By Carlos Vogel
August 10, 2009

For the past few weeks, Cambridge (MA) has been in the middle of a racial profiling controversy sparked between Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley since Gates’ arrest for disorderly conduct after an eyewitness reported a possible break-in at his home July 16. But Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons doesn’t want people to get the wrong idea about her city. Simmons will be trying to move forward by mending the racial divide that is moving through Cambridge.

“Matters of race and class have always been with us,” Simmons said. In recent days, she has been referring to Cambridge as “America’s Classroom.” “By this, I mean to say that Cambridge can show the nation how to handle this delicate conversation respectfully, how to draw important lessons from it, and how to then use those lessons to improve the community,” said Simmons.

According to a statement from the mayor’s office, the incident illustrated that Cambridge must continue finding ways to address matters of race and class in a frank, honest, and productive manner. The mayor hosted a town hall meeting on May 21 in city hall in which community members were asked to discuss how race and class issues have impacted Cambridge. It was noted that bigotry, misunderstanding, and fear have continued to play a role shaping how people interact with one another – but it was also noted that continued community-wide discussions represent an important step in changing this pattern. “I genuinely believe that by bringing people together, by airing our differences, and by challenging our attitudes, we can foster a more tolerant, more inclusive society. While this has been a trying time for Cambridge, we are confidant that we can ultimately come out stronger and a more unified community,” said Simmons.