The Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) approved a directive proposed by Supervisor Margaret Franklin (D-Woodbridge) on Tuesday night to create a Cultural Diversity Commission.

The formation of this commission comes after peaceful protesters, including Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas), had tear gas fired at them by Virginia State Police.

“We need a platform to engage citizens,” Franklin said about her proposal. “We need to be there to listen. We need to dig deeper to understand the race issues from people who’ve lived it.”

The purpose of this commission will be to help the BOCS gain insight into race relations within the county and advise them on how best to address the issues.

“It is time to confront the issue of race relations in Prince William County,” said Franklin when asked about the formation of the commission. “Together, as a county, we must unite and work together for progress and change. The first step we must take is a sincere discussion about racial injustices faced in our own Black and brown communities. This is why I issues the directive to raise a Cultural Diversity Commission. It is my hope that as we develop this commission, we include members of our law enforcement such as our sheriff and police chief to be included in a holistic dialogue with minority communities.”

It is unclear when the commission will begin to operate.