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i <br />E dian River County Chapter <br />5835 59th Court, Vero Beach, FL 32967 <br />January 22, 2021 <br />Chairman of the Board <br />Commissioner Joe Fletcher <br />1801 27th Street <br />Vero Beach, Florida 32960 <br />Anthony Ste vvart <br />President <br />Re: SINGLE NVWMBER DISTRICT VOTING FOR ALL CITIZENS OF GIFFORD <br />Dear Commissioner Fletcher: <br />Congratulations on your Chairmanship for the second time. I hope the New Year find <br />you and your family in good health and spirit. <br />We the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Indian River County, on August 19, <br />2020 and August 27, 2020, requested in writing, District Maps from your office as well as the <br />determining factor used to draw the District lines. We believe that this information would have <br />been beneficial in compiling historical data for the Gifford community. This request was to date <br />back to 1960. Unfortunately, according to your office, this data was not available. (Please see <br />attachments). <br />We are now requesting that you and your colleagues agree to vote for a single member <br />district, since it has become apparent we will never be afforded the opportunity to elect our <br />representatives. Many of our prominent citizens have become frustrated and discouraged from a <br />lack of same race representation. They express feelings of helplessness and incapability. <br />Unfortunately, this feeling for many years has been transmitted to our off springs and served as a <br />streamline from the school house to the jail house (as evident in the 54 year old Desegregation <br />Order that the School Board is presently litigating). We know taxation without representation is <br />tyranny. Having a same race representative could prove beneficial in providing role models for <br />our youth and assurance for our citizens that we have a place at the table other than on the menu <br />or serving the table. This county has a long history of excluding blacks from its decision making <br />processes, omitting and neglecting their needs (racism). There is much data to support these <br />allegations that the county itself has provided. Recently, the world has witnessed the true color <br />5 I - Zai <br />