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Brown v. Board of Education was a turning point in American law and race relations. In a country where segregated education was the law in seventeen states with completely separate and unequal schools, Brown found that segregation was “inherently unequal” and violated the Constitution. This report discusses the present realities of school segregation and the patterns of change over 70 years.

In this paper, the authors describe the research that prompted developmental education reform approaches nationally and in California, describe the efforts in California that led to the passing of AB705 by the California state legislature, and summarize research on its implementation and outcomes. We explore the implications of this research for improving postsecondary access and success for Black and Hispanic students and English learners.

ABSTRACT Discussions on race, institutions and public administration in scholarly literature have largely originated from a US context; this article argues that new institutionalism needs a race lens outside of this context, allowing for analyses of how institutions can be implicated in the (re)production of racial inequalities in countries with racial regimes. This article suggests focusing on the mechanics of racialisation to understand how racial inequalities are (re)produced. This article makes two theoretical propositions: institutions, as sets of narratives, practices and rules, are racialised, and these institutions can be transformed in pursuit of racial equity. Using qualitative data from a case study of a UK local government's employment service, an expanded theoretical strand of new institutionalism is proposed: anti‐racist institutionalism. This research provides illustrative examples of racialised narratives, and colour‐blind practices and rules such as budgets and performance management measures can have racialised outcomes. Further research is required to understand what institutional change is required to transform these racialised institutions in pursuit of racial equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article stemmed from an acceptance speech for the Global Alliances' 2022 Presidential Award made by Dr. Gail Christopher and her daughter, Heather McGhee. Heather McGhee is a New York Times best-selling author of the book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. The history, transformative impact, and importance of the truth, racial healing, and transformation movement in exposing and eradicating the fallacy of a hierarchy of human value are outlined. Dr. Christopher shares insights into the past and provides hope for the future through her Rx Racial Healing model for authentic storytelling and changes in perspective. The article also discusses the momentum of public health jurisdictions declaring racism as a public health crisis and presents a resource, Healing Through Policy: Creating Pathways to Racial Justice, that has been developed to assist jurisdictions in related work. Public Policy Relevance Statement: A persistent individual and collective belief in racial hierarchy fuels discrimination and inequities in immigration, criminal justice, legal, and health systems. Systems transformation requires eliminating this core belief while redressing the harms it has caused. Transformation also requires implementing sustainable policies to assure equitable opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep canvassing is one of few attitude-change interventions repeatedly shown to work, yet it has not been examined in the context of anticarceral issues. Scholars and advocates also debate whether we should discuss race when promoting racial equity policies—with some concluding we should avoid race and others calling for further development and testing of a variety of methods. This study addresses both gaps by assessing the effects of race-explicit and race-absent deep canvass conversations on increasing support for anticarceral policies and on changing dominant carceral attitudes. Through a randomized, placebo-controlled field experiment of more than 1,400 canvass conversations with Los Angeles County voters, I find that deep canvassing is effective in building support for anticarceral policies. Race-explicit and race-absent approaches have similar effects on policy opinions, but the race-explicit condition may be the only method that changes underlying ideological attitudes about the carceral state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing credit inflows are a substantial contributor to the economic opportunities and vitality of a community. However, these opportunities have not been dispersed equitably across diverse subpopulations and neighborhoods. Although various public and private initiatives have been launched to address inequitable access to mortgage capital, the role of localized and decentralized housing programs in achieving racially equitable outcomes remains understudied. As a case study, this study examines whether a decentralized and localized housing policy without explicit regulations for resource distribution across racial and ethnic groups promotes racial and neighborhood equity, focusing on its role in serving racial minority households and neighborhoods underserved by private mortgage markets. By incorporating various statistical methods, this study provides evidence that controlling for other factors, the program disproportionately supports racial minority households and neighborhoods that are underserved by private mortgage capital, although this positive role can vary across localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonization of Indigenous Peoples living in what is now