ENDURING COMMITTMENTS
We are committed to tackling hard problems and we invest our time, attention, and resources where inequity is pervasive and limits opportunity for Black people. Our enduring commitments are longstanding, mission-driven priorities.
INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
We work to build an inclusive economy where everyone can contribute and thrive with fair access to resources and opportunities. Economic equity is essential to achieving holistic racial equity for Black communities. We are committed to ensuring that Black people can not only participate as workers and consumers but also succeed as owners, with equal access to resources and opportunities for growth.
EDUCATION INNOVATION
We advocate for equitable policies at the local, state, and federal levels to set educational standards, allocate resources, and shape priorities for education and workforce development. Our work builds pathways to high-quality education and career opportunities for all.
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HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
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We collaborate to improve community health by addressing the social determinants that impact it. Recognizing that individual health is linked to the conditions in which we live, work, and grow, we tackle issues like racism, poverty, exclusion, inadequate schools, unsafe housing, poor nutrition, and toxic environments to foster healthier communities.
RACE AND JUSTICE
We challenge policies and practices that unfairly target or penalize Black individuals within the criminal justice system. By working to reform laws, engage with elected leaders, and advocate for accountability, we address injustices directly and push for a fairer, more equitable system.
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
We fight for environmental and climate justice, recognizing it as a fundamental civil rights issue. Environmental injustices and climate change disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income populations. Together, we work to ensure a healthy environment for all, driven by our responsibility to leave a sustainable world for future generations.
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EXPANDING YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT
We expand youth involvement across our Association and community, amplifying the voices of young adults, particularly those born after 1979. By empowering them in policy research, development, representation, and advocacy, we ensure that their perspectives shape the policies and initiatives that will impact our future.
OUR DNA
Our purpose is grounded in three approaches woven deeply into the fabric of who we are. Collectively, we refer to them as our ‘DNA,’ and we embed them affirmatively in all our work.
Racial equity is the presence of opportunity and systems that ensure fairness and justice, where race does not determine or predict life outcomes. We work to make the pie bigger—equitably redistributing and growing opportunities and resources, and empowering communities to dismantle the structures that limit one’s ability to thrive.
Our collective impact is more powerful than what any one of us can do, alone. When diverse people come together to problem solve, we create more innovative, inclusive, and productive solutions. We fuel civic engagement—connecting and amplifying community voices with a focus on voting, voting rights and political advocacy.
Our work seeks to influence the formation of public policy to create more equitable and supportive policies and institutions—moving toward a just society and addressing systemic racism..