Know Your Community: Tools for Harnessing Diversity in America’s

Changing Communities

Rubén Lizardo, Associate DirectorPolicyLink

Craigslist Boot Camp Berkeley, California

August 14, 2010

Mission & Work

• PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by Lifting Up What Works®

Today’s Discussion--Seizing the Historical Moment

• The Imperative--Convergence of Economic, Social, and Climate Crisis in US and the World

• Opportunity to Harness our Diversity as an Asset to address the Equity & Sustainability Challenges to our Survival and Success

• Tools/Resources/Learning/Innovation – Diversity and Equity Vision & Values—See/Feel the Stakes– Community Leadership Models Emphasize Inclusion,

Inter-Dependence, & Shared Prosperity– Tools, and Resources to Access Data

Promise & Challenge of “Post Racial America”

We are Challenged to Dig Deeper on Diversity and Equity

You Must Be the Change You Wish to See in the World…

• Low commercial activity

• Few services• Unsafe/Limited

parks• Poor performing

schools• Increased pollution

and toxic waste sites

• Limited public transportation

• Lack of jobs• High

unemployment

• Strong commercial activity

• Access to services• Parks and safe public

spaces• High-performing

schools• Non-predatory

financial institutions• Good public

transportation• Employment and

entrepreneurship

Low- Income Communities Communities of Opportunity

Concentrated Poverty

Healthy Communities

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Embedding Diversity & Equity Values in Our WorkMoving From Poverty to Opportunity: Creating Healthy Communities

of Opportunity

Equitable Development Principles

Integrate People and Place Based Strategies Ensure Meaningful Resident/Community

Participation, Leadership and Ownership Reduce Local and Regional Disparities Double & Triple Bottom Line Investments &

Returns

Deeper Look at California’s Crisis of Under-Education

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Deeper Look at California’s Under-Education Crisis

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Resources for Building Inclusive & Equitable Schools and CollegesData:• Ed Trust West Raising the Roof Data Tools--

http://www.edtrust.org/west• CA Department of Education Data Tools--

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/Community Engagement:• Californians for Justice’s Campaign for Quality

Education--http://www.caljustice.org• Connect-Ed’s Linked Learning Alliance--

http://www.connectedcalifornia.org/policy/alliance.php

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Building an Inclusive and Equitable Health Care SystemData: • Institute of Medicine--

http://www.iom.edu/• California Pan Ethnic Health Network--

http://www.cpehn.org/

Community Engagement:• PolicyLink Center for Health & Place--

http://www.policylink.org• Partnership for the Public’s Health--

http://www.partnershipph.org/

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Resources for Inclusive and Equitable Community Building

Data & Analysis:• Applied Research Center--

http://www.arc.org/• Kirwan Institute--

http://kirwaninstitute.org/

Community Engagement• Community Builders’ Toolkit for Building

Healthy, Productive Multi-Racial Communities-- http://www.race-democracy.org/toolkit.pdf

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Gathering Demographic Data

Demographics:• People & Households Section of the US Census

Bureau--http://www.census.gov• CA Department of Finance Demographic Research

Unit--http://www.dof.ca.gov/research/

Issues:• United Way of Los Angeles Social Reports--

http://www.unitedwayla.org• Universities--UC Berkeley School of

Law--http://www.law.berkeley.edu/centers.htm

Contact Information

Rubén Lizardo, Associate Directorruben@policylink.org