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

Changing Communities

Rubén Lizardo, Associate DirectorPolicyLink

Craigslist Boot Camp

San Franciso, CaliforniaJune 2, 2011

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”

The Color of the Brave New World We are Entering…

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—USC’s Program on Environmental &

Regional Equity http://dornsife.usc.edu/pere/home/

Contact Information

Rubén Lizardo, Associate Directorruben@policylink.org