Racial Equity and Justice

Secretary Deb Haaland Has Made Historic Progress at the Department of the Interior

Deb Haaland, the 54th U.S. secretary of the interior, has delivered historic conservation policies and made groundbreaking progress in addressing the treatment of Tribal and Indigenous peoples in the United States.

In Pursuit of Justice: Fulfilling the Promise of Brown v. Board of Education

If we hope to produce an active and diverse citizenry committed to advancing democratic principles, our students must be able to learn with and from peers of different races, ethnicities, languages, faiths, and economic status.

Voting Rights in Alabama

The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, the Battle Against Voter Suppression Today, and the Need for Federal Solutions

Film Screening: ‘The 50’ (Online)

A documentary film about a groundbreaking mental health program in a California prison, told by the program’s first 50 participants. The film will be followed by a discussion with the film's director and subjects.

The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the Continued Fight for Rights

A conversation with Sen. Doug Jones and civil rights attorney Fred Gray

Debunking the ‘Guns Make Us Safer’ Myth

Despite arguments from the gun lobby and its allies, guns used for self-defense are not common, beneficial for society, or efficient in deterring mass shootings or criminal victimization.

Securing Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthy Environment for All

Industrial facilities are most often located in or near Black, brown, and low-income communities who face the brunt of harmful industrial pollution, climate change impacts, and other environmental and public health hazards—something Harold Mitchell experienced firsthand in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Fortunately, the Biden administration’s long-overdue environmental justice investments can ensure that all people—regardless of race, income, or ZIP code—have clean air and clean water and live in safe and healthy communities.

Fact Sheet: Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls

Cities nationwide are using three principal models to effectively dispatch community responder teams.

Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls

This report compares three principal models that cities are using to dispatch community responder teams, answers frequently asked questions, and shares lessons learned.

2023 CAP IDEAS Conference

Join the Center for American Progress as we celebrate 20 years of innovative policy solutions and look boldly forward to a progressive future.

Hawkins Centers of Excellence at Minority-Serving Institutions Are Boosting Teacher Diversity

Congress must maintain funding for a long-overlooked program that is helping to recruit and support more teachers of color.

The Biden Administration’s Policy Wins Are Creating Opportunities and Building Equity Across the Board for Latinos

The Biden administration’s historic investments support Latinos and have advanced racial equity for all Americans.

Executive Summary: A Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach to Tackling the Opioid Crisis

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center for American Progress report outlining the need for a whole-of-government, society-wide approach to addressing the complex challenges posed by the opioid overdose epidemic.

Tackling the Opioid Crisis Requires a Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach

The opioid epidemic is a complex public health crisis that can be ameliorated by addressing root causes of drug use; expanding access to treatment and harm reduction strategies; and reducing the supply of illicit opioids entering the United States.

The CHIPS and Science Act Will Bring Technology and Manufacturing Investment to Rural Areas and Communities of Color

The Tech Hubs program within the CHIPS and Science Act is a major opportunity to provide equitable access to industry for underserved communities and economic growth for the country at large.

Last of the Lions: An African American Journey in Memoir

Please join the Center for American Progress for a conversation with Clarence B. Jones.

A Conversation With Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

Please join the Center for American Progress to explore the importance of nondiscrimination in education, especially in America’s colleges and universities.

CAP’s Response to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s RFI on the Enterprises’ Single-Family Mortgage Pricing Framework

The Center for American Progress submitted comments in response to the FHFA’s request for input on the Enterprises’ single-family pricing framework.

Transforming the Economy: Forging Black Economic Power Across America

Join the Center for American Progress and the National Partnership of Women & Families on Martha’s Vineyard for a moderated panel which explores new ways to promote economic opportunity in Black communities.

The Disproportionate Burden of Eviction on Black Women

The United States continues to face an eviction crisis that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and that disproportionately affects communities of color, particularly Black women.

Raising Wages, Closing Pay Gaps: Tackling Fair Pay for Black Women

Tune in below to watch a discussion on the connection between raising the minimum wage and Black Women’s Equal Pay Day.

Reversing the Decline in Routine Childhood Immunization Rates Is Good Health, Equity, and Economic Policy

Policymakers can address the decline in routine childhood vaccination rates in the United States by improving access and boosting confidence in childhood vaccines, and by making vaccination the easiest and most sensible choice.