called the U.S. and U.S. territories began over 500 years ago, yet colonization continues today and results in historical trauma and inequities for Indigenous people. This paper describes the current application of racial equity in research and its limitations when applied to work with Indigenous Peoples. It highlights how the existing racial equity framework falls short in (1) respecting Indigenous sovereignty, (2) addressing historical and ongoing colonization through land dispossession and codified racism in blood quantum, and (3) acknowledging the profound impact of historical, cultural, and intergenerational trauma. We propose an expanded racial equity approach to research that incorporates an anti-racist and decolonizing approach. We conclude by outlining specific strategies researchers should adopt when employing a racial equity lens in their work with Indigenous populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Notwithstanding the multiple descriptions and principles associated with trauma-informed schools (TIS), the field lacks a well-defined operational definition of TIS. This scoping review aimed to characterize TIS intervention components and implementation strategies described in published studies of TIS. This review also examined the extent to which published examples of TIS had an explicit focus on promoting racial equity. Method: Eligible studies described school- or district-wide trauma-informed approaches in Preschool-12 education, and included elements across at least two domains of TIS design: Organizational & Policy Reforms; Workforce Professional Development/Training; and Educational & Clinical Practices. A trained coding team reviewed eligible studies and applied 32 codes characterizing TIS intervention components and implementation strategies. Results: 30 eligible studies were identified. The most common implementation strategies included availability of trauma-informed training & consultation, implementation progress monitoring, and developing community partnerships. The most common intervention components included multi-tiered interventions and specific knowledge areas for trauma-informed training content. Least common, were intervention components related to promoting racial equity (e.g., de-implementation of exclusionary discipline, de-implementation of carceral practices, and culturally inclusive curriculum). Conclusion: Findings suggest TIS components related to implementation strategies are most frequently employed, and that explicit attention to racial equity was infrequent in published descriptions of TIS design and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community corrections agencies across the United States are adopting racial equity as a priority in their polices, practices, and staff training, though how racial equity can be translated into the routine practices of probation and parole officers has not been widely discussed. This study examines the associations of perceived racial equity priorities on the supervision strategies reported by probation and parole officers in an online survey (N = 1054). Approximately one-third of officers reported that their agencies prioritized racial equity. Racial equity scores were stronger in juvenile agencies and in agencies that prioritized evidence-informed practices. Racial equity was associated with reduced accountability-oriented case management practices. Results of this study suggest that racial equity policies and practices may impact client outcomes through changes in general supervision strategies. More research is needed to identify race-conscious strategies that community corrections officers can employ to meet the needs of people involved in the legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

District "equity director" (ED) roles have grown rapidly over the past decade. Drawing on interviews and surveys with over 70 EDs across nearly 30 states, this study documents dramatic ED role growth from 2018 to 2022 specifically and examines why, according to EDs, such roles were established locally. Findings, drawing on scholarship on social activism, demonstrate how insider influence from district educators and leaders; intermediate pressure from community coalitions, parents, and students; and external coercion from state and federal education departments and civil rights agencies spurred ED role establishment. Challenges to ED efficacy are discussed, including ED role establishment as "checkbox" work and politicized attacks on district diversity, equity, and inclusion work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As shifting populations change suburban school enrollment, education policy trends formerly confined to urban districts have spread to suburban ones. Many suburban school districts have experienced growth in the charter school sector, as well as a rash of school closures. Suburban schools and districts reflect broader societal problems, paradigms, and possibilities. Yet, if our society is to advance equitable opportunity for all, children learning together in suburban schools must be part of the solution. In order to think clearly about what a renewed civil rights agenda entails given our complex and multiracial geography of inequality, we must understand the extent to which suburban school districts are segregated—and why. We also need to think deeply about policy responses to advance integration with equitable status for all children. This paper draws on federal enrollment data from the nation’s largest 25 metros from 2011-2020 to descriptively analyze suburban school enrollment and segregation at the school district-level, seeking to understand different district contexts and their relationship to student segregation.

