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Host: Schott Foundation for Public Education Presenter: Applied Research Center

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February 27, 2013

RACIAL EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:A PRESCRIPTION FOR PREVENTING RACISM

RACIAL EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:A PRESCRIPTION FOR PREVENTING RACISM

Moderator | Nayantara SenAssociate TrainerApplied Research Center@NayantaraS

Presenter | Terry KeleherLeadership Action Network Director Applied Research Center

Presenter |Jermaine ToneyResearch ConsultantApplied Research Center

ARC/COLORLINES.COM

www.arc.org

www.colorlines.com

ABOUT ARC/COLORLINES.COM

Applied Research Center (ARC) is a racial justice think tank using media, research, and activism to promote solutions. Our mission is to popularize racial justice and prepare people to achieve it.

Colorlines.com is a daily news site offering award-winning reporting, analysis, and solutions to today’s racial justice issues.

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ARC’s experienced multi-racial and multi-generational staff team provides customized trainings and technical assistance services:

• On-site face-to-face trainings• Online trainings, webinars and teleconferences

• Keynote speeches and workshops at conferences• Coaching and consulting

• Video production; development of educational materials• Strategic research, policy analysis and evaluation

Questions

You can submit questions via using the Q & A feature and well address as many as we can after the presentation.

Participant Question

On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your familiarity with Racial Equity Impact Assessments (don’t worry -- your answer is confidential)?

1. Not at all familiar2. Not very familiar3. Somewhat familiar 4. Familiar 5. Very familiar

 

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction

2. Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

3. Prognosis: Anticipating Outcomes

4. Prevention: Avoiding Adverse Impacts

5. Prescription: Advancing Equity

6. Q & A

The Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

√ Lack of participation by stakeholders (especially people of color)

√ Lack of explicit attention to race

√ Insufficient consideration of impacts

√ Mechanisms to address racism after it has occurred are limited

A CAUTIONARY TALE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

California Class Size Reduction Initiative

Intention: Invest $1.6 billion in K-3 education to benefit all students.

Implementation:

• Schools with ample staff and space applied for and received grants first, then hired new teachers, many from inner-city schools.

• Poorer schools with less space were less able to apply for grants.

A CAUTIONARY TALE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Impact:

• Whiter, wealthier schools reduced class sizes with qualified and diverse teachers.

• Low-income schools of color continue to be overcrowded, but with less qualified teachers. Racial disparities are expanded.

Insight:

• Consider racial impacts before new problems are created.

• Target those in need first, then phase in full services for everyone.

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction

2. Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

3. Prognosis: Anticipating Outcomes

4. Prevention: Avoiding Adverse Impacts

5. Prescription: Advancing Equity

6. Q & A

Prognosis

prog·no·sis  (prg-nss)n. pl. prog·no·ses (-sz)

1. A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease.

2. A forecast or prediction

HISTORY: ASSESSING IMPACTS FROM THE START

Environmental Impact Statements (EIS): required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, are a decision-making tool that describes the positive and negative effects of proposed actions “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment,” and identifies alternative actions that can be taken to mitigate adverse impacts.

HISTORY: PREVENTING PROBLEMS

Voting Rights Act, Section 5 Preclearance: 1965 Civil Rights legislation designed to outlaw

discriminatory voting practices. Section 5 of the Act requires that the U.S. Dept. of Justice to "preclear" any attempt to change “any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting..." in any "covered jurisdiction.”

HISTORY: A MANDATE FOR SYSTEMIC RACIAL EQUITYRace Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, United Kingdom: established a statutory general duty for government authorities to promote race equality by: 1) eliminating unlawful discrimination; 2) promoting equality of opportunity; and3) promoting good relations between persons

of different racial groups.

The general duty was expanded in 2010 to include age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

HISTORY: A MANDATE FOR SYSTEMIC RACIAL EQUITY

• The United Kingdom also required government agencies to use Racial Equality Impact Assessments (REIAs).

• They defined these as “…a way of systematically and thoroughly assessing, and consulting on, the effects that a proposed policy is likely to have on people, depending on their racial group…The main purpose of a race equality impact assessment is to pre-empt the possibility that your proposed policy could affect some racial groups unfavourably.” (UK Race Relations Act, 2000)

Racial Equity Impact Assessments

Racial—provides explicit, distinct and sufficient attention to race.

Equity—elevates attention to fairness, not only examining inequity but also opportunities for equity.

Impact—focuses on outcomes, not simply intentions.

Assessment—involves a conscious and systematic analysis.

Why Use REIAs?

• To engage stakeholders in decision-making, especially those most adversely affected by current conditions.

• To bring conscious attention to racial inequities and impacts before decisions get made.

• To avoid or minimize adverse impacts and unintended consequences.

• To prevent racism from occurring in the first place—to get ahead of the curve of rapidly replicating racism.

• To affirmatively advance racial equity, inclusion and unity.

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction

2. Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

3. Prognosis: Anticipating Outcomes

4. Prevention: Avoiding Adverse Impacts

5. Prescription: Advancing Equity

6. Q & A

Counteracting Implicit Bias

• A lot of contemporary racism occurs without intention or malice. It does not require “racists.”