Strengthening Early Childhood Health, Housing, Education, and Economic Well-Being Through Holistic Public Policy

The preschool years present a critical developmental period sensitive to changes in public health and social policy, for which robust investments in programs that support families can improve intergenerational outcomes.

4 Ways States and Localities Are Improving Employment Outcomes for Reentering Young Adults

Forward-thinking state and local policymakers should continue to take action to improve the employment outcomes of 18- to 24-year-olds reentering their communities.

Public and Private Investments Are Poised To Transform Michigan

The historic home of the automotive industry, Michigan, stands to benefit from major infrastructure improvements and new plants for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, especially if it incorporates public input and builds worker power to grow the middle class.

America Needs Better Data on Race and Ethnicity

Rose Khattar and Edwith Theogene lay out glaring omissions in the way that the United States collects data on race and ethnicity and call for improvements to the processes.

How Federal Agencies Can Advance Equity Through Biden’s Second Executive Order

The Biden administration’s recent executive order makes clear its intent to swiftly advance racial equity and support underserved communities by directing federal agencies to deliver equitable outcomes and foster an inclusive and prosperous America for all.

With the Long-Overdue End of the Title 42 Order, America’s Values Are at Stake

As the Title 42 order comes to an end, America can humanely and effectively meet the challenge of rising numbers at the border.

5 Actions the FDA Can Take To Reduce Heavy Metal Toxins in Baby Food

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revises guidance for allowable levels of lead in baby food, further federal action is needed to protect all young children from environmental toxins in food products.

CAP’s Comments on FDA Draft Guidance for Lead Levels in Foods Marketed to Babies and Young Children

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to the agency’s proposed draft guidance intended to reduce lead in foods marketed for infants and young children.

CAP’s Comment on the EPA’s Proposed Soot Pollution Standards

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the agency’s proposed rule on soot pollution standards.

Why We Must Protect U.S. Immigration Programs Across the Board

Ayuong, a former refugee from Sudan who now attends dental school in the United States, shares what it means to be a refugee.

Black History Month: A Time To Celebrate All Black People, Including Black Immigrants

The stories and experiences of Black immigrants are part of the American story and should be celebrated during Black History Month.

A Minnesota Tribal College Teaches Law Enforcement in Effort To Put More Native Americans ‘Behind the Badge’

In the second installment in a three-part series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund look at Leech Lake Tribal College’s law enforcement degree program and the college’s work on cultural revitalization and basic needs insecurity.

For Native Americans, Tribal Colleges Tackle the ‘Present-Day Work of Our Ancestors’

In the first installment in a series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund explore the essential role TCUs play in their communities and why investing in them should be a priority for policymakers.

7 Facts on Racial Equity and the Economic Recovery

The economic recovery has supported workers of color, but inequities persist, and the Federal Reserve risks undoing the equitable economic gains achieved.

Gun Violence Has a Devastating Impact on Hispanic Communities

Hispanic and Latino communities are disproportionately at risk from rising rates of gun violence, but elected officials in these communities have so far failed to act.

The Supreme Court Censoring History and Race Would Be a Mistake

Race-conscious remedies, such as voting rights protections and affirmative action in college admissions, are supported by the Constitution, are a part of American history, and are essential to equal opportunity.

The Wage Gap Persists—But Recent Reforms Are Making a Difference

Rose Khattar and Lauren Hoffman discuss how, in addition to recent reforms such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the student loan relief plan, more measures are necessary to finally close the pay gap that continues to limit economic opportunity for many women.

Centering Youth in Community Violence Interventions as Part of a Comprehensive Approach to Countering Gun Violence

Community violence intervention programs are a critical part of a comprehensive approach to reduce the impact of rising gun violence on youth and in U.S. communities.

Opinion: Hispanic and Latino workers deserve equal economic opportunity, not a return to the pre-pandemic status quo

Rose Khattar and Jessica Vela discuss how equitable implementation of the Biden administration's major economic accomplishments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, can help better support Hispanic and Latino workers.

