Take–Action Guide
PRODUCED BY THE CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
ThankyouforattendingtheCongressionalBlackCaucusFoundation’s(CBCF)52ndAnnualLegislativeConference. AsaFoundation,werecognizethatconveningsandconferencesofthissortsometimesfallshortoftranslatinginto actionablechange.However,withsuchrichandmeaningfuldiscussionsthattakeplaceacrosstheAnnualLegislative Conferenceweekend,ourpolicyandresearchteamhascraftedthisTake-ActionGuideforparticipantstofollowuponthe impactfulconversationsduringoursessions.Formorewaystogetinvolvedandtolearnhowtotakeactioninyour communities,pleaseview,save,andshareourpost-AnnualLegislativeConferenceTakeActionGuide.
Revving up Change: Charging Forward for Transportation Equity
INFORMATION
TheInfrastructureInvestmentandJobsAct(IIJA) wassignedintolawinNovember2021,and representscomprehensivelegislationaddressing America'sinfrastructureneeds,including transportation,energy,andclimateresilience. LearnmoreabouttheIIJA here
TheNationalElectricVehicleInfrastructure(NEVI) FormulaProgramisa$5billioninitiativeaimedat establishinganationwidenetworkofelectric vehiclechargingstationsandproviding opportunitiesforjobcreation,particularlyinthe conversiontozeroandlowemissionbuses.
Theimportanceofequityintransportation extendsbeyondprogramsforelectricvehicles: it'saboutensuringequitableaccessto transportationinthecommunity.
RESOURCE
Tool:Theinclusionofelectricvehicletrainingprograms enhancejobaccess.Companieslike ChargerHelp!, Walker-MillerEnergyServices,and PlugZenLLC have resourcesforjobtrainingandretraining,especiallyfor individualswhomaybetransitioningfromtraditional transportationrolestoelectricvehicle-relatedcareers.
Program:The Justice40Initiative,whichrepresentsthe Federalgovernment’sgoalthat“40percentofthe overallbenefitsofcertainFederalinvestmentsflowto disadvantagedcommunitiesthataremarginalized, underserved,andoverburdenedbypollution,”outlines theenvironmentalimpactofelectricvehiclesandhow theycontributetoreducingemissions.
Program:Accessresourcesandinformationrelatedto the NEVIProgram inordertounderstanditsgoals, provisions,andhowitcanbenefitthecommunity.
ACTION Communityengagement: InvolveBlackneighborhoodsinlocaldecision-makingonfundingallocationandthedevelopmentofelectric vehicleinfrastructureintheircommunities
Building the Political Pipeline: Training the Next Generation of Civic Leaders
INFORMATION
Blackwomenaretheleastfundedcandidates nationwideandaremorelikelytobefundedagainst despitebeingthebackboneofpoliticalparties
Inall,55Blackwomenfrom23stateshaveservedin Congress,includingtwoBlackwomensenators
FundingisamajorbarrierthatlimitsBlackpeoplefrom runningforofficebecausethey’reoftennotperceived aslegitimate,viable,andelectablebythepublic.To combattheseexpenses,Blackpeoplemust overamplifytheirskillsetsandqualificationsforoffice.
Thetoptwoprioritiesforyoungvotersofcolorare discriminationandpolicing,sincelittlefederal advancementhasoccurredintheseareassincethe “racialreckoning”of2020followingthemurderof GeorgeFloyd
ACTION
Educateothersandyourself!
RESOURCE
Website:ReadytoRun®isanational networkofnon-partisancampaign trainingprogramscommittedtoelecting morewomentopublicoffice
Website:RunforSomethingrecruitsand supportsyoung,diverseprogressivesto runfordown-ballotracesinorderto buildsustainablepowerforDemocrats inall50states.
Tool:CitizensConnecthascreatedthe ElectionParticipationGuidetohelp citizensgetengaged,fromregisteringto votetobecomingpollworkers,inone centrallocation
Attendlocalcouncilmeetingsandschoolboardmeetinginyourcommunity Educatestudentsaboutthecivicprocess
Createeasy-to-followdescriptionsandqualificationsforeachelectedpositionfortheAmerican public'sunderstanding
Getinvolved!
Makeavotingplantoday!
Supportdiversecandidatesthroughdonationsorvolunteeringintheircampaigns
Global Advocacy: Crossing Borders, Building Bridges: The Critical Role of
Black Migrants in Black Communities
INFORMATION
About10%oftheAmericanimmigrantpopulation consistsofBlackmigrants,including20%who arechildrenofBlackmigrants,totalingover42 millionindividuals.
AmajorityofBlackmigrantshaverootsin Jamaica(17percent),Haiti(16percent),Nigeria (8percent),andEthiopia(6percent)
Theconceptofblacknessencompassesarich tapestryofexperiences,cultures,andethnicities woventogetherbyasharedheritageofAfrican ancestry AprimeexampleistheGarifunapeople intheAfro-Latinocommunity.
BlackmigrantsplayedintegralrolesintheCivil Rightsmovement,makingsubstantial contributionstohighereducation,religion,and thesocialjusticemovement
Blackmigrantsfacechallengesduetouneven skillsdistribution,resultinginunderemployment andlowerearnings FirstgenerationBlack migrantstakeatleast15–20yearsfortheir earningstocatchuptotheirskills.
