Almost 250 years ago, this nation was founded under the revolutionary idea that all are created equal. The Constitution that followed this Declaration of Independence offered us the invitation to bring this idea to life under the mantle of “We, the People.” But, the promise of a nation for all remains unfulfilled because the democracy designed was only intended to serve some. It is now the work of our generation to take up the promise of “We, the People,” and re-found a country that truly serves all. It is precisely at this moment, when democracy is being challenged from all sides, and the limitations of our nearly 250 years of governing are coming to a breaking point that we must fulfill this mandate. This can only happen if we do the generational work of building a truly multiracial democracy––one that has not yet existed but is ours to create. Today is a great day to revisit Dr. Michael McAfee's piece – We Must Be Founders – in Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://lnkd.in/gmxpmyw5
About us
PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity by Lifting Up What Works®. We seek to deliver and scale results in the following arenas: Equitable Economy: Promote economic inclusion and ownership to eliminate poverty, shrink inequality, and increase mobility. Healthy Communities of Opportunity: Create and maintain opportunity-rich communities in all neighborhoods and all regions of the country through strong networks and social capital, equitable development, and infrastructure investments that enable low-income people and communities of color to thrive. Just Society: Build power and expand agency to ensure that all systems and institutions are just, free of racial bias, and lead to a vibrant democracy where all, especially the most vulnerable, can participate and prosper. We succeed by weaving together four essential functions: Advocacy that advances policy change at all levels of government and across sectors. Applied research and communications that build public and political will for inclusion, justice, and broadly shared prosperity. Constituency and network engagement that empowers leaders to advance equity. Implementation capacity that connects local innovations to policy; and provides stakeholders with needed data and tools. Our work would not be possible without support from a broad array of people, organizations, and communities. Our mission is to advance racial and economic equity by Lifting Up What Works®. Help achieve policies that can ensure equity for all by lending your support. Your contribution makes Lifting Up What Works® possible and enables us to disseminate our findings and provide strategic guidance to coalitions throughout the country. Help create communities of opportunity where everyone can participate and prosper. INVEST IN EQUITY. Donate Now: https://www.policylink.org/invest
- Website
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https://www.policylink.org
External link for PolicyLink
- Industry
- Public Policy Offices
- Company size
- 51-200 employees
- Headquarters
- Oakland, CA
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1999
- Specialties
- Equitable Economy, Infrastructure, Transportation, Advocacy, Racial Equity, Housing, Corporate Racial Equity, and Boys and Men of Color
Locations
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Primary
1438 Webster Street
Suite 303
Oakland, CA 94612, US
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75 Broad St
Suite 701
New York, NY 10004, US
Employees at PolicyLink
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Eugene Chan
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Dacrie Brooks
Strategic Communications Leader. Storyteller. Writer. Unapologetically Black.
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Christopher West
Serving those who serve others - Making meaningful connections - Advisor to world-changing companies and organizations
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Naa Anim-Appiah, MBA
Finance and Accounting Leader, Financial Planning and Analysis, Budgeting, Financial Management, Cashflow & Investment Management
Updates
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It’s time for leaders to shed their fears and align their organizations with the greater good. Weathering the attacks against DEI will require leaders to reclaim the narrative around business’ role in society. Knowing how to stand firm and connect DEI to business strategy is the only way to ensure businesses can focus on long-term success rather than short-term distractions. Check out what Dr. Michael McAfee and Mahlet Getachew Getachew lay out in their Impact Entrepreneur article, Reclaiming DEI: Uniting Business and Society for Progress: https://lnkd.in/daYmnMR3
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PolicyLink reposted this
The framers of American democracy never intended to include people like them in representative governance. Yet they articulated the big ideas of our American democracy, which, if applied faithfully to all people, create the possibility of amazing change. #ReimaginingDemocracy
The Founding Fathers never intended to include people like them in representative governance. In that way, the framers of democracy punched above their moral weight. Now, racially diverse leaders are breathing life and justice into principles that have been mere words until this point. The generosity of their vision is pushing the nation to deliver on the ideals that are enshrined in its foundational documents but have yet to be realized.
