Concord DEI Commission Votes to Request School Committee Support for Black Heritage Trail

CARLISLE — May 28, 2026 — Concord DEI Commission votes to seek school support for Black Heritage Trail and previews bias reporting system. At its May 28 meeting, the commission unanimously approved sending a letter to the Concord Public Schools committee requesting a formal statement of support for the Black Heritage Trail marker program, whose Historic District Commission public hearing is set for June 10 and whose Select Board final approval is targeted for June 22. Paul, chair of the Bias and Hate Incident Reporting Working Group, previewed a five-mode incident reporting system — website, QR code, hotline, email, and walk-in office hours — that will be presented to the Select Board on June 22, with operational status targeted for early 2027 and an intake specialist role estimated at roughly a quarter of a full-time equivalent town staff position. The Concord Housing Foundation presented a draft strategy calling for roughly 2,000 total affordable or attainable housing units over 10 years, anchored by new targets at the MCI Concord redevelopment site, with a community charrette scheduled for the second week of June. The commission's DEI survey stands at 411 responses, with a goal of 600 before it closes at the end of June.