Racial Equity Tools :: Essential Concepts and Issues

Because racial inequities are created, kept going and made worse by a complicated system of policies and actions of people, organizations and systems, solving them often requires attention to several related issues. For example, a community that wants to make sure all high school students are educated at high levels, probably needs to know and think about how education is financed (issues of housing segregation and distribution of tax dollars); how to pay for vision and hearing screening and for interventions when they are needed (issues of access to health care); how teachers are recruited and trained (labor market issues and issues of post-secondary education).

The particular issues of importance to you are based on your groups' theory of change (See tip sheet: Laying out your Assumptions: Understanding your Theory of Change), as well as the piece of the work you want to do directly. That decision can be based on many factors, such as what you feel your group is best able to do, and the risks you are willing to take - if no-one else has been willing or able to step up with success so far (See tip sheets: Assessing your Community Part I and Part II).

We are not suggesting that every group has to take on every related issue - that would overwhelm each of us. But it is important to understand how issues are linked, and to think about the best way to connect your work with that of others who can take up other important pieces of it. To learn more about how issues are interconnected, included in this section is conceptual information about structural racism and data on multiple issues.

Specific topics covered:

Since racial disparities are evident across every opportunity area, background information, data, and examples of work are also included in thirteen issue areas:

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