A Conversation With Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall

Discussing Air Force and Space Force personnel, the crisis in Ukraine, competition with China, human rights, and the role of the U.S. in the world

Ocean justice can help empower communities of color on the frontlines of the climate crisis

The Ocean Justice Forum—a collective of 18 environmental justice, Indigenous, community, and national nonprofits—is offering an ambitious vision for strengthening ocean climate policy, addressing injustices, and building more resilient communities.

Preventing the Next Jackson-Like Water Crisis

Marquisha Johns and Nicole Rapfogel explain why the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, was the result of long-standing disinvestment, environmental injustice, and health inequities—and they urge state lawmakers to direct funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act toward the communities that need them most.

National Film Premiere: ‘Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote’

Please join CAP's Reel Progress program and Brave New Films for a film screening of "Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote," followed by a discussion with a panel of esteemed experts.

3 Things to Know Now that President Biden Has Canceled At Least $10,000 in Student Debt

Student debt cancellation is a bold step for the higher education system—and one that will benefit a wide cross-section of people and communities throughout the country.

Improving Economic Opportunity for Black Women and Families

A discussion with the National Partnership for Women & Families on improving the economic status of Black women and families.

5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation

Student debt cancellation would help people of all ages, reduce the racial wealth gap, and help borrowers weather turmoil in the student loan system.

Hospital-Based Intervention Programs Reduce Violence and Save Money

Hospital-based community violence intervention programs combat cycles of violent crime and retaliation by engaging patients in the recovery process immediately following injury.

How FEMA Can Prioritize Equity in Disaster Recovery Assistance

Current disaster recovery efforts in the United States exacerbate racial disparities, as people of color experience greater harms from natural disasters, receive less support, lose wealth, and take longer to recover.

Latino Workers Continue To Experience a Shortage of Good Jobs

Although Hispanic and Latino workers have high employment rates in the United States, labor market experiences differ substantially within this community, with Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran, and Salvadoran Americans experiencing significant and intersecting gender and ethnic wage gaps.

The United States Must Deliver on Equitable Housing Outcomes for All

Federal investments kept millions of Americans in their homes during the pandemic; in the long term, commitment to bold federal housing policy can eliminate housing insecurity for millions while uplifting historically disadvantaged communities.

Gun Violence Disproportionately and Overwhelmingly Hurts Communities of Color

The lack of investment in communities of color, coupled with weak gun laws, has resulted in devastatingly high rates of gun violence for Black and brown people.

Juneteenth Reflects the Many Ways Justice Is Systemically Delayed for Black Americans

It is critical for Congress to pass legislation that advances racial equity and justice for Black Americans.

The Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety Is a Foundation to Build Upon

Two years after the murder of George Floyd, the Biden administration released a police reform executive order containing policies that states and cities should build upon.

Beyond Acronyms

Honoring the Complex Experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities in K-12 Education

The Costs of Being a Woman

Join the Center for American Progress to discuss the complex and multifaceted costs women of all identities and experiences face in managing their households and to lift up the interventions from a variety of policy areas needed to improve women’s economic security in the long run.

Black Men and the U.S. Economy: How the Economic Recovery Is Perpetuating Systemic Racism

While the U.S. economy is recovering for many Americans, Black men continue to experience persistent unemployment gaps and reduced economic opportunity.

Fact Sheet: Advancing Equity

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center for American Progress report on the Biden administration’s efforts to advance racial equity through the federal government.

The United States Must Support HBCUs and Opportunity for Black College Students

The recent rash of bomb threats against historically Black colleges and universities is just one of the numerous signs that America is at risk of winding the clock backward when it comes to opportunities for Black students in higher education.

Advancing Racial Equity: The Biden Administration’s Efforts in Its First Year and the Agenda Ahead

Please join the Center for American Progress for a discussion on actions taken by the Biden administration to center racial equity in the federal government and the policies and path forward to bend the arc of racial justice toward equity in the years ahead.

Advancing Equity: Review of the Biden Administration’s Efforts in Its First Year To Implement a Racial Equity Agenda

This report reviews the Biden administration’s key efforts and accomplishments to advance equity in its first year and outlines future policies needed to build a better and more dynamic nation that equitably respects the rights and meets the needs of all Americans.

Living at the Intersection: Black Disabled Women and Girls

This video features two Black disabled women—Eman Rimawi-Doster and Heather Watkins—who discuss the barriers they face.

