The Equity Initiative

As Americans across the country stand up against systemic racism and the failures of our justice system to protect the lives of black Americans and other minority communities, now is the time for long overdue change. The NewDEAL stands in solidarity with this movement. As President Obama has said, “the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.” Continued violence and discrimination remind us of the continued urgency for bold action.

We are proud of the NewDEAL members who are offering the leadership that our country so desperately needs. They are, and will continue to be, on the frontlines of effecting vital change, in policing reforms and on the many other issues through which we must address pervasive racial injustices against minorities, including African-Americans, Hispanics, and members of the Asian-American Pacific Islander community. The NewDEAL is committed to supporting and working with our leaders around the country to offer state and local policy solutions to ensure real and lasting progress.

Equity Initiative Virtual Programs

NewDEAL 10th Annual Leaders Conference — Conversation on Race in America  |  Thursday, December 3

with former U.S. Secretary of Education John King in conversation with NewDEAL Board Member Amanda Edwards on America’s reckoning with its bitter past on race

NewDEAL Virtual Events @ DNC 2020 — Race & Economic Opportunity: Closing the Gaps  |  Tuesday, August 18

with NewDEAL Leaders Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist; Kansas City, MO Mayor Quinton Lucas; Montgomery, AL Mayor Steven Reed; and Montgomery County, MD Councilmember Will Jawando

and featuring Ashley Allison, National Coalitions Director, Joe Biden for President; Philip Gaskin, Vice President of Entrepreneurship, Kauffman Foundation; Jason George, ““Ben Warren” on ABC’s “Station 19” and “Greys Anatomy”; Paraag Sarva, CEO, Rhino; and Dalila Wilson-Scott, Senior Vice President of Community Impact, Comcast Corporation

Turning Protests into Policy Change  |  Friday, June 19

 with NewDEAL Alum Bakari Sellers, political commentator and author of My Vanishing Country, and Michael Smith, executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance

Hear from Black voices in the NewDEAL network on this important topic, on our podcast An Honorable Profession:

An Honorable Profession Episode 48: Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II

NewDEAL Leader Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II talks about the urgency of change at the programmatic, policy, and cultural levels to end dehumanizing police interactions with black Americans, a change that requires not just government to take justice seriously but all Americans.

NewDEAL Alum Bakari Sellers, political commentator and author of the new book, My Vanishing Country, talks about the nation’s current struggle with our long history of discrimination, his family’s history of activism & public service, and finding an empowering way to talk about race with young people.

An Honorable Profession Episode 42: TN Senator Raumesh Akbari

NewDEAL Leader Tennessee Senator Raumesh Akbari talks about translating the protests into action, both short-term and long-term, and the importance of acknowledging the core problem of systemic racism that leads to inequitable outcomes at large as well as continued use of force against the African-American community.

Check out a database of state & local policy work on policing reform and addressing racial gaps & equity issues

Learn more

To get involved in NewDEAL’s efforts to combat systemic racism:

Recent News

NewDEAL Statement on President Biden's Announcement of The American Jobs Plan

NewDEAL Statement on President Biden’s Announcement of The American Jobs Plan Proposal Represents Transformational Investment in America’s States and Cities Washington, D.C. – Today, the NewDEAL released the following statement on President Biden’s announcement of The American Jobs Plan: Forward-thinking leaders across the country recognize how lack of investment in infrastructure […]

NewDEAL Applauds Relief to States and Cities in American Rescue Plan

NewDEAL Applauds Relief to States and Cities in American Rescue Plan COVID-19 Relief Addresses Key Concerns of Top State, Local Leaders Washington, D.C. – With today’s vote on final passage by the U.S. House, the American Rescue Plan Act that heads to President Biden’s desk provides vital funding for states, […]

NewDEAL Leaders Join New Democrat Coalition Members to Discuss COVID-19 Relief for Communities

Members of Washington’s congressional delegation joined Washington members of NewDEAL to address the most urgent challenges facing Washington state, local, and tribal governments, and the importance of the relief proposed by President Biden and House Democrats in their American Rescue Plan legislation. The bill, which passed in the House on […]