A senior black man casts his ballot on election day.

Voting Rights Have the Power to Break Down Injustice and Build Places of Opportunity

By Michelle Betton, Writer

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” -President Lyndon B. Johnson when he signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965

For communities nationwide, 2020 will be a big year, a year in which the chance at future prosperity will be determined for many. Social justice depends on a web of rights being heeded and respected by all to work in favor of the populace. From the 2020 elections to the census to the Community Reinvestment Act revisions, many events are taking place this year that will shape disinvested communities, particularly communities of color, for years to come.

Man moves a garbage bin.

Mission-driven Organizations Continue Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Work for Democracy and Equity (Video)

By Michelle Betton, Writer

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy is one of challenging the systems that keep people from benefitting from the democracy that this country is supposed to provide to all of its citizens. The people for whom he fought were often people of color, people with low-to-moderate incomes, people whose struggle for basic social services and equity was historically negated by their own government and fellow citizens. More than 50 years ago, King stated “Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy.” His was the chorus of “Yes, we can” that has brought so many together to change the status quo and shape that future that we want to see.

Farmworker in the River Ranch Farm Workers Housing Center

We Are All Immigrants: Centering the Needs of Immigrant Families Ensures That All of Our Communities Thrive

By Jason Anderson, Senior Director, Communications

As 2018 came to a close and many of us were focused on the holiday season, a headline came across the news wires that stopped us in our tracks.

It had been reported that a seven-year-old Guatemalan girl who crossed a remote part of the U.S.-Mexico border with her father had died two days after been taken into custody by the U.S. Border Patrol in New Mexico.

Her name was Jakelin Caal.

Given the tragic event, many thought that law enforcement officials would learn from that situation and put the necessary procedures in place to prevent that kind of incident from happening again.

But it did.

Independent Drivers Guild

Co-ops Have the Power to Transform the Future of Work and Racial Equity for Communities of Color

This blog originally appeared on the SOCAP19 blog. Click here to visit the original post.

By Alison Powers, Manager, Cooperative and Community Initiatives

Communities of color have experienced historical and structural disinvestment, which has led to an unprecedented racial wealth gap, historically low home ownership, and exploitative work environments that keep individuals and families of color from achieving shared prosperity.

Ellis Carr, President and CEO, and Dan Varner, Board Chair

Amplifying Assets to Achieve Justice for Our Communities

By Ellis Carr, President and CEO, and Dan Varner, Board Chair

Looking back at our journey through 2018, both as an organization and as a country, it is no surprise to us that Merriam-Webster’s “word of the year” was justice. The meaning and implications of justice were central to important conversations taking place in communities across the United States.

Capital Impact Board Member Alaina Beverly

Fostering Communities of Opportunity: Getting to Know Alaina Beverly, Capital Impact Board Member

Alaina Beverly has spent her career championing and empowering underserved communities and working with stakeholders to work toward justice and opportunity for all. She started her career as a litigator for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and later worked in the Obama Administration supporting civic engagement in communities. Her expertise as a lawyer and civic organizer for communities of color nationwide aligns strongly with our work, which is why we are honored to have her as a board member.

A man walks through a neighborhood

Leaving Communities Behind: Examining Financial Vulnerability for Black Families

By Olivia Rebanal, Director, Inclusive Food Systems

Despite positive headlines about the American economy, financial vulnerability is a reality for many people. This was brought into sharp focus during the government shutdown Communities rallied around their members and organizations provided support, but it became clear that many individuals and families, even those with stable, full-time employment, found themselves one crisis away from financial instability.

Doctor examines female patient.

How the Civil Rights Movement Gave Rise to Community Health Centers

By Michelle Betton, Writer

With thousands in communities across the country, community health centers (CHCs) seem like a long-standing part of the national health care system. However, the origins of CHCs are relatively recent, born out of civil rights struggles that started 10,000 miles away. They owe their start to Dr. Jack Geiger, who applied an idea that he had seen used to address the stark health care disparities in apartheid South Africa to the structural racism that African Americans experienced in accessing quality health care.

Reimagining Opportunity: Partnering for Economic Justice for Returning Citizens

This blog post originally appeared on the SOCAP website. For the original post, please visit this website.

The challenges of mass incarceration and poverty are all too often intertwined in the U.S. Seventy million Americans currently have an arrest or conviction record and that number is growing by the day. These “returning citizens” face a shocking number of barriers upon re-entry that often prevent them from securing jobs, housing, education, business loans, and other keys to social and economic security.