Many policies in higher education are intended to improve college access and degree completion, yet often those policies fall short of their aims by making it difficult for prospective or current college students to access benefits for which they are eligible. Barriers that inhibit access to policy benefits, such as cumbersome paperwork, can weigh more heavily on members of marginalized communities, including racially minoritized students. Such administrative burdens can thus reinforce patterns of inequity. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework for examining administrative burdens embedded in higher education policies that can negatively affect prospective and current college students, especially those who are racially minoritized. With the use of our proposed framework for addressing racialized administrative burdens, researchers can improve the understanding of ethnoracial disparities in higher education, inform policymakers' design of racially equitable policies for higher education, and enable practitioners to implement those policies to promote racial equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty of color are constantly experiencing trauma and racial inequities in inherently Eurocentric educational spaces where their histories, knowledge, and experiences are delegitimized and marginalized. Employing critical race feminism (CRF) and White racial identity development model, this article details ways in which two Chinese international women instructors grappled with tensions and trauma and celebrated (small) joys and successes within Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) in the United States. We drew on duoethnography, a dialogic methodological approach grounded in social justice, to make meaning of, (re)construct, and advance racial equity in pedagogy. We examined and analyzed four sources of data: our personal narratives, transcripts of eight Zoom meetings, reflection journals, and informal conversational exchanges. We identified three strategies for navigating dissonance and conflicts: 1) being vulnerable, 2) recognizing shared and differing marginalization or privileges, and 3) building allies intentionally and strategically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making meaningful progress towards achieving racial equity in public serving institutions requires making equity-informed decisions, which itself requires the use of equity-oriented data. Public and nonprofit organizations, however, are at varying degrees of readiness to use this data and to make equity-focused decisions. We draw on qualitative research to examine how children's hospitals use equity-focused neighborhood data to understand racial/ethnic inequities in the populations they serve and eventually to make decisions that can help correct these inequities. The interactions between data producers and users involve not only technical exchanges, but also the adoption of shared analytic frameworks that center equity, as well as "nervous" conversations. Our analysis indicates that qualitative interrogations of the use of quantitative data within organizations may help to overcome knowledge, organization, and equity readiness barriers to equitable outcomes. Using equity-focused data for data-driven decision-making is relational, so qualitative research methods can facilitate the reflexivity and critical mindsets needed to change organizational practices to improve racial equity. Employing qualitative methods can help data producers make their construction and dissemination of data more rigorous. Facilitating equity conversations can also help improve relationships with data users, which is necessary for data collaborations to promote racial equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2020, physician associations have become more vocal about confronting racism, initiating a wide range of advocacy efforts, making programming changes, and issuing public statements on the topic. However, associations have directed their enthusiasm about addressing racism toward an overly broad range of statements, initiatives, and legislative advocacy. In this essay, we provide some guidance regarding which race‐based actions are best suited for physicians' professional associations. We describe traits of three types of physician associations in the United States—state, specialty, and affinity—highlighting characteristics of each and discussing their strengths and weaknesses regarding different types of action around racism. It is our hope that we might direct concerned physicians toward initiatives that draw upon association strengths and that can serve as the basis for association‐specific advocacy niches—and away from initiatives that enable associations to signal that they are engaged in racial‐equity work without accountability or efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Businesses, government agencies, human services organizations, and academic institutions address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a variety of ways, including training. Yet, little scholarly attention has been paid to the empirical outcomes from DEI training. The purpose of study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a racial equity workshop implemented over five years with community stakeholders and the unique inclusion of a caucus modality that supplements the workshop by learning and practicing racial equity skills. Mixed method results suggest that workshop participants increased their knowledge of race and racism, systemic disparities, and biases. Caucus participants reflected on their values and beliefs and actively applied anti-racism and racial equity skills. Both groups indicated intent to change their behavior and caucus attendees explained how they had already begun behavior changes. With the extant literature, these research findings can assist stakeholders to implement DEI training and foster more equitable decisions and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relies on estimates from a microsimulation model to analyze the distributional impacts of the preferential tax treatment of owner-occupied housing by race and income. Compared to other homeowner tax advantages, which are more equally distributed than tax burdens, the mortgage interest deduction is more unequally distributed than tax burdens. Although current tax policy is more progressive than a tenure-neutral tax policy that treats homeowners and renters the same, a tenure-neutral tax policy yields larger reductions in after-tax income inequality. Among median-income households, white households receive a larger share of homeownership tax benefits than Black households, relative to each racial group's share of the overall tax burden. Residential location explains the largest portion of the racial gap in the imputed rent exclusion, while household income explains the largest portion of the racial gap in the mortgage interest deduction and capital gains tax exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, networked improvement communities (NICs) have become popular for their collaborative, evidence-based approaches to enduring educational challenges. However, traditional