The Equity Initiative

IntroductionVirtual ProgramsPodcast: An Honorable ProfessionDatabase

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.

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

Equity Initiative Virtual Programs

Build Back Better: Climate Change, Public Health, and Equity  |  Tuesday, April 13

with Terry Tamminen, former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency; Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization for the National Wildlife Federation and NewDEAL Leaders Wisconsin Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes and Norfolk, VA Councilmember Andria McClellan

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 the NewDEAL network on this important topic, on our podcast An Honorable Profession:

NewDEAL Leader Minnesota Senate Assistant Minority Leader Melisa López Franzen delves into her work in the legislature to pass police reform and address inequalities in the American system. She also discusses how she’s working to close systemic gaps in employment, child care, and more as we recover from the pandemic.

NewDEAL Leader Pennsylvania House Democratic Whip Jordan Harris, a leader on police and criminal justice reform, talks about his work to build bipartisan coalitions to pass legislation to make communities safer by holding police accountable for misconduct, among other reforms, and his other work to reform the criminal justice system.

Taped soon after the guilty verdict was announced in the Derek Chauvin trial, NewDEAL Leader Montgomery County, MD Councilmember Will Jawando talks about his leadership on police reform, including his work in 2019 to pass the Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act to change how his county’s police handle officer-involved shootings. He shares his thoughts on the impact of the guilty verdict in the Chauvin trial and what must come next, how to ensure we rebuild equitably post-COVID, and how losing a close friend to gun violence led him to a career in public service where he could effect change.

NewDEAL Leader Kansas City, MO Mayor Quinton Lucas talks about his work to invest in supporting at-risk populations through the pandemic and beyond and address their short-term needs in a way that helps them build wealth and makes his city stronger in the future. He also discusses his his personal journey from childhood homelessness and poverty to representing his communities first on the council and now as the mayor of a major American city.

NewDEAL Alum former Stockton, CA Mayor Michael Tubbs, recently named Special Advisor for Economic Mobility and Opportunity for California Governor Gavin Newsom, joins An Honorable Profession to talk about the results of his UBI pilot, as well as his innovative work to lead Stockton out of bankruptcy and revitalize the city, and his personal journey from poverty to becoming the city’s first Black mayor and the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city.

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.

Tackling Police Reform & Systemic Racism Issues in America – Policy Database

This database of police reform work, an important part of the movement against systemic racism, offers a window into the steps states, counties, and cities are taking to make progress across the nation on policing reform and other related equity issues. Filter by policy category to see responses focused on specific facets of the problem, or by location to find out what’s happening in your area.

This document is intended to be a living document – please use this form to submit information on policy responses not currently included. Note that the NewDEAL reserves the right to edit for standardization or remove submitted information.

Recent News

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For Immediate Release:                                                     November 18, 2021                                                         Contact: Jonathon Dworkin (NewDEAL), 202-660-1340 x5, jonathon@newdealleaders.org   Five National Ideas Challenge Winners Announced State and local leaders recognized for best ideas to expand opportunity and make government work better   Washington, DC – At the organization’s eleventh annual Leaders Conference today, NewDEAL released […]