Kansas City Mayor Sly James has issued his response to the NAACP travel advisory on Missouri.
The advisory, issued July 30, warned minorities against traveling to Missouri citing a danger that their civil rights might not be respected.
In his statement Thursday, Mayor James said that Kansas City is facing “historic inequities that cities and states across the United States have struggled to overcome for as long as this nation has existed.”
Despite this, he said Kansas City is making a conscious effort to make sure justice, equality and fairness are parts of the community’s future.
Mayor James also reaffirmed that Kansas City is a place where everyone is welcome, highlighting the fact that the city will host more than 200 conventions in the next year and a half, bringing in more than 430,000 people from “every walk of life.”
READ MORE: Why does the NAACP say it is unsafe for minorities to visit Missouri?
Amid the mistrust in today’s climate, he said it “is necessary to make sure that all persons, every citizen in any state knows that they are valued, safe, and welcomed.”
Mayor James said that includes members of the NAACP and anyone who has concerns about safety and discrimination.
He said he would welcome the chance to discuss these issues with NAACP representatives.
Among other things, the NAACP's travel advisory specifically cited Gov. Greitens' signing of Senate Bill 43, which critics say make it much more difficult for employees to file discrimination suits against their employers.
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