improvement science has had inconsistent focus and effcacy in working on issues of racial equity. This study examines the integration of equity into improvement science through the case of the STEM PUSH Network, an NSF-funded alliance aimed at increasing racial and ethnic equity in STEM postsecondary enrollment and persistence. The STEM PUSH Network consists of 40 precollege STEM programs that strive to increase participation of Black, Latine, and Indigenous students in STEM undergraduate pathways. This paper tells the developmental story of how the network has embedded equity into its improvement practices, focusing on professional development in anti-racism and culturally sustaining pedagogy, the adoption of "living" norms, and the restructuring of inquiry cycles to prioritize marginalized voices. Initial results indicate that these efforts have significantly improved the network's equity practice and culture. The network's experiences reveal challenges such as variations in member capabilities while also demonstrating the potential for NICs to effectively incorporate equity into their practice. The STEM PUSH Network's journey offers valuable insights for other improvement networks seeking to prioritize equity, showcasing the necessity and impact of deliberate adjustments in improvement science tools and routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this supplement is to expand the extant literature about racism's toxic effects on the nation's youngest children– infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The supplement contains articles that (a) focus on how racism is manifested in early care and education systems, policies, and programs, (b) demonstrate how racism influences the economic and community contexts children live in, and (c) highlight the cultural assets racially and ethnically marginalized families and communities use to cope with—and resist—racism. In this introduction, we summarize the key findings from the articles, discuss their contributions, and identify additional opportunities for future studies to expand on. Recommendations are provided about how knowledge from this battery of work can be translated into policy, practice, and future research efforts to advance racial equity in the early years and to transform those oppressive systems thwarting racially and ethnically marginalized children's optimal development and their ability to thrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are well-documented racial/ethnic inequities in drug-related overdoses and access to evidence-based opioid use services nationally and in Boston, MA. Objective: To qualitatively explore the drivers of racial/ethnic inequities in access to opioid use disorder treatment and services in Boston. Design: Semi-structured qualitative interviews. Participants: Using purposive sampling, researchers recruited 59 opioid overdose survivors in Boston who self-identified as Black, Hispanic or Latino/a/x, and/or White. Approach: Interviewers administered a socio-demographic and drug use survey, and used a semi-structured interview guide to explore experiences with and perspectives on substance use treatment and services. Key Results: Participants' racial/ethnic identities were distributed across three subgroups: non-Hispanic Black (n = 18; 31%), non-Hispanic White (n = 18; 31%), and Latino/a/x (n = 23; 39%). Qualitative analysis identified multiple themes that were organized into four social-ecological levels after analysis. At the individual level, some participants emphasized the importance of personal responsibility and individual motivation in determining access to services. Participants expressed a range of perspectives about using medication for opioid use disorder treatment; Black and Latino/a/x participants were more likely than White participants to have critical perspectives. At the interpersonal level, experiences of bias, stigma, and racism from staff in healthcare and treatment settings were common. At the program/process level, participants described challenges connecting to services following overdose and barriers within specific programs, with Black and Latino/a/x participants experiencing particular gaps. At the systems level, the limited availability of housing, employment, and mental health care negatively impacted treatment access and engagement. Conclusion: A racism lens was used during data interpretation to apply the themes at a broader population level. Through this lens, the identified barriers can be understood to have a disproportionate impact on people of color. Findings call for programmatic and policy solutions that address racism, break down stigma, and ensure equitable access to evidence-based services and social supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and non-White Latinx children have historically been diagnosed with autism at a later age and with more significant impairments than White peers. This study aimed to gather insights from members of the autism service provider workforce on current barriers and facilitators to achieving equity in early childhood autism evaluation, referrals, and treatment. We employed a qualitative descriptive design using semi-structured virtual focus groups with autism experts in North Carolina (N = 26). Our final sample included pediatric clinicians across disciplines, researchers, family/caregiver advocates, and policymakers/government representatives. We identified four overarching themes representing challenges to equitable autism service provision: (1) workforce composition and recruitment concerns, (2) workforce capacity and accessibility concerns, (3) workforce compensation obstacles, and (4) COVID-19 pandemic adaptations' impact. Our findings demonstrate the need for improved workforce diversity, autism-specific education, adequate compensation, and interventions to address burnout. To remediate existing barriers to equity, diversity in recruitment across training levels, cultural awareness, autism education for all pediatric providers, and partnerships with caregivers as experts must be prioritized. These investments in the autism workforce will allow its interdisciplinary professionals to better meet the needs of children and families from historically marginalized communities and achieve equitable early childhood service provision. Black and non-White Latinx children tend to receive autism diagnoses later in life and with a higher degree of impairment than White children. The purpose of this study was to learn what is currently helping as well as preventing Black and non-White Latinx children from getting access to autism evaluation and services. We held virtual interviews with 26 experts who work with autistic children and their families, including clinical providers, researchers, advocates, and policymakers/government representatives. From these interviews, we identified four themes that have an impact on equity in autism services: (1) who makes up the workforce, (2) w orkforce capacity and accessibility, (3) workforce payment structure, and (4) changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings show the need for improved workforce diversity, autism-specific