CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP INITIATIVE 

Dear Friends,

The Insight Center is pleased to introduce Anand Subramanian, the new Program Manager of the Closing the Racial Wealth Gap (CRWG) Initiative:

Anand will spearhead the media strategy to ensure that experts of color shape national and local economic debates.  He will also support the Initiative's policy strategy in an effort to expand the reach of the Initiative's work.

Previously, Anand was the Field Director of the Law School Consortium Project, a national nonprofit which aimed to make legal services more accessible to low income communities. He has also practiced as an attorney at various California law firms.  He was a collective member of Organizing Youth, which provided progressive South Asian youth with tools to work for political, social, and economic justice and acted as Board President of the Japanese Community Youth Council, a nonprofit which supports and facilitates programs for underserved youth in San Francisco. He is a guitarist/vocalist in the dream pop band, Fair and Kind. Anand graduated from Northwestern University School of Law in 2001 and Claremont McKenna College in 1997.

Please feel free to contact Anand for any reason at (510) 251-2600 or anands@insightcced.org.
 

Dr. Maya Rockeymoore spoke with Tavis Smiley about the impact of social security reform on people of color and other findings of the Commission to Modernize Social Security's October 2011 report.  Maya also featured the report through a number of major media outlets, including The Washington Post and Washington Watch with Roland Martin.
 

In her opinion piece, Dr. Mariko Chang discusses why college debt hits students of color hardest.
 

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Security launched a new Civic Engagement and Governance Institute, which will focus on information, research and analysis on civic and political participation among people of color.

The Commission to Modernize Social Security released Plan for a New Future: The Impact of Social Security Reform on People of Color. The Commission included ECON Members Dr. Algernon Austin, Dave Baldridge, Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, Dr. Wilhemina Leigh, former CRWG Director Meizhu Lui, Heather McGhee, Lisa Mensah, Leticia Miranda, Dr. David Pate, Scott Allen Peck, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore and Doua Thor. Read the report.
 

ECON Member Melany de la Cruz-Viesca was a managing editor for the UCLA Asian American Studies Center's release Forging the Future: The Role of New Research, Data, and Polices for AANHPIs, arguably the most comprehensive publication to date on how Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are impacted by demographic data trends and federal policy. Read the publication.
 

ECON Member Kim Pate co-authored the CFED publication Native Entrepreneurship in South Dakota’s Nine Reservations, a research report that examines the small business development environment on South Dakota’s nine Indian reservations. The report was commissioned by the Four Bands Community Fund, of which ECON Member Tanya Fiddler is the Executive Director.  Read the report.

It was wonderful to see so many of you in Detroit last month at PolicyLink's Equity Summit 2011. Many ECON Members spoke at the conference, including Angela Glover Blackwell and Dr. Manuel Pastor during the inspiring opening plenary.  Panelists included Dr. Algernon Austin, Cornelius Blanding, Janis Bowdler, Joe Brooks, Alan Jenkins, Dr. Kilolo Kijakazi, Simon Lopez, john a. powell, CRWG Director Anne Price, Eric Rodriguez, and Doua Thor. The conference website, MyEquitySummit, has now transformed into Demand Equity Now, a broader portal to discuss equity issues.
 

We are looking forward to Engage2012, the Women of Color Policy Network's national summit. ECON Member C. Nicole Mason is the Network's Executive Director.  The free opening event, taking place on Thursday, December 8th at NYU, includes many prominent speakers, including ECON Member Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever.  Register here
 

CRWG INITIATIVE NEWS

White House Meetings

In early September, ECON members Lisa Hasegawa, Janis Bowdler and Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, along with Insight Center President Roger Clay and CRWG Director Anne Price, met with White House Chief of Staff William Daley, Deputy Assistant to the President Michael Strautmanis, Associate Counsel to the President Danielle Gray and Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity Racquel Russell.  They discussed jobs, housing and social security, and promoted the ECON’s participation in key policy discussions.  Next week, Roger and Maya will each have a follow up meeting at the White House with Racquel Russell.


Media Collaborations

In late summer, CRWG and Bob Wynn from Assets Builders of America were featured in “The State of Black Wealth in America” in the August issue of Ebony Magazine. We also worked closely with Pam Fessler from NPR for four months to develop the segment, “Making It in The U.S.: More Than Just Hard Work.” Through our media approach we have garnered between 11 million and 28 million viewers /listeners since April and over 30 media hits and still mounting.
 

SAVE THE DATE - Social Security Reform Webinar

On Tuesday, January 31st at 1 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. PST, the CRWG Initiative will conduct a webinar to discuss social security reform and its effect on communities of color.  Confirmed panelists include ECON Members Dave Baldridge, Dr. Wilhelmina Leigh, Meizhu Lui, Leticia Miranda, and Dr. Maya Rockeymoore.  Please make a note in your calendars!

Social Media Revamping

We're in the process of improving our social media and communications tools.  We hope and expect to have easier, more regular interactions with ECON Members.  Stay tuned for changes in the new year!


JOB OPENINGS

Program Officer, Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation is currently seeking Program Officers for the following initiatives:

• Racial Justice and Minority Rights
• Strengthening Human Rights Worldwide
• U.S. Transparent Effective Accountable Government
• More and Better Learning Time

Please click on the Initiative name for more information.
 

Director, Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation is currently seeking Directors for the following programs:

• Gender Rights and Equality
• Democratic Participation

Please click on the program name for more information.


Director of Grassroots, NCPSSM

The National Seniors Organization of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is currently seeking a Director of Grassroots.  Please click here for more information.


Program Manager, Oklahoma Assets

Oklahoma Assets is seeking a Program Manager to support the development of its organizational structure and implementation of its program and partnership activities.  Please click here for more information.
 

ECON MEMBERS - We want to hear from you!
   

If you would like your work to be featured in the January 2012 Newsletter, please contact Anand at (510) 251-2600 or anands@insightcced.org   

Have a wonderful holiday season,

Anne & Anand

THE EXPERTS OF COLOR NETWORK

With a searchable database that contains over 150 of the leading minds on asset-building and the economy, expertise is just a click away. Visit www.expertsofcolor.org.

Anne Price, Director aprice@insightcced.org

Anand Subramanian, Program Manager anands@insightcced.org
 

The Insight Center for Community Economic Development is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to help people and communities become, and remain, economically secure through innovative employment, early childhood, business development, and asset building programs. Learn more at www.insightcced.org.

Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative

For more information visit: www.racialwealthgap.org | www.expertsofcolor.org | www.insightcced.org | 

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