ACTION
Getinvolved!
RESOURCE
Tool: immigrantsfindfreeorlow-c immigration,jobs,andothern immigrationservices.
AfricanCommunitiesTogether
Website:BlackAllianceforJu manyresourcesavailableto publishedreports,communit andresourcesinmultiplelan
DonatetoorganizationsthatsupportBlackimmigrants,suchas: TheBlackMigrantPowerFund UndocuBlackNetwork BlackLGBTQIA+MigrantProject(BLMP) FostercommunityconnectionsandnetworkswithintheBlackdiaspora. Supportimmigrationpoliciesthatreducedisparitiesandpromoteequalityandequity. Text“DACAINFO”to877-877todemandactionandgetthelatestDACAupdatesfromUnitedWeDream. AmplifythevoicesandstoriesofBlackimmigrants.
FromAwarenesstoAction:UnmaskingBiasinAcademicMedicine
INFORMATION
Currentmedicalpracticesarerootedinracebasedmedicineandracialessentialism,which worktocreatedistinctionsbasedonracethat leadtofalseassumptions,suchasaracialbasis fordiseasesForexample,nursesaretaughtto identifyapatient’sracefirstandthenmake assumptionsabouthealthoutcomes
Duetounaddressedracialbiasesandthe continuedabsenceofpeopleofcolorin technologyspaces,racismisembeddedin artificialintelligence(AI)andalgorithmsfor patientoutputs.
Standardizedtestscontinuetobeabarrierfor Blackstudents’matriculationthroughmedical schoolIn2021,thenumberofBlackmedical studentsincreasedduetotheremovalofthe useoftheMCATscoreasanentryrequirement WhentheMCATwasreimplemented,Black studentnumbersdecreasedagain
RESOURCE
Program:Thebipartisanlegislation,the ResidentPhysicianShortageReductionActof 2023,wouldcombatthenation’sphysician shortageandimproveaccesstohealthcareby expandingthenumberofMedicare-supported medicalresidencypositions
Tool:TheAccreditationCouncilforGraduate MedicalEducation(ACGME)hasresourcesto supportprograms,institutions,and organizationsinachievinghealthequity,found intheirEquityMattersEquityPracticeToolkit.
ACTION
Supportinitiativesthataimtoeliminatebiasinmedicine!
Advocateformedicinalpractitionertrainingthatfocusesonanti-racismineducation,raciallyconcordant care,andpatientadvocacyandresearch. Impactcommunitychange.
Measurehealthoutcomesandsupportpoliciessurroundinghealthdisparities
AIandtheFutureofWorkinBlackCommunities
INFORMATION
NumerousmajortechnologyfirmshavefinetunedtheirHRdata,whichcanattimesexhibit biasesduetotheindividualswhoconducted thetrainingItisimportanttofine-tunedataso thatwecanfacilitatemeaningfulexperiences foreveryone,regardlessofrace
AmajorityofdevelopersarenotBlack,withonly 102%ofAIspecialistsidentifyingasBlackor AfricanAmerican.
AfricanAmericanmenfaceahigherlikelihoodof beingaffectedbyartificialintelligencethrough jobdisplacement
ACTION
Increaseresourcesandaccessibility:
RESOURCE
Program:ThebipartisanInfrastructure InvestmentandJobsAct(IIJA)addressesdigital equitythroughincreasingaccessto technology-enabledresearchandlearning opportunities
Establishaccessibleandinclusiveavenuesintotheartificialintelligenceandtechnologyindustry,moving beyondpipelinesthatprioritizeaccoladesandcontributetounequalrepresentation. Empowerothers!
Motivateyoungindividualstoacquireskillsandpursuecareersintechnologyandartificialintelligencerelatedfields
INFORMATION
Ninetypercentof8thgradeBlackmale studentsreadbelowproficiencylevel
Influentialfiguresliketeachers,fathers,and mentorsserveaspowerfulrolemodelsfor Blackboys
EmbracingBlackculturethroughmediumslike media,thearts,andmusic,coupledwiththe provisionofsafespacessuchaspublic libraries,sportingactivities,therapy,and historicallyBlackcollegesanduniversities (HBCUs)fostersanurturingenvironmentfor Blackmenandboys
RESOURCE
Program:TheBuildingOurNetworkofDiversity (BOND)Projectiscommittedtoadvancing effortstorecruit,develop,support,andretain maleeducatorsofcolor
Website:Characterorgcertifiesschoolsand districtseachyearatthestatelevelthathave developedandimplementedanintentional, proactive,andcomprehensiveapproachthat embedscharacterintoallaspectsofschoollife
PanelistRecommendedBooks: Hoops,WalterDeanMyers Slam!,WalterDeanMyers TheLordoftheRings,J.R.R.Tolkien ToKillaMockingbird,HarperLee NativeSon,RichardWright
PanelistRecommendedMovies: Roots BoysintheHood
ACTION
Educateyourself:
ActivelyengagewiththehistoricalandculturalcontextofBlackmenandboys Blackboyjoyshouldbeinclusiveofallsexualorientations,includingqueeridentities,aswellas individualswithdisabilities,bothphysicalandcognitive
IncreasethenumberofBlackmaleteachers
EstablishandfundfreeafterschoolprogramsforBlackboys
