Leading with Race

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Leading with Race: New Possibilities for Policy Reform (Room C203)
If actions speak louder than words, how can we ensure that policymakers pass meaningful reforms to close racial disparities and advance racial equity? This workshop examines new efforts across the country to centralize racial equity in progressive policy reform. From developing principles for legislation to holding policymakers accountable, learn new tactics for facing race in 2007 and beyond.

Menachem Krajcer, Applied Research Center
Josina Morita, Applied Research Center
Jermaine Toney, Organizing Apprenticeship Project
Marcus McKinney, Legislative Aide to California Assembly Majority Leader, Karen Bass

Notes:

Krajcer
Facing Race report cards, criterion
--Stakeholders involved in the process
--realistic implementation
--measurable outcomes that are racially equitable

Morita
-report cards critical to holding policy makers accountable and to measure whether "progressive" policies are promoting racial equity
-need to frame root causes of problems, for example policy that medically insures kids may not address the problem of their parent's being uninsured

Toney
-there's a myth that policy makers can't win and lead with race
-key lessons: 1) some race issues are wrapped up in ominous bills that focus on those who authored or co-sponsored bad legislation; 2) there's a need to educate the base and also brief allies, especially businesses that may lead with race but not with addressing of structural racism

McKinney
-suggests a need to be strategic about when to use race in legislation and to discuss race explicitly and analytically and give the base the data to strengthen its arguments

Resources:

Race and Public Policy Streamed Video (2 minutes)

2006 Illinois Report Card

2006 California Report Card

2006 Minnesota Report Card

State of Black California Report (California Legislative Black Caucus)