As communities commemorate Juneteenth, local governments have an opportunity to reflect on how they are advancing equity beyond a single day of recognition. In Takoma Park, MD, Mayor Talisha Searcy is leading efforts to address historic inequities, strengthen racial equity practices, and ensure all residents have a sense of safety and belonging. We asked Mayor Searcy to share more about this work and what it looks like in practice.
Juneteenth celebrates liberation, but true freedom includes economic, social, and political equity. How is your administration actively working to dismantle the modern, systemic barriers that Black residents face in Takoma Park?
As Mayor, I believe Juneteenth is not just a day to celebrate freedom, but a call to keep pushing for real equity for Black residents in Takoma Park. In Takoma Park there is a racial disparity in homeownership. One important step we’re taking is confronting the history of restrictive covenants that once blocked Black families from buying homes here. Even though restrictive covenants can’t be enforced today, over 1,200 properties in our city still have them written in their deeds. That’s not acceptable.
My administration is working hard to fix this injustice. We’ve pushed for changes at the state level to make it easier for homeowners and municipalities to clear these outdated restrictions from their deeds. Our City Council has passed resolution 2024-40 , acknowledging the damage these covenants caused and committing to actions that make Takoma Park a fairer and more welcoming place. The City is also funding an effort to speed up the process to remove these harmful covenants where we can.
The City of Takoma Park is also actively working to make sure our community remembers that progress has always been shaped by Black activism and persistence. The Heffner Park historic marker, installed this year in partnership with Montgomery County, is one example of that commitment. Heffner Park and the Heffner Park Community Center on Oswego Avenue exist because African American residents spent decades advocating for safe, welcoming recreational spaces for Black children and families during segregation. Before Montgomery County’s 1962 Public Accommodation Law prohibited discrimination in public facilities, Black residents organized, pushed the City to act, and created space where children could play, gather, and belong. By lifting up this history, we are not only honoring the residents who fought for equity in the past; we are reminding ourselves that the work of justice today depends on the same courage, community leadership, and accountability.
Takoma Park has worked to ensure its decision-making is informed by an equity framework since at least 2017. Can you talk about the evolution of that process, and what that looks like today?
Takoma Park continues to lead by example in promoting racial equity through intentional policy decisions and public commitments. In 2017, the city began its Racial Equity Initiative. Part of this initiative includes adding racial equity statements to staff reports to guide policymaking, ensuring that the impact on all communities is thoughtfully considered in every major initiative. More recently, the City Council’s 2025-2026 Priorities made advancing the City’s racial equity work a core objective under the goal of building a community of safety and belonging. That means updating how the City organizes, measures, institutionalizes, and operationalizes equity; strengthening the use of racial equity frameworks and considerations in decision-making; reviewing how resident requests and complaints are handled to ensure equitable responses across the city; and continuing the work to remove unlawful restrictive covenants.
The City is making progress on achieving these goals. For example, upon learning of disparities in traffic calming and sidewalk requests, the City has transformed its process to prioritize safety and equity. To do this, the City moved to a data-driven approach. Residents can submit requests for traffic calming or a sidewalk without a petition, and each request receives a technical review. That technical review includes equity-related data about the surrounding community, including income levels, the number of youth and seniors who live nearby, and the number of people of color in the area. Together, these efforts are intended to move Takoma Park toward a more racially equitable community and government where every resident experiences a true sense of belonging.
With federal priorities and funding structures shifting, local governments are increasingly on their own to sustain long-term equity initiatives. How is your administration insulating the city’s equity goals from these federal changes, and what local mechanisms are you using to ensure this work remains funded and/or prioritized?
At a time when equity is under attack at the federal level, including efforts that weaken voting rights and threaten programs designed to address longstanding gaps, we must be clear-eyed about what is at stake and ensure that resources are available. Our FY 2026 budget includes $1.48M assigned reserves to safeguard city operations and equity initiatives from unforeseen disruptions in federal grant funding. By proactively setting aside these funds, we ensure that critical programs, especially those advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, remain stable and supported even if external funding becomes uncertain. This approach reflects our commitment to sustaining progress regardless of shifts at the federal level.