How To Make Policies Work for Black Women With Disabilities

To create more equitable systems, policymakers must take an intersectional approach that includes Black women and girls with disabilities.

10 Policies To Improve Economic Security for Black Women With Disabilities

To advance economic security for Black disabled women and girls, policymakers must make intersectionality central to modernizing the social safety net and to dismantling the barriers that contribute to inequality.

Improving Health Outcomes for Black Women and Girls With Disabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed disparities in access, care, and health outcomes that Black disabled women and girls have had to face.

Returning To School Must Include a Reinvestment in Section 504 Plans

Women of Color and the Wage Gap

Women of color continue to suffer the most severe gender wage gap in the United States, a reality that reflects the effects of intersecting racial, ethnic, and gender biases that threaten the economic security of them and their families.

Investing in Home Care and Early Childhood Educators Has Outsize Impacts on Employment

Proposed investments in the Build Back Better agenda would benefit a significant number of workers, particularly women and women of color; transform the home care and early childhood sectors; and lift living standards and employment prospects for millions of Americans.

New Poverty and Food Insecurity Data Illustrate Persistent Racial Inequities

Data make it clear that policymakers must finally commit to an expansive racial equity agenda to ensure that racial and gender economic disparities do not continue into the future.

Census Data Show Historic Investments in Social Safety Net Alleviated Poverty in 2020

New poverty, income, and health insurance data confirm that poverty is a policy choice.

Unions Help Increase Wealth for All and Close Racial Wealth Gaps

Union membership significantly increases wealth for all households, but Black and Hispanic families gain the most.

Ensuring Equal Pay for Black Women is Not Just About Work—It’s Also About Family

Policy solutions that address Black women’s work, family, and caregiving needs are essential to creating equitable workplaces that pay fair wages.

Summary of Proposals and Policy Actions To Reduce the Black-White Wealth Gap

The Biden administration has started to implement policies to make it easier for Black households to build wealth at the same rate as white households; additional steps are both possible and necessary.

Wealth Matters: The Black-White Wealth Gap Before and During the Pandemic

The lack of wealth in many African-American households has left them especially vulnerable to the financial fallout from the coronavirus crisis; but the federal government has perhaps its best opportunity yet to fix these racial disparities.

Black LGBTQ Individuals Experience Heightened Levels of Discrimination

The compounding effects of discrimination for Black LGBTQ Americans are evident in the workplace, health care systems, and police interactions, leading to gaps in economic advancement and mental and physical health outcomes.

How the Biden Administration Can Advance Racial Equity

Federal agencies have the opportunity to advance racial equity and narrow the racial wealth gap through executive actions.

Biden’s Tax Enforcement Overhaul Would Be A Positive Step Toward Racial Equity

Rebuilding the IRS and directing the agency’s focus toward wealthy tax cheats is a fundamental step toward creating a more fair and equitable tax code and an important step in the direction of racial equity.

A Criminal Record Shouldn’t Be a Life Sentence to Poverty

Bipartisan momentum for clean slate and fair chance licensing policies—which remove barriers to economic opportunity for people facing the stigma of a criminal record—has grown significantly in the states in recent years.

National and Community Leaders Discuss How To End White Supremacist Violence

This video presents highlights from an event following the release of a joint report from the Center for American Progress and the McCain Institute for International Leadership on how to address the growing national security threat posed by white supremacist violence in the United States.

Justice in Reentry for Formerly Incarcerated LGBTQ People and People Living With HIV

Broad reforms and targeted services are needed to reduce the harms of incarceration for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV as they reenter their communities.

Building on the ACA: Administrative Actions to Improve Maternal Health

The United States’ maternal health crisis demands federal and state action to improve coverage, the delivery of care, and pregnancy outcomes. The cost of inaction will almost certainly be dire.

Eliminating the Black-White Wealth Gap Is a Generational Challenge

Closing the racial wealth gap is a generational challenge that requires new yet doable policies.

Latinos Face Disproportionate Health and Economic Impacts From COVID-19

Congress and the Biden administration must act quickly to minimize further harm during the COVID-19 pandemic—particularly for Latinos and other communities of color.