education, payment structures, and additional support for workforce members to avoid burnout. To make childhood autism services more equitable, diversity in recruitment across training levels, cultural awareness, increased autism education for all pediatric providers, and partnerships with caregivers as experts must be prioritized. These investments in the autism workforce will allow professionals in the field to better meet the needs of children and families from Black and non-White Latinx communities and achieve equity in early childhood autism services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual review paper critiques the conventional conceptualization of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and its failure to recognize anti-Black aggressions as an ACE. The purpose of this conceptual review is to expand our understanding of ACEs and posit that curriculum violence, a form of anti-Black aggressions, manifests as an ACE for Black youth in schools. Using the anti-Black aggressions model, we illustrate how curriculum violence, perpetuated by educational policies, serves as a form of anti-Black aggression. We specifically examine recent anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) education legislation as an anti-Black macroaggression and a systemic ACE. Additionally, we assert that anti-DEI education legislation can present as a risk factor for racial trauma among Black youth if not explicitly acknowledged by all stakeholders. Finally, we propose pathways to eliminate this anti-Black macroaggression in schools, emphasizing the need for systemic changes to address this form of adversity and racial trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we interrogated the efforts adopted by community and technical colleges in a Midwestern state to address racial inequities since the onset of COVID-19. We analyzed such efforts reported in institutional newsletters and associated media through critical content analysis supported by text mining techniques. Our findings demonstrate a notable reckoning with racial inequities on the part of institutional leaders and stakeholders. However, many initiatives remain short-term solutions and are detached from a holistic equity focus. This study challenges community and technical college leadership to reimagine their policies, structures, and practices toward advancing racial equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Growing recognition of racism perpetuated within academic institutions has given rise to anti-racism efforts in these settings. In June 2020, the university-based California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi) committed to an Anti-Racism Action Plan outlining an approach to address anti-Blackness. This case study assessed perspectives on PTBis anti-racism efforts to support continued growth toward racial equity within the initiative. METHODS: This mixed methods case study included an online survey with multiple choice and open-ended survey items (n = 27) and key informant interviews (n = 8) of leadership, faculty, staff, and trainees working within the initiative. Survey and interview questions focused on perspectives about individual and organizational anti-racism competencies, perceived areas of initiative success, and opportunities for improvement. Qualitative interview and survey data were coded and organized into common themes within assessment domains. RESULTS: Most survey respondents reported they felt competent in all the assessed anti-racism skills, including foundational knowledge and responding to workplace racism. They also felt confident in PTBis commitment to address anti-Blackness. Fewer respondents were clear on strategic plans, resources allocated, and how the anti-racism agenda was being implemented. Suggestions from both data sources included further operationalizing and communicating commitments, integrating an anti-racism lens across all activities, ensuring accountability including staffing and funding consistent with anti-racist approaches, persistence in hiring Black faculty, providing professional development and support for Black staff, and addressing unintentional interpersonal harms to Black individuals. CONCLUSIONS: This case study contributes key lessons which move beyond individual-level and theoretical approaches towards transparency and accountability in academic institutions aiming to address anti-Black racism. Even with PTBis strong commitment and efforts towards racial equity, these case study findings illustrate that actions must have sustained support by the broader institution and include leadership commitment, capacity-building via ongoing coaching and training, broad incorporation of anti-racism practices and procedures, continuous learning, and ongoing accountability for both short- and longer-term sustainable impact.

Urban agriculture (UA) has long been practiced in the U.S. by socially disadvantaged and low-income people for the purposes of subsistence, community and resilience. Government support for UA, however, has waxed and waned, including in city and federal policy. The 2018 farm bill established the Office of Urban Agricul­ture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) with the mission to encourage and promote “urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices” (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Title XII, Sec. 12302). The inclusion of UA in federal agriculture policy was a welcome change for many urban farmers and gardeners who had long sought recognition of urban production. Yet, historical discriminatory policies and practices on the part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have led some farmers and advocates to be wary of the department, and may suggest reticence to engage with USDA programs. This brief shares key findings and policy recommendations from a study that sought to understand the roll-out of the OUAIP and con­nected programs through a racial equity lens. We used a multimethod data collection approach that included national surveys of UA stakeholders; in-depth interviews with UA stakeholders in two case study cities, New York City and Atlanta; informational interviews with Urban Service Center (USC) Leadership in cities with urban county USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices; GIS mapping of publicly accessible data; review of relevant policy documents; and participant observation, including meetings of the federal-level Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). The study was supported through the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center (The Policy Center) at Alcorn State University. In this policy brief, we introduce the urban agriculture provisions in the 2018 farm bill in the context of historical discrimination within the USDA. We then provide a short overview of our 2023–2024 study exploring the establishment and outreach of these provisions among Socially Disad­vantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFRs) urban stakeholders followed by the key findings. We conclude with a set of policy recommendations, and reflection on how these recommendations may be relevant in 2025 and beyond.

