giving options to white respondents, giving only European or White as options.
The survey also provides for numerous possibilities for gender, claiming “gender is expansive.”
It encourages respondents to choose any of the 16 options that apply.
Options include “agender,” “transmasculine,” and “two-spirit,”
The survey links to a website intended to explain these distinctions, but “two-spirit” remains unexplained.
Healthline claims that “two-spirit” is a Native American distinction, but has “multiple definitions” and thus cannot be explained in any concrete way.
Race Forward hosts a variety of far-left “educational” programs, such as webinars on race and the gender binary or race and cannabis.
The organization focuses many of its efforts on governmental education intended to show government workers how to use their positions to push “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” agendas in all parts of government.
“Participants will be introduced to a racial equity tool and the role it plays in embedding racial equity into government,” the group claims.
Race Forward, a New York-based nonprofit, received more than $35 million in 2021, according to public tax filings.
The nonprofit’s president, Glenn Harris, was paid more than $240,000 that year.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="24340 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=24340">6 Comments
What a complete waste of time and money. Democrats… Thats all their good for.
Can Republicans attend this Gender Fiesta, or would they get turned away at the door? Wouldn’t the Liberal Democrats want to have them “educated” by allowing them to attend?
This organization “Race Forward” and its sister organizations are nothing more than an attempt to exterminate White men.
We here in Maine have alot more pressing issues than THIS garbage.
Wow… These groups who make up meaningless, garbage-names for everything are the reason why we need mental institutions. I refuse to acknowledge their insane vocabulary as it encourages their insanity.
My personal pronouns are eff and ewe.