(Video) What Happened at the Board of Health Public Hearing— and Why I’m Speaking Up

What Happened at the Board of Health Meeting — and Why I’m Speaking Up

Hello, 

I want to share with you what happened during the January 14 Board of Health public hearing related to the RFP I’ve been updating you about—and why I believe it matters for our district and the larger community.

During public comments, I spoke to raise serious concerns about the RFP process and its impacts. 

What followed was troubling to say the least. 

When I attempted to speak up for myself and clarify what was happening in real time, I was interrupted, ignored, and later admonished by the Board chair. At the same time, similar explanations offered by my white colleague, Alder Julia Matthews, were acknowledged and accepted. The difference in how we were treated was clear—and it mattered.

This was not simply a misunderstanding or poor meeting management. What played out was an example of what many people call passive, polite, or covert racism—the kind that doesn’t rely on slurs or overt hostility, but instead shows up through dismissal, tone-policing, selective enforcement of rules, and framing Black women as disruptive when we speak up for ourselves.

The situation escalated further when County Supervisor Rick Rose who also is an employee for the agency in question, refused to proceed unless I was physically present in the room, despite the meeting being recorded and despite there being no discussion period. While I was checking family related messages just outside the room—something I should not have had to explain—I was publicly shamed, called rude, and prevented from responding. When I attempted to defend myself, I was again corrected, while inaccurate statements about procedure went unaddressed.

After the meeting, Dr. Karen Reece—a Vice President of Research and Education, a public health scholar, and a leader in racial justice work—watched the full recording. Today Dr. Reece shared a detailed public analysis of what occurred. She clearly articulated how the exchange reflected well-documented racialized patterns that Black leaders experience regularly, patterns that contribute to stress, harm, and exclusion. I will be sharing her written commentary and a link to her video for those who want a deeper breakdown below. 

I want to be very clear with you: this is not about hurt feelings.
This is about how power is exercised, whose voices are respected, and whether equity is practiced in real time—especially when concerns are uncomfortable or challenge the status quo.

No elected official should be publicly dismissed, inaccurately corrected, or subjected to shaming for raising concerns. And Black women should not have to be exceptional, silent, or endlessly patient to be treated with basic respect in public decision-making spaces.

I will continue to advocate for fairness, equity, and the inclusion of district voices and those from across the City in general, even when it is uncomfortable. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support, and thank you for staying engaged and informed. 

As always, please reach out if you have questions or want to share your thoughts.

Please note that I will give a "what's next" update on the RFP in a separate update. 

Dr. Reece's public comments: (video at the end)

1. "The video I made with problematic parts highlighted: https://youtu.be/yFXiZ0VKyGE"
2. "Polite White Supremacy": https://medium.com/@YawoBrown/the-subtle-linguistics-of-polite-white-supremacy-3f83c907ffff
3. Full text in her public post: 

Alder Madison

district17@cityofmadison.com