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Few programs explicitly center racial equity, although the challenges they address reflect racial inequities and injustice.

By “centering racial equity,” we mean explicitly naming racial inequities and injustices and prioritizing reforms to the structural barriers perpetuating them.

The programs may have not centered racial equity for several reasons (Jess will voice over)

Even when racial equity is not explicitly centered, programs often address racial disparities or direct investments to communities and institutions of color.

A generalized commitment to racial equity may fall short if it does not explicitly recognize the racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of many US communities today.

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Alaina: These adequately and accurately capture Obama work and limitations to some of the approaches we looked at

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Don: agree, they were very well framed and I like these observations; one thing I felt could be an enhancement is the notion that when the Obama Administration was in place it did a lot of great place-based work that was dropped in Trump administration – now that it is picking up again under Biden, is there some kind of cross-cutting observation about degree to which these programs can be sticky across efforts? Want to see broad adoption of ideas even if ideas and initiatives come and go…

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·        Alaina: to that point, for each of the funding programs under Obama, there was a comprehensive funding program for applicants – can we incentivize movement on comprehensive planning? Incentivize the plan itself?

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Alaina: We are opening ourselves up to challenge  unless the federal government plays the specific role to execute on racial discrimination – work of the federal government has to be remedial rather than just “we are going to prioritize communities of color”

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o   Don: Like that this scan identified building community power – outside game has to compliment inside game; private sector, institutions, other players have to be vocal about inclusion as well

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o	Alejandra: was going to echo Don’s comments about focus on place-based; been exciting to see federal govt focus on local level and support for counties 

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o	Alaina: what about the role the federal government can play in incentivizing cities to have racial equity in leadership? 

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o   Don: incentives are critical but also need to have a changing hearts and minds narrative change play to compliment that work

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o	Don: PolicyLink’s All in Cities; GARE; Living Cities are all good examples but don’t know of any initiatives at the federal level 

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o	Alejandra: I think one huge start is the COVID pandemic and relief. Everything from vaccine distribution and who's getting it but also as we plan for longer term economic recovery. These state and local plans need requirements of race data and measurements and then to see the outcomes in communities of color. The Governmental Alliance for Race and Equity is a great tool for local governments. There are definitely some county govts that could be lifted up as examples: Franklin County, Ohio, Multnomah, Oregon, many others

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o   Alaina: My Brother’s Keeper outlined different inflection points in a person’s life to help try to apply research but MBK did not have the resources to support the work, which was a huge challenge; if there is a cross-agency program it needs the funding to achieve the outcomes it desires

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·        Don: The absence of prior models for the federal gov’s role in advancing racial equity represents an exciting opportunity to create one. Perhaps a framework for “closing the gaps” or “meeting minimum requirements” approach would work for program design.

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·        Alaina: with many place-based programs, they were challenged around measuring success in relation to economic mobility goals – what are defined metrics before an end of an administration or before people lost interest in making sure equity is achieved