Maine’s state racial equity commission has entered into a taxpayer-funded $7,000 contract with a Waterville-based company to sponsor educational walking tours about the “historical struggles and contributions of Black individuals” and to dispel the myth that the state is “too old and too white.”
[RELATED: Maine Speaker’s Racial Equity Board Gave Her Sister’s Nonprofit $12,000 for Black History Month…]
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations (PCRITP) is an independent state agency established by the Legislature in 2019 as a result of a bill sponsored by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland).
PCRITP revised their conflict of interest policy earlier this year after the Maine Wire reported that the Commission had awarded a $12,000 grant to a nonprofit run founded by Speaker Talbot Ross’ sister for a Black History Month event.
According to a state no-bid contract document published last week, PCRITP will pay Black Travel Maine, Inc., $7,000 to fund the walking tours.
“The provider [Black Travel Maine] will provide educational walking tours, connecting Maine communities to understand the historical struggles and contributions of Black individuals, contributing to a more inclusive mindset and encouraging positive social change,” the Permanent Commission’s recently-hired operations director Aaron Hooks Wayman wrote in the contract.
“The Provider set itself apart as an entity unique in its breadth of content expertise, as well as its connections to other like-entities that can provide a robust [sic], throughout the project duration,” Wayman wrote.
[RELATED: Maine’s Taxpayer-Funded Racial Equity Board Hires New Operations Director…]
According to Black Travel Maine’s website, the company’s mission is to “expose Black and multiethnic travelers and organizations to the cultural beauty, richness and delightfully friendly people of the gorgeous State of Maine.”
“Our custom curated cultural tours will highlight everything from the arts, entertainment and the spectacular food Maine has to offer visitors from around the World in hopes to help dispel the age old myth of, ‘why go there it is too cold and too white,'” the company states.
Black Travel Maine is hosting a free walking tour entitled “Discover Maine’s Rich Black History on MLK Weekend” on Sunday, Jan. 19.
[RELATED: Maine Racial Equity Commission Banned White People from Talking at Lewiston Public Meeting…]
In June, PCRITP approved a $538,168 taxpayer-funded budget for fiscal year 2025, which earmarked over $100,000 for office space, nearly $65,000 for research initiatives and about $180,000 for contract and temporary staffing positions.
That budget came in addition to a $1 million grant in federal COVID-19 relief funds awarded to PCRITP by the Mills Administration that must be spent by the Commission by the end of this year.
Message sent to Board:
Do you have a definition of equity? I have asked the climate council and the University of Maine. Leader Faulkingham is introducing legislation for me requiring state agencies and public K-12 and higher Ed to define equity and develop metrics to assess it if they promote equity in any policy area. Please consider this a FOAA for your definition of equity.
I am so sick of the racist, RTR, and this type of s**t. Someone should establish our own ME-DOGE. Unfortunately, wasteful spending of other people’s money is like a drug for these political hacks so it would never get off the ground.
Being born an evil white person in 1956, I find that this board even exist offensive
Money for nothing and the chicks are free.
Shit they could have seen the old, white myth destroyed with a $8 uber ride through Lewiston.
Nons need to stay the hell out of Maine
WTF? kidding, right? Vote all democrats out.
What a disgusting waste of taxpayer funds. If you think Maine is too white, walk through the door of Portland Maine Medical Center and the myth will vanish like magic.
At the conclusion of the walking tour participants will be treated to a chilled shrimp buffet and assorted wines from local vineyards .The Indie Rock Band “ Rachel Ross and The Race Baiters “:will provide a free concert at the park . A splendid time will be had by all . Tours will include a visit to local welfare office , food kitchen location , and ACLU office .
The only thing ‘too’ white is the working class! And this pissing money away on useless stunts like this is just democrats keeping more democrats employed in do nothing jobs! Until the stupid stop voting democrat we will continue to suffer and fail, we now have the worst school system in the country! By per income we are the highest taxed in the country when you add all the petty ‘fees’ and taxes together. But, democrats are like the idiot with the hammer that keeps pounding his thumb and expecting a different outcome!
An unbelievable amount of our tax money spent on this BS .
How about let’s have an office of White Travel Maine !
Blowing Money for The Black Ones .
We feel so good about ourselves as we flush our economic future down the toilet .
Let’s blow some more !
….taking money away from the working people and making it look like a gift w/ conditions when it is given back…..