The quiet powerhouse fighting racism in one of America’s whitest states

How to tackle a problem as monumental as systemic racism? For Xusana Davis, Vermont’s first executive director of racial equity, it starts with something radically simple: listening.

In the days following George Floyd’s killing, Xusana Davis’ office in Vermont was flooded with calls and emails, as the nation suddenly found itself in deep reflection on racial justice. Ms. Davis, Vermont’s first executive director of racial equity, says a number of her colleagues in state government want to be part of the solution.

“A lot of people who ordinarily wouldn’t...