The Black jobs crisis is alive and well in the Inland Empire, with Black workers having the highest unemployment rates and lowest median earnings across the region. To address this, the newly-formed Inland Empire Black Worker Center (IEBWC) has implemented a pre-apprenticeship program for IE Works—a consortium of water/wastewater utilities and community groups in the Inland Empire—that prioritizes the respect and dignity of Black workers while also preparing them for high road jobs in the water/wastewater sector. Unlocking Potential: The Inland Empire Black Worker Center’s Transformative IE Works Program, a new report authored by the UCLA Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity (CARE) at Work at the UCLA Labor Center, showcases the results of this pioneering workforce development model. The program aims to provide stability, living wages, and a career path to support families utilizing a three-pronged approach: 1) internships for active college students, 2) pre-apprenticeship for those new to the trades, and 3) apprenticeship programs.

Reparations policies that seek to make amends for a harm incurred face exigent challenges. In this article we focus on what makes reparations successful and what policy components are necessary, if not sufficient, for success. To study the success of reparations policy design we employ a case study approach. Our analysis investigates the motivation, design, implementation, and impact of past policies to understand what has been successful or unsuccessful within each component of the policy in each historical case. Ultimately, our discussion identifies patterns in the creation and execution of reparations policy that offer important considerations for policies that would provide reparations to Black Americans.

Climate surveys hold the potential to advance equity in organizations, serving to generate quantitative data on the depth and breadth of climate-related issues, with its forte being those related to belonging, inclusion, and relationships. When administered in a university, it holds the potential to signal the need for improvements, as climate has been associated with engagement, motivation, wellbeing, and retention. The Faculty of Social Work, where an MSW and PhD program are located (Kitchener, Canada), conducted a climate survey in 2020. This article reports on the survey’s content, key findings, action outcomes, and provides recommendations for others considering such an initiative. The survey was a wake-up call for the department, with five concrete outcomes including establishing student caucus groups, a faculty capacity-development initiative to improve teaching, trainings to address microaggressions, improved integration of EDI into hirings, and campaigns to collect identity-based data for faculty and students. We also share two pending initiatives and two derailed initiatives. Recommendations emphasize the importance of disaggregating results to ensure that disparities are identified in the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although recent literature has emphasized the value of African-centered schools among Black youth, little is known about the factors that make Afrocentric schools successful. The current study examined experienced educators' perceptions of their PK − 8 Afrocentric schools using a qualitative focus group interview (n = 7). Drawing from care ethics and the Integrative Model for the Study of Stress in Black American Families, researchers identified three key themes: (1) the formative Influence of upbringing experiences inspiring many educators to work at Afrocentric schools; (2) educators' understanding of the utility of Afrocentric education as foundational to student development and building a community of care; and (3) the dual and synergistic influence of both racial and cultural socialization on educators' outlook of students' character development. Recommendations for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2018, The Live Well Allegheny: Lifting Wellness for African Americans (LWA2) Initiative was developed to support six priority, Black communities in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to address health equity in chronic disease. The LWA2 coalition members participated in ongoing anti-racism and racial equity sessions with a nationally recognized anti-racist facilitation team. The sessions included a 2-days experience in January 2020 along with follow up meetings throughout 2020. Methods: Surveys were administered to understand their perceptions related to anti-racism and oppression and subsequent actions as a result of the sessions. Additionally, we conducted nine in-depth interviews with organizational partners (January -May 2020) to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the coalition and inform future activities. Results: Ten participants completed the post session surveys. Seven out of 10 survey respondents felt they had a good understanding of how oppression (racism, sexism, capitalism) influenced their life and work. However, the majority indicated needing the tools to implement anti-racist strategies in their work. The in-depth interviews with organizational partners revealed that racial equity was of concern to all partners but there was variability in intentionality around racial equity as a core element of each organization's mission, goals and subsequent actions. Discussion: As a result of the interviews, coalition members developed a racial equity statement and theory of change for implementation in the coalition work and within individual organizations along with a plan for implementing an equity audit of the coalition. Coalitions of this kind should be intentional about implementing continuous strategies related to anti-racism for structural changes toward achieving racial equity in their overall work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stereotype of Asians as a model minority suggests that they either do not experience discrimination or overcome it through higher education, hard work, and respect for authority. We test