PowerPoint Presentation

Building BridgesFor a Just, Equitable & Sustainable Economy in the Tompkins County Region

November 15 and 16, 2011

Goal:A Socially Just and Sustainable Local Economy in the Tompkins County RegionJUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY A Socially Just and Sustainable Local Economy in the Tompkins County RegionCreating and maintaining a community and economy that works for everyone and preserves our physical environmentReducing our carbon footprint by 20% by 2020. (that gives us 8 years)Ensuring full economic human rights to everyone who lives or works in the county.Full economic and civic participation of economically marginalized communities and individuals.

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Ensuring full economic rights and economic participation of marginalized communities and individuals means:Eliminating structural povertyEliminating structural racism (and all of the other isms) that have plagued our economic and social relationshipsJUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY This means:Everyone who lives here has: enough good food to eata safe place to live with heat in the winteraccess to affordable health care

Everyone who works here is making a livable wage

People in economically marginalized communities own things (i.e. businesses and homes).JUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Goals for the next two days:When we leave here tomorrow we will have:A shared vision of what this looks like, a shared analysis of our situation and a narrative that we can share with othersA shared set of strategies for achieving our vision that all (or most of us) believe have a good chance of workingStronger relationships and a shared commitment to take the specific actions that will make those strategies successful

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Personal IntroductionsDiscussion QuestionsNameAffiliation (areas of interest/organization/role)What inspired you to be here?What you hope to gain personally and for your community?Working AgreementsWhat will you need from each other and from facilitators in order to participate fully?Working AgreementsParticipate fullyListen for understandingShare the air time:Dont speak twice until others have spoken onceAvoid repetitionCheck Assumptions/Ask for clarificationTake some risksSupport risk takersHonor privacy and confidentialityStay focusedTake care of yourselfHigh trust/low fear climateStart and end on timeWaking UpSaying No!JUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Human Rights/Economic Rights StoriesDiscussion questions:Are human and economic rights fully realized and protected here in Tompkins County?What are some examples of economic injustice that you have either experienced yourself, or witnessed here in Tompkins County?How do these examples affect you personally (feelings, assumptions, behaviors)What would you like to see instead?Whats Our Vision?-Saying Yes!JUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Vision of a just and sustainable local economy in Tompkins CountyWhat are the elements of a just and sustainable local economy?What would it look like?What would be happening?What wouldnt be happening?How would it feel?What people be doing?

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Getting GroundedJUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY What it will take:A shared vision, shared analysis, common public narrative and establishing the necessary political will.Build and repairing relationships across the barriers of race, class and place.A clear and shared commitment to a new local investment strategy.Building capacity in several areas.JUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Who lives in the county?Between 2000 and 2010 county population grew about 8% to about 103KCity population grew about 2.5% to about 30KCounty80% White8.6% Asian4.2% Latino or Hispanic4% Black3.2% 2 or more.4% Native American

City66.7% White16.2% Asian6.9% Latino or Hispanic6.6% Black4.3% 2 or more.4%Native AmericanSome interesting economic data:CountyFederal spending-$948.6millionPer capita income is $24,40918.8 %Persons below poverty level-6.9% Families (13-14 hundred)-63.6% of single mothers with children under 5 9665 firms in 2007.9% Black owned5.3%Asian ownedLatino owned?

CityPer capita income is $16,04144.4% Persons below poverty level-11.1%Families (325 families)-87.1% of single mothers with children under 52935 firms in 2007Black owned ?Asian owned?Latino owned?

Median Family Income by Census Block, 2000

Percent in Poverty by Census Block, 2000

Some Key Points For A Public Narrative:There will be a tremendous investment in a green economy over the next 10-20 years in the Tompkins County Region.We would be wise to make as much of that investment with local money as possible.Currently, capital invested in economically marginalized communities does not produce wealth. Instead, money flows into and out of these communities very quickly.If funds are invested the way they have been in the past, it will reproduce the current inequities.

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Some Key Points For A Public Narrative:If we want to create a just, sustainable economy, we have to invest more locally andWe have to invest in economically marginalized communities in different ways. This means: Investors have to be willing to get a slower return on their investment (Slow Money) and understand how to get in and stay in. We need to identify assets in marginalized communities and think about how to capitalize those assets so they produce wealth in those communities.

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Some Capacities We Must DevelopJob readiness (especially in marginalized communities)Cultural competency of employers and employeesHow to identify and cultivate local markets for new ideas, products and servicesHow to identify and capitalize the assets of marginalized communities and individualsHow to identify and support entrepreneurs in marginalized communitiesNetworking-(linking job ready, job seekers to local employers)How to create new products for local green investing

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Some Assets We Might Pay Attention to:YouthCreativity and ideasCultural assetsPotential WorkforceJUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Interdependent New SystemsJUST EQUITABLE

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Triple Bottom Line Enterprises andJob CreationSkilled WorkforceEducation, Training,Workforce DevelopmentPOLICYFinancingMarket DemandFor SustainableProducts & ServicesBusiness Support ServicesConsumer EducationTompkins County Sustainable Economy System

25Triple Bottom Line Enterprises andJob CreationEmployer HiringBusiness ExpansionEntrepreneurshipWorker CooperativesSkilled WorkforceWorkforce DevelopmentRebuilding the Wall, FL ReUse Center,Retrofitting/Green Energy Jobs TC3 Green Collar Curriculum,Groundswell, Workforce Tompkins,NYSERDA, Labor unions

POLICYEnergy/Climate PlansGreen Purchasing Directives,Regional Econ Dev Strategy,Green Jobs, Green NYFinancingPublic: TCAD, IURA, STREDC,NYSERDA, DOL, USDAPrivate: AFCU, local banks, Park P-R-I, BR Microcapital,Slow Money CNY, STs LION,FL Climate FundMarket DemandFor SustainableProducts & ServicesBusiness Support ServicesBusiness Cents, eLab, SEEN, Worker Coop Incubator,TC Chamber of CommerceConsumer EducationWhole Community Project, Get Your Green Back Tompkins,Local First Ithaca, Green Resource Hub,Finger Lakes Energy Challenge,Ithaca Green Building Alliance,CCE-TC, TC Solid Waste, TCCPITompkins County Sustainable Economy System

26Building a Just, Equitable & Sustainable Economy in the Tompkins County Region

Thematic Areas & Regional ProjectsInterdependent Systems

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY

Invest in & Grow a Just, Equitable, Sustainable Economy

Building BridgesSample ProjectsThemes:Just and Sustainable Food System

Entrepreneurship and Incubating Small Businesses

Green Energy Jobs

Workforce Preparation, Training, and Support

Building Demand for A Just and Sustainable Life Style

Local Green InvestingWhole Community Project and PartnersRebuilding the WallGet Your Green BackRetrofitting Housing and BusinessesFingerlakes ReUse CenterE-LABIncubating Entrepreneurship & Small Businesses

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Open SpacePossible purposes of the open space time:NetworkingPlanning next steps with others Getting more information from people Checking in with other people about how youre feeling and what youre noticing--especially