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Minority Affairs Office to Host Event in Weirton, W.Va. to Hear From Citizens

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The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA) is hosting an event in Weirton Thursday evening, focused on helping minority residents across West Virginia.

HHOMA invites the public to speak about issues that affect their community, like economic concerns, housing, education and health. Those concerns will then be relayed to Governor Jim Justice. 

The listening tour is also expected to stop in Huntington and Jefferson County later this year.

Dr. William White, the executive director of the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs, says by traveling across the state, it will give other West Virginians the opportunity to voice any concerns, such as the state’s work force.

“Not only am I looking to get women and minorities in the work place, but I’m also looking to get all folks in the workplace,” Dr. White said. 

The timing of the event follows violent protests by white supremacists in Charlottesville, VA, but White says the listening tour has been months in the making.    

“We want to be proactive, we don’t want the same kinds of things to happen in West Virginia that happened in Charlottesville,” he said.

The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs is a state agency named after a civil rights leader who lived in Huntington and helped advance fairness and equality in West Virginia.

Thursday’s event in Weirton will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mary H. Weir Public Library in Weirton.