that stereotype for Asian Americans in the federal service using both Census data and surveys of federal employees. We examine (1) whether Asians attain the same pay levels and managerial authority as whites; (2) whether differences in education, experience, citizenship, and English ability explain differences in pay and authority; (3) whether those differences vary across Asian sub-groups; and (4) whether Asians are as satisfied with their jobs and the treatment they receive. We find moderate Asian-white pay differences, which varied substantially across national origin groups. Asian-white differences in access to managerial authority, however, are substantial across all national origin groups. Asians' higher educational attainment and weaker English abilities contributed to differences in pay and authority, but unexplained disparities remained, potentially due to discrimination and/or unmeasured factors. Surprisingly, Asians expressed a stronger belief that the federal service allocates rewards fairly and were more satisfied than whites with their own developmental and advancement opportunities despite those pay and leadership disparities. They were, however, somewhat less satisfied with pay, co-workers, and supervisors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public trust and civic predisposition are cornerstones of well-functioning democratic societies, and burdensome citizen-state encounters may undermine positive views of government, especially for racially minoritized clientele. Leveraging insights from policy feedback theory, we argue that administrative burden has the potential to undermine trust in government and civic predisposition through two mechanisms: (1) interpretive effects: burdensome experiences that induce negative emotional responses and (2) resource effects: experiences of losing access to public benefits. In our OLS regression analysis of survey data from applicants for a means-tested public benefit program in the US (n = 2,250), we find that clients who lost access to benefits were significantly less likely to trust government, and these findings were driven by racially minoritized clients rather than White clients. Our findings demonstrate that experiences of administrative burden that result in the loss of public benefits may result in racialized policy feedback, by disproportionately reducing trust in government and civic predisposition for racially minoritized clientele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite research signaling the need to advance racial equity in university policies and practices, power dynamics in institutional change processes are not well understood. Using a constructivist embedded multiple case study design, critical theoretical perspective, and explanation-building technique, we analyzed how four private institutions with demonstrable change in student success and closing racial equity gaps in graduation rates enacted diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts over the last 5 years. Findings led to understanding how institutional agents synergistically used strategies in two phases: one, advocates, partnerships and coalitions, and capacity-building; second: resources, assessment, and accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based parenting interventions (EBPI) support children and families to promote resilience, address emotional and behavioral concerns, and prevent or address issues related to child maltreatment. Critiques of EBPIs include concerns about their relevance and effectiveness for diverse populations when they are implemented at population scale. Research methods that center racial equity and include community-based participatory approaches have the potential to address some of these concerns. The purpose of the present review was to document the extent to which methods associated with promoting racial equity in research have been used in studies that contribute to the evidence base for programs that meet evidentiary standards for a clearinghouse that was developed to support the Family First Prevention Services Act in the United States. We developed a coding system largely based on the Culturally Responsive Evaluation model. A sample of 47 papers that are part of the evidence base for ten in-home parent skill-based programs were reviewed and coded. Only three of 28 possible codes were observed to occur in over half of the studies (including race/ethnicity demographic characteristics, conducting measure reliability for the study sample, and including information on socioeconomic status). Although the overall presence of equity-informed methods was low, a positive trend was observed over time. This review highlights ways in which rigorous research can incorporate racial equity into the planning, design, execution, and interpretation and dissemination of programs of study. We posit that doing so improves the external validity of studies while maintaining high-quality research that can contribute to an evidence base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School communities have been shut out of many of the more critical decision-making processes impacting local public schools. Decisions are mostly made as top-down actions from federal mandates, general assemblies, state departments, districts, and school level administration teams, isolating the school communities they are tasked to serve. To better understand the ways members of the school community can engage in decision making power, a critical discourse analysis was used to examine how school community members talk about power, who has power, and shifts in power as their schools undergo a community school implementation process. Using an updated public school model that is technically over a century old, some schools are using their communities to shift power through a community school model. Interviews and elicitation devices revealed that some school community members were beginning to understand their power through decision making. To continue this momentum, I recommend that community schools continue the