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PolicyLink reposted this
Chief Executive Officer | Fortune 100 Corporate Board Director | Recipient Skoll Award for Social Innovation
ICYMI: Last week’s Supreme Court decision to overturn the Chevron deference precedent represents a dangerous power grab that removes policy decisions from the hands of agency experts and places them into the hands of judges. This undermines the regulatory protections that ensure the safety of our food, water, and medications. By dismantling the Chevron Doctrine, the court is jeopardizing the foundational principle of the separation of powers and inviting more frivolous challenges to essential government programs by anti-regulatory groups. We must advocate for a government that relies on expert knowledge to protect public health and safety. A functioning government depends on agency experts to implement policies grounded in scientific and technical expertise. The Supreme Court's decision aggrandizes judicial power at the expense of both Congress and the Executive Branch, threatening the balance necessary to govern effectively. It’s crucial that all branches of government work in concert to deliver democracy, not dismantle it. Read my full statement: https://lnkd.in/gcqd5d7F #ChevronDoctrine #SCOTUS #SeparationOfPowers #PublicHealth #RegulatoryProtections #MultiracialDemocracy #GoodGovernance
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PolicyLink reposted this
What role should businesses play in advancing DEI? 🤔 Despite recent legal challenges, 72% of executives are committed to increasing their DEI efforts. Forward-thinking leaders understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial for thriving communities and successful businesses. 💪 👨💻 👩💻 Healthy, thriving workforces create stronger communities and greater economic stability. However, attacks on DEI have led some businesses to downplay these initiatives. Read the full article by Dr. Michael McAfee and Mahlet Getachew on Impact Entrepreneur: https://lnkd.in/daYmnMR3 How can we reclaim the narrative around DEI and align it with business strategy for lasting impact? Share your thoughts! . . . . #ImpactEntrepreneur #ImpactEconomy #DEI #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #BusinessStrategy #SocialImpact #Leadership #CorporateResponsibility #SustainableBusiness #EconomicGrowth #CommunityBuilding #InclusiveWorkplace #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Prosperity
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PolicyLink reposted this
We need to value voting. #Voting is not the end of democracy – it is the beginning. It is how we give people a way to be all in, then when we hear their voices, that begins to allow #democracy to flourish.
No debate about it. We need to reimagine our democracy. Host Angela Glover Blackwell speaks with Baratunde Thurston about her thoughts on #voting. Watch the full video on the PolicyLink LinkedIn page here: https://lnkd.in/gnXKqsBM
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In response to the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling to overturn the Chevron doctrine, the long-standing 40-year precedent where courts provide deference to federal agency expertise in the interpretation of statutes, Dr. Michael McAfee, President and CEO of PolicyLink issued the following statement: Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority represents a dangerous power grab that takes policy decisions out of the hands of agency experts and into the hands of judges. Each and every day, government agencies implement a vast array of policies that protect Americans—such as ensuring the safety of food, drugs, drinking water, and more. The dismantling of the Chevron doctrine will undercut many of these regulations. With one ruling, the court undid our country’s long-standing approach to governing established by the separation of powers principle. And because of this ruling courts will have more authority to determine the availability of medications and ignore the expertise of the Food and Drug Administration. Judges will have more power to decide the acceptable levels of toxins in our drinking water and in the air we breathe. Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/gC9uKPzv
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Homelessness is not simply a consequence of personal failure but a symptom of a deeply flawed housing system that prioritizes profit over people, resulting in a severe lack of stable, affordable housing that meets people's needs. Black, Indigenous, and Brown communities — along with young people, disabled people, seniors, and LGBTQ+ people — are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and homelessness. A stark reminder of the historical and structural inequities that underlie our society, the court’s ruling will subject the most burdened among us to further harm and indignity. “Housing is a basic human need and an American civil right. What a shame to relitigate victories already won on behalf of all people. This decision underscores the urgent need for housing policy and strategies to ensure that everyone is safely housed, equally protected, and able to thrive.” Read the full statement here: https://lnkd.in/g5m-TwcT #HousingJustice #SupremeCourtRuling #HousingFutures #Homelessness
PolicyLink Statement on Johnson v. Grants Pass Supreme Court Decision
policylink.org
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Happening NOW! Join the National Homelessness Law Center today at 1 PM EST for a Mass Organizing Zoom to discuss this decision and learn about the next steps to ensure everybody has a safe place to call home. https://lnkd.in/gw4sQt4A
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Grants Pass Decision and Where We Go From Here - Mass Organizing Call. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
us02web.zoom.us
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PolicyLink reposted this
Chief Executive Officer | Fortune 100 Corporate Board Director | Recipient Skoll Award for Social Innovation
Our nation's housing crisis continues to worsen: most tenants are rent-burdened, landlords are evicting more tenants, and homelessness is record-high. Over 114 million people rent in the U.S. Tenants deserve basic protections in a predatory housing market that lets corporate landlords exploit them. I am proud to join tenants, organizers, advocates, and legal experts to support a comprehensive policy agenda that lays out basic protections for renters. This policy agenda would complement affordable housing initiatives, bring down costs for renters, and begin to level the power imbalance between tenants and landlords. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/g3a9WQHe
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