Summit Sends Unifying Message: Demand Equity Now…
Demand Equity Now emerged from the 2008 PolicyLink equity summit in New Orleans, where over 1,700 people participated. The summit was the place to talk, share tips, describe campaigns, solicit support, and arrange technical assistance from one another. Out of this came a viral solution and a name that defined the goal: Demand Equity Now…
Demand Equity Now…a network of advocates, organizers, community builders, and others fighting for economic and social equity in America.
Demand Equity Now…an online database of equity resources with the ability to connect to campaigns across the country, find and share skills, best practices, technical assistance, and support.
Today, nearly 500 organizations are part of Demand Equity Now, representing policy advocacy, faith-based, communications, organizing, regional equity coalitions, movement-building, legal services/litigation, research, and service groups all across America. At Equity Summit 2011: Healthy Communities, Strong Regions, A Prosperous America, November 8-11, in Detroit, the network grew exponentially once again and Milwaukee is part of the network!
As part of the delegation from Milwaukee assembled by LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), Joe Kubisiak represented Safe & Sound at the 2011 PolicyLink Equity Summit in Detroit, Michigan. LISC was generous in their efforts to provide an opportunity for a representative from Safe & Sound. The trip was very incredibly worthwhile and provided for an inspiring week.
Equity Summit 2011 was the fourth national PolicyLink Summit, which brought together a mosaic of equity movement to advance a truly inclusive policy agenda. The overarching goal was to enable individuals and organizations to share in a vision for more sustainable and equitable development with access to jobs, transportation, education, health, and housing for all. Urban, suburban, and rural leaders learned from each other on how to create communities and regions that benefit everyone, particularly low-income people and communities of color. The Summit included over 2500 people with advocates from non-profit, public policy, philanthropic, business, and academic sectors who shared promising practices and policies that create healthier communities and stronger, more sustainable regions.
Detroit was selected because it once held the keys to a solid, middle-class life for countless Americans of many backgrounds. But just as Detroit’s economy has stumbled, so too have the economic prospects of millions of families struggling to get by in this recession. The Milwaukee delegation came away inspired by the innovation, optimism, and hard work of those determined to reenergize Detroit. Bus tours, presentations and workshops helped attendees explore how issues like healthy food access, transportation choice, housing access, jobs and education are crucial in Detroit and to America’s future competitiveness and prosperity.
The bus trips provided an up-close look at the neighborhoods of Detroit that have been hit the hardest and those that are on the rebound. One bus visited the neighborhoods of Southwest Detroit which have actively embraced immigrant communities from across the world. Home to a large Latino population and growing Asian and Middle Eastern populations, the neighborhoods have growing dynamic cultural institutions, robust commercial corridors, and a strong network of community organizations that reflect the needs of diverse and changing communities. It was a real eye opener to see how devastated Detroit is and helped Milwaukee representatives put our own challenges, resources and efforts into perspective.
Similar sentiments were shared by many others from the Milwaukee Delegation. Joe Kubisiak of Safe & Sound had an opportunity to spend time with long time friends and also meet new people from organizations currently involved with LISC initiatives including Healthy Neighborhoods, Zilber Neighborhoods (Lindsay, Layton Blvd. West, Clarke Square) and the Washington Park and Harambee Neighborhood revitalization efforts.
The Milwaukee delegation will continue to meet via online forums and meetings to share the inspiration and ideas from the summit. The application and implementation begins at the neighborhood level with the authentic engagement of community stakeholders. Safe & Sound is an integral part of this work in Milwaukee and can begin to implement new or revised strategies and approaches. Door-to-door outreach and mobilizing in Milwaukee’s neighborhoods provides broad input from residents of diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Connecting and mobilizing youth and adult individuals, groups and neighborhood associations is the focus of Safe & Sound’s efforts. Providing the tools and networks to empower people to seek the changes they need to realize a safer and stronger neighborhood is a primary goal. Safe & Sound will be working with all of the individuals and organizations who attended the Summit and the neighborhoods they we serve in 2012. Having a chance to share the experience and ideas of the conference was invaluable.
If you would like more information on the summit and take the first steps to get involved you can visit http://www.equitysummit2011.org/. The principle of equity resonated with many as a theme that runs through so much of the work that we do and something which is a guiding principle. The assertion that equity is not a separate goal, but must be integrated in all that we do was repeated in session after session. Demand Equity Now…
