Burlington County Names First Members to Minority and Equality Rights Task Force
By Clyde Hughes | AC JosepH Media
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story failed to identify a member of the Latino community in the Burlington County’s Minority and Equality Task Force. Miguel Williams is a member of the Latino community and the story has been appropriately updated.
BURLINGTON — Marcus Sibley, communications chair of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, joined Burlington County Freeholder Felicia Hopson and county official Malikah Morris as the first members of Burlington County’s new Minority and Equality Rights Task Force on Thursday.
The task force was approved by the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders back in June and Thursday’s announcement named the first 15 members. The task force will eventually have 25 members.
A Burlington County statement said task force was the idea of Hopson, who currently serves as director of the freeholder board. It will be tasked with delving into social justice issues and make recommendations on actions the county’s government can consider to promote equality and combat discrimination.
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Morris, the county’s division director of Community Outreach and Special Projects, will chair the group.
“Racism exists, both here in Burlington County and across our state, nation, continent and globe, and it demands action from all levels of government and all parts of society,” Hopson said in a statement. “We must act. And while systemic racism will not be eliminated overnight, we cannot stand idly by and trust others to solve the problem.
“Each of us has a role in this fight and it’s our hope that the members of this task force will have a candid dialogue about the issues that plague us and develop real, tangible actions for our county to take,” Hopson continued.
Sibley, a local small business owner along with heading the New Jersey State NAACP arm, is also the communications chair for the Southern Burlington County Branch NAACP. His wife, Crystal Charley Sibley, is second vice president of the New Jersey State NAACP Conference and president of the Southern Burlington County chapter.
Other members of the task force include:
- Burlington City Police Chief John Fine
- Gregory Mayers, coordinator of Virtua’s community health portfolio
- Shirla Simpson, Burlington County’s director of Human Services
- Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie
- Agatha Reidy, the Burlington County Health Department‘s director of nursing
- Jarrod Broadway, Burlington Township police officer and Burlington County Crisis Intervention Team coordinator
- Willingboro Township Manager Sharon Rogers
- Darvis Holley; assistant principal at Helen Fort Middle School in Pemberton Township
- Miguel Williams, Mount Holly resident and program coordinator for Partners For Kids and Families
- Craig Parker, Lumberton resident and longtime basketball coach
- Boaz Matlack, Medford resident and community activist
- McKenna Samson, Mount Laurel resident and community activist
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