Commission to explore racial equity, promote economic mobility.

The newly formed Greenville Racial Equity and Economic Mobility Commission convened this week to continue to explore racial inequities in Greenville County's Black community and the partnerships needed to create solutions.

A joint effort by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Greenville County, and Urban League of the Upstate, the REEM Commission grew from ongoing community conversations to identify and address systemic racial barriers in the county by understanding the data that reveal disparities, according to a news release. The group plans to develop systems-level strategies, partnering with community institutions to implement change in the areas of racial inequities, social justice and other key gaps identified as focus areas.

The REEM Commission includes Merl F. Code, Ogletree Deakins, REEM Commission co-chairman; David Lominack, TD Bank, co-chairman; Meghan Barp, United Way of Greenville County; Peggy Baxter, community advocate; Karen Baynes-Dunning, community advocate; Kennedy Brown, youth advocate; Matt Caldwell, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System; Elizabeth Davis, Furman University; Pastor Sean Dogan, Long Branch Baptist Church; Jessica Donan, EY; Joe Erwin, Endeavor; Traci Fant, Freedom Fighter's Upstate Foundation; the Rev. J.M. Flemming, NAACP; Rich Hagins, US&S; Robert Hughes, Hughes Development; Butch Kirven, Greenville County Council; Sheriff Hobart Lewis, Greenville County Sheriff's Department; Stacey Mills, USC Upstate; Bob Morris, Community Foundation of Greenville; S.T. Peden, Minority Economic Development Institute; Carlos Phillips, Greenville Chamber of Commerce; Jason Richards, NAI Earle Furman; Burke Royster, Greenville County Schools; Liz Seman, Furman University, Greenville County Council; Minor Shaw, Micco LLC; Katy Smith, Greenville Partnership for Philanthropy; Deputy Chief Howie Thompson, Greenville Police Department; Gage Weekes, Hollingsworth Funds; Greenville Mayor Knox White; Nika White, Nika White Consulting; Will...