Workshop Series 1: The Context for Advancing Regional Equity

(Thursday, March 6, 10:30am-12:00 noon)

New Realities in Policy and Funding at Federal and State Levels

Advancing an equity agenda at the federal and state levels faces new pressures. Effective programs face budget cuts, and new, restrictive funding rules limit the options for revenue. This expert panel examines the landscape in Washington and state capitals, as well as the street-level view as expressed in public opinion polling.

Moderator: Jim O. Gibson, Senior Fellow, Center for the Study of Social Policy

Panelists:

Melody Barnes, Executive Vice President for Policy, Center for American Progress

Celinda Lake, President, Lake Research Partners

Amy Liu, Deputy Director, Brookings Metropolitain Policy Program, Brookings Institution

The Changing Geography of Poverty and Opportunity

For the last 30 years, most Americans have linked poverty with two places: inner cities and rural communities. However, over the last decade, we have seen a significant shift. Increasingly, poor people are living in the suburbs. Explore the changing map of geography, and learn what it means for activists working to expand economic opportunity and build vibrant communities.

Moderator: Edmund T. Gordon, Associate Professor and Director, Center for African and African American Studies, University of Texas, Austin

Panelists:

Paul C. Brophy, Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, and Co-founder, Brophy & Reilly LLC

Dolores Acevedo-Garcia, Associate Professor of Society and Human Development, School of Public Health, Harvard University

The Honorable Joseph H. Neal, State Representative, House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina 

Rolf Pendall, Associate Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University

Immigrant Contributions to the Regional Economy

In agricultural, service, and high-tech industries, immigrants are contributing to the competitiveness of local and regional economies—and presenting opportunities and challenges for equity advocates. Hear from civic leaders who are engaging immigrants in the drive for racial and economic justice in their communities.

Moderator: Stewart Kwoh, President and Executive Director, The Asian Pacific American Legal Center

Panelists:

Jennifer Allen, Executive Director, Board Action Network

Rosalind Gold, Senior Director of Policy, Research, and Advocacy, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)

Doua Thor, Executive Director, The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center

Health, Place, and Equity

Where you live affects how well you live. That simple idea has inspired a growing broad-based movement around health and place. Setting the stage for discussions over two days, this interactive session looks at the lessons of this movement, highlights accomplishments, and examines the role and responsibility of government, philanthropy, industry, individuals, and community organizations in crafting solutions.

Moderator: Gail C. Christopher, Vice President for Health Programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Panelists:

Ana Diez-Roux, Professor, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Michigan

Mildred Thompson, Senior Director and Director of Center for Health and Place, PolicyLink

David R. Williams, Florence & Laura Norman Professor of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and Professor of African and African American Studies and of Sociology, Harvard University

Living on the Line

Transit oriented development is an important new frontier in the movement for equity. Advocates of affordable housing, environmental sustainability, and transportation access are joining forces to put people closer to jobs, reduce emissions, and improve access to public transportation. Learn about innovative coalitions, successful strategies, land use practices, and funding opportunities in housing and public transportation.

Moderator: Phil Bronder-Giroux, Tri-City Community Action Program, Inc.

Panelists:

Don Chen, Program Officer in Community Development, Ford Foundation

Sheila Crowley, President, National Low Income Housing Coalition

Juliet Ellis, Executive Director, Urban Habitat

Quality and Equity in Education

Increasingly, regional equity advocates are focusing on the relationship between the quality of education and the quality of school facilities.  Across the country, urban sprawl and prevailing public investment patterns result in inequitable infrastructure improvements among neighborhoods and pose new challenges to community leaders, school reformers, school districts, and policymakers who are working to improve educational outcomes for low-income children and children of color. This session explores the links between segregated schools, segregated neighborhoods, and inadequate facilities and considers the possibilities for drafting an equity agenda to secure resources for quality education and buildings.

Moderator: Mary Lee, Senior Associate, PolicyLink

Panelists:

Mary Filardo, Executive Director, 21st Century School Fund

jon a. powell, Executive Director, The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity; Gregory H. Williams Chair in Civil Liberties, Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University

Michael Rebell, Executive Director, Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Teachers College, Columbia University

Theodore M. Shaw, Director-Counsel and President, NAACP Legal Defense Fund

The New Orleans Story
More than two years after Hurricane Katrina, thousands of residents face the challenges of a Gulf Coast region still in crisis. Yet even in the face of devastation, endemic poverty, and destructive patterns of race, power, and privilege, there are compelling examples of vision, leadership, and neighborhood rebirth. Leaders of the recovery effort share stories of tremendous progress against a backdrop of urgent need.

Moderator: Kalima Rose, Senior Director, PolicyLink

Panelists:

Steve Bradberry, Head Organizer for the New Orleans chapter, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)

Barbara Major, Board Director, New Orleans Redevelopment Authoruty

Father Vien the Nguyen, Pastor, Mary Queen of Vietnam Chruch and Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation

Carey Shea, Senior Program Director, Community Revitalization Fund, Greater New Orleans Foundation 

Global Warming, Climate Change, and Equity

Human-caused climate change is a reality, and the greatest impact falls on already-vulnerable communities. This makes global warming a pressing concern for regional equity advocates. The United States is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and development patterns have contributed to the problem. Now they must be part of the solution. This session examines efforts to reverse climate change through energy independence, transit-centered compact development, community revitalization, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.

Moderator: Joan Walsh, Editor-in-Chief, Salon.com

Panelists:

Dana Bourland, Program Director, Enterprise Community Partners

Peter C. Goldmark, Director, Climate and Air Program, Environmental Defense

The Honorable William Peduto, Councilman, City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Jerome Ringo, President, Apollo Alliance

 
Business Perspectives on Equitable Development

Regional equity advocates and policymakers have pioneered double bottom line strategies to bring robust economic and social returns to business and real estate deals. This session brings business perspectives into the conversation.  Leaders offer strategies to maximize financial and social benefits, including business models that work in underserved communities, development initiatives that benefit communities as well as investors, and training for jobs that pay living wages and stimulate local economies.

Moderator: Josh Kirschenbaum, Director of Planning and Development, PolicyLink

Panelists:

Richard D. Baron, Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, Baron, McCormack, Salazaar, Inc.

Carla Javits, President, Roberts Enterprises -- Download Powerpoint

Roger Williams, Senior Fellow, Annie E. Casey Foundation