MARYLAND, USA — In the battle to see which DMV state would be best to house the new FBI headquarters, the NAACP has decided to publicly take a side with a penned letter to President Joe Biden.
The organization, which works to promote civil rights and build greater equity for Black Americans and people of color, noted that the Biden administration has also supported that vision. In the March 10 letter, the national entity said it aligned with the voices and views of the NAACP Maryland State Conference.
"We seek to elevate the voices of these same communities, and that is why we ask that you to consider these interests when determining the location of the FBI’s new consolidated headquarters," the NAACP said in its letter.
The development of the FBI campus, which can generate a wave of other jobs, can help transform underserved Black communities in a positive way. Maryland is providing two location options for the headquarters expansion office: Greenbelt and Landover.
"Both are in the only majority Black jurisdiction in the National Capital Region: Prince George’s County, Maryland," the organization stated in the letter. They said that the area has been passed over for decades when it comes to federal investment opportunities.
In addition, they stated that even though the county is the home to 20% of the region’s federal employees, it only 4% of the region’s federal office space. This disparity has contributed to income disparities and the racial wealth gap in the region.
As the NAACP continued, the disparities were further explained. They stated that Prince Georgians’ median wages falls behind the average in the rest of the region by 18% and the average in Fairfax County, the competing Virginia location, by 48%. And when it comes to diversity in the area, 64% of residents in the Prince George's are Black, compared with only 10% of the population of Fairfax County.
These disparities are what the NAACP says will change with the decision of the location. "Such a decision would not be charity. The Greenbelt and Landover sites both meet and exceed the FBI’s operational and security needs. Additionally, the county has a diverse and highly-skilled workforce that would enhance the FBI’s ability to execute its mission."
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