• Implicit biases are pervasive and predict behavior. In institutions, individuals’ bias gets compounded in decisions and actions unless consciously counteracted.

• “Implicit Bias…offers the idea that discrimination and bias are social, rather than individual issues, and that we can thus all participate in promoting equality.” -American Values Project

Policymaking

Iowa and Connecticut Criminal Justice Laws: In 2008, Iowa passed legislation authorizing “Minority Impact Statements” for criminal justice bills. That same year, Connecticut approved a similar statute aimed at assessing the impact of proposed legislation on the racial composition of the state’s prison population.

Policymaking

Oregon Criminal Justice and Child Welfare Bill: House Bill 2053 would allow any lawmaker to request a study analyzing the impact of child welfare and criminal justice laws on racial and ethnic communities.

Governance

King County, WA: Equity and Social Justice Initiative asks all departments to use a “fair and just principle” to achieve equitable opportunities for all, and to use an “Equity Impact Review Tool” to consciously address the elimination of racism in the areas of:1) policymaking & decision-making2) organizational operations, and3) community engagement and

communications.

GovernanceSeattle: Race and Social Justice Initiative asks all departments to use “Racial Equity Analysis” questions for policy development and budget-making. Questions include how proposed actions support: • economic equity and contracting;• immigrant & refugee access to services; • public engagement and outreach; • workforce equity; and• capacity building.

Planning & Community Development

City of Charlotte Proposed Racial or Community Impact Statement: would help determine whether a proposed development will reduce, limit or eliminate programs needed by minority communities.

Planning & Community Development

City of St. Paul Proposed Racial Equity Impact Policy: would require consideration of racial impacts for developments involving public financing.

More Models

Opportunity Impact Assessments: measure “opportunity impact” using metrics such as economic development, health, education, transportation and housing.

More Models

Health Impact Assessments: Assesses potential health impacts of a proposal on different communities.

REIA in Action

Education Equity Organizing Collaborative, Minnesota

Example 1:

• Organizations of color conducted an REIA of a proposed $60 million dollar Strong Schools Strong City referendum;

• Supported and helped pass the initiative.

REIA in Action

Education Equity Organizing Collaborative, Minnesota

Example 2:

• Asked the Minneapolis Public School District to use an REIA for “Changing School Options” plan. This mitigated adverse impacts on Somali and Native American communities.

• Community stakeholders played an active role in initiating, monitoring and engaging in the process.

REIA Questions for Analysis

1. How does the proposed action (policy, budget or investment decision) impact racial and economic disparities in Minnesota?

2. How does the proposed action support and advance racial and

economic equity in such areas as education, contracting, immigrant and refugee access to services, health, workforce and economic development?

3. Have voices of groups affected by the proposal, budget, or

investment decision been involved with its development? What solutions were proposed by these groups and communities?

REIA Questions for Analysis (continued)

4. What do you need to ensure that proposals are successful in addressing disparities—what resources, what timelines, and what monitoring will help ensure success of proposal for achieving racial and economic equity?

5. If your assessment shows that a proposed policy, budget or investment decisions will likely increase disparities, what alternatives can you explore? What modifications are needed to maximize racial and economic equity outcomes and reduce racial and economic disparities?

Pratt Elementary School, Minneapolis – saved through analysis and advocacy.

Data Sources

• Identifying what’s available

• Identifying what’s needed

• Generating needed data

• Advocating for appropriate data collection

Stakeholder Engagement is Key

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction

2. Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

3. Prognosis: Anticipating Outcomes

4. Prevention: Avoiding Adverse Impacts

5. Prescription: Advancing Equity

6. Q & A

The Prescription: Prevent Racism…

• Eliminate existing racial inequality

• Prevent future racial inequities

The Prescription: Prevent Racism… AND Advance Equity

• Advance racial equity

• Advance racial inclusion

• Advance racial unity

Conducting an REIA

1. Identifying Stakeholders

2. Engaging Stakeholders

3. Identifying and Documenting Racial Inequities

4. Examining the Causes

5. Clarifying the Purpose

Conducting an REIA (Continued)

6. Considering Adverse Impacts

7. Advancing Equitable Impacts

8. Examining Alternatives or Improvements

9. Ensuring Viability and Sustainability

10. Identifying Success Indicators

Exercise 1: Advocating for Using REIAs

Name one way to use an REIA to help issues/communities you care about.

Exercise 2: Advocating for Using REIAs

Name a first step you could take to advance the use of REIAs.

Summary

REIA’s move us from:

• Reactive Proactive and Prevention

• Colorblindness Equity-Mindedness

• Exclusion Inclusion

• Inequity Equity

Presentation Overview

1. Introduction

2. Problem: Deficient Decision-Making

3. Prognosis: Anticipating Outcomes

4. Prevention: Avoiding Adverse Impacts

5. Prescription: Advancing Equity

6. Q & A

QUESTIONS

Starter Question:

What are some adverse racial impacts you want to change?

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KEY RESOURCES & LINKS

• Racial Equity Impact Assessment Toolkit, ARChttp://www.arc.org/content/blogcategory/72/167/

• Jermaine Toney, jtoney@arc.org

• Terry Keleher, tkeleher@arc.org

• Nayantara Sen senn@arc.org