2016 Annual Report Released
We just launched our 2016 Annual Report, Race Us: Movement Toward Closing the Gaps. Our 25th anniversary year was an opportunity for us to reflect on our work and refocus our approach. We recognize that the social sector has too often taken a neutral stance on racial inequities that underlie the problems we’re working to address. What’s needed instead is open acknowledgment of structural and systemic racism and the disproportionate impacts of policies and practices on people of color. The report captures reflections and the ways that these conversations have influenced our work over the past year.
Read on to find out what cities in our network are doing to advance racial equity.
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WHAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM CITIES
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Grand Rapids is getting real about structural racism
Through Racial Equity Here, a partnership between Living Cities and Government Alliance on Race Equity, the City of Grand Rapids is working to improve relations between communities and police. Learn how Mayor Rosalynn Bliss has been intentional about addressing structural and systemic racism in the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Albuquerque is rethinking its workforce
Albuquerque, another Racial Equity Here city, is examining public workforce demographics compared to the city overall in order to identify racial disparities. Read on to see how Albuquerque is addressing structural racism through its workforce.
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Philadelphia is building an action plan
Philadelphia committed to identifying racial disparities and devising actionable solutions that focus on addressing them in a systemic and transformative way. In this vein, the City just announced the completion of a racial equity action plan, which will serve as a blueprint for how the City begins to operationalize their findings from their work as part of Racial Equity Here. Read Philadelphia's racial equity action plan.
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Cities of the Future: Co-Creating Tomorrow
The pressures facing our cities is intense. At the same time, there is immense hope as urban leaders to each other to co-create the future we desire. We're excited to partner with Cities of the Future, a global movement focusing on people, government, initiatives, technologies and organizations working to increase the quality of life in today’s cities. The 2017 Community Change Institute taking place September 25-29, 2017, in Vancouver, BC, will be a truly transformational learning experience, bringing leading thinkers together with community change-makers to explore the critical role citizens, organizations and government play in co-creating the future of cities. Learn through inspiring keynote speakers, peer discussion, design labs, arts and creativity, community tours, and over 30 workshops. Learn more and register.
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WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT
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The Social Determinants of Economic Security
We recognize that creating the conditions for economic security requires more than job creation and wage growth. It means transforming systems so that people are healthy, housed, prepared for work, connected to job opportunities and more — and acknowledging the impact that racial inequities have had on each of these systems. Read Living Cities Assistant Director JaNay Queen Nazaire's reflection on how social indicators impact an ecosystem’s ability to provide economic security.
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#BensTake: Cultural Competency and Entrepreneurship
Persistent inequities in funding decisions disproportionately bar women and people of color from launching start-ups. But these entrepreneurs are solving problems in their own communities and turning the tide on our declining start-up rates.
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Hear what five local governments are doing on Race Equity
In the second episode of our Voicing Race podcast, Living Cities speaks with mayors and city staff participating in the Racial Equity Here initiative, on their efforts to combat structural and institutional racism. Listen on iTunes.
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Follow us on Instagram to see our #CityAccelerator cities in action.
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