discourse, make better distinctions between students and their data, and create parent liaison positions. In addition, community schools should look at ways to better engage parents, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, instructional assistants, and other classified staff to draw upon their expertise and knowledge. Finally, I urge districts and governance groups to consider the sustainability of their community schools and the actions they can take to ensure these schools have the time, funding, and power to make lasting, measurable changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Reparations policies that seek to make amends for a harm incurred face exigent challenges. In this article we focus on what makes reparations successful and what policy components are necessary, if not sufficient, for success. To study the success of reparations policy design we employ a case study approach. Our analysis investigates the motivation, design, implementation, and impact of past policies to understand what has been successful or unsuccessful within each component of the policy in each historical case. Ultimately, our discussion identifies patterns in the creation and execution of reparations policy that offer important considerations for policies that would provide reparations to Black Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, networked improvement communities (NICs) have become popular for their collaborative, evidence-based approaches to enduring educational challenges. However, traditional improvement science has had inconsistent focus and efficacy in working on issues of racial equity. This study examines the integration of equity into improvement science through the case of the STEM PUSH Network, an NSF-funded alliance aimed at increasing racial and ethnic equity in STEM postsecondary enrollment and persistence. The STEM PUSH Network consists of 40 precollege STEM programs that strive to increase participation of Black, Latine, and Indigenous students in STEM undergraduate pathways. This paper tells the developmental story of how the network has embedded equity into its improvement practices, focusing on professional development in anti-racism and culturally sustaining pedagogy, the adoption of “living” norms, and the restructuring of inquiry cycles to prioritize marginalized voices. Initial results indicate that these efforts have significantly improved the network's equity practice and culture. The network's experiences reveal challenges such as variations in member capabilities while also demonstrating the potential for NICs to effectively incorporate equity into their practice. The STEM PUSH Network's journey offers valuable insights for other improvement networks seeking to prioritize equity, showcasing the necessity and impact of deliberate adjustments in improvement science tools and routines.

Mental health diversion under California Assembly Bill (AB) 1810 created a pretrial pathway for individuals to enroll in community-based treatment as an alternative to incarceration if they have a mental illness that played a significant role in the crime for which they were charged. Mental health diversion may be a promising approach to addressing racial disparities in incarceration. This qualitative, community-partnered study examines how racial equity was considered in the design and implementation of mental health diversion under AB 1810 in nine counties across California. We explored five main themes: involvement of community stakeholders; cultural competence of providers; availability of diversion across counties; efforts to monitor demographics; and diversion as an opportunity to address racial disparities in the criminal legal system. We found that, although many legal professionals are optimistic about the capacity of mental health diversion to address racial disparities in incarceration, there have been limited efforts to monitor the demographics of diversion participants, differing understandings of cultural competency, limited community involvement in the design of mental health diversion, and limitations to the availability of services for individuals enrolled in diversion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case study is about the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Make It Right Foundation (MIR), as it responded to Hurricane Katrina with Help and Harm between 2007-2022. The case focuses on the devastation of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, which impacted a disproportionate number of Black citizens already living below the poverty line before the hurricane destroyed their homes and community (i.e., Hurricane). Celebrity actor Brad Pitt led the foundation and promised to bring in renowned architects to build environmentally sustainable houses for the displaced residents (i.e., Help). The project garnered great media attention as Pitt provided his own donation and raised millions of dollars from fans and A-list celebrities. Unfortunately, the residents needed more than houses, but even those were not delivered. MIR's board neglected to consider the likely racial inequity and other complex traumas already experienced by residents. Moreover, MIR's inadequate aid, such as becoming completely unresponsive to requests for help, further compounded residents' complex trauma (i.e., Harm). We apply the Trauma-Informed Approach (SAMHSA, 2014) to governance and examine the racial equity challenges of nonprofit board governance across time: before beginning work with constituents, during the execution of the nonprofit's mission, and after problems arise. Furthermore, we introduce the "Resilience-Informed Leadership Approach" (RILA), which expands on the trauma-informed approach by recognizing the trauma of all those involved in the help process, recognizing survivors' resilience, and including the possibility for posttraumatic growth. A multimedia instructor and trainer guide is provided with links to videos, statistics, and popular press articles to illustrate the case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]