The Economic Status of Asian American and Pacific Islander Women

Policymakers must closely examine economic data on the experiences of AAPI women, before and during the coronavirus pandemic, in order to surface key barriers and shed light on effective policy solutions.

An Expanded Child Tax Credit Would Lift Millions of Children Out of Poverty

Congress must not miss the opportunity to improve children’s lives and reduce economic and racial inequality.

Understanding the Policing of Black, Disabled Bodies

Current data collection on state violence does not paint a picture that is inclusive of victims with disabilities.

The Biden Administration’s Conservation Plan Must Prioritize Indigenous Leadership

In its efforts to protect 30 percent of U.S. lands and ocean by 2030, the federal government has an obligation to acknowledge tribal sovereignty and support Indigenous-led conservation.

The State of Women’s Leadership—And How To Continue Changing the Face of U.S. Politics

Women—particularly women of color—continue to make noteworthy gains at all levels of government, but bold policies and structural changes are still needed to reach gender parity in U.S. politics.

A CRA To Meet the Challenge of Climate Change

A modernized Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) would be a useful tool to effectively address climate resilience and environmental racism in low-income communities of color.

California Is Not a Bellwether on Affirmative Action

The November 3 results for Proposition 16 underscore the need for a clear message, adequate time and resources, and voter persuasion.

With a Focus on Equity, Geography No Longer Has To Be Destiny

With the rural-urban divide in the headlines, it is time to address long-standing inequities by building a more comprehensive equity analysis.

Centering Racial Equity in a New Administration

With a new administration set to lead the U.S. federal government, and in the midst of a pandemic that has exposed the many layers of racial inequality in this country, it is time to finally put infrastructure in place to achieve equity for Black Americans and communities of color.

4 First Steps for Congress To Address White Supremacist Terrorism

As tensions rise ahead of the upcoming election, the 116th Congress can and should act now to confront the surge in violent white supremacy across the country.

The Pandemic Has Exacerbated Housing Instability for Renters of Color

Hardships disproportionately faced by communities of color are being exacerbated by the pandemic and require an equitable recovery that reconciles past harms while also providing solutions for current and future challenges.

Public Work Provides Economic Security for Black Families and Communities

Public sector jobs have long provided economic security for Black families and communities and reduced the racial wealth gap, but current policy failures threaten that legacy.

A Barrett Confirmation Would Be Disastrous for the Health of Communities of Color During COVID-19

Now is not the time to rush through a Supreme Court nominee who is likely to dismantle the ACA; instead, it is time to do more to protect Americans—especially people of color.

Closing Latino Labor Market Gap Requires Targeted Policies To End Discrimination

Structural forces in the United States prevent Latinos from achieving the same employment outcomes as their non-Hispanic white counterparts, and policymakers can no longer ignore the equity gaps.

Creating a Postal Banking System Would Help Address Structural Inequality

Expanding the responsibilities of the U.S. Postal Service to include postal banking would ensure that low-income communities and communities of color across the country have access to an essential service.

Redesigning Federal Funding of Research and Development

The U.S. government has long been a catalyst for innovation through federal funding and support, but it needs to be more inclusive of Black researchers and inventors.

Redefining Electability

In hyperpartisan times, winning elections is all about showing up for voters and getting out the vote. Women are showing how it’s done.

The Black-White Wealth Gap Will Widen Educational Disparities During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Less wealth makes it more difficult for African American parents to get reliable access to the internet and devices for remote learning.

Bridging the Water Access Gap Through COVID-19 Relief

In its next COVID-19 relief package, Congress must include specific environmental justice provisions to ensure equitable access to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation services.

A Blueprint for Revamping the Minority Business Development Agency

The Minority Business Development Agency has tremendous potential to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity in Black communities.

How To Reinvest in Communities When Reducing the Scope of Policing

As cities reevaluate the role of policing, the bipartisan Justice Reinvestment Initiative offers lessons for cities on prioritizing meaningful investments in community-driven safety.

Mental Health Support for Students of Color During and After the Coronavirus Pandemic

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, schools need additional mental health funding and support that is implemented with a racial equity lens.

The Nature Gap

People of color, families with children, and low-income communities are most likely to be deprived of the benefits that nature provides.

4 Actions Colleges Can Take To Address Police Brutality

Postsecondary institutions must take immediate action to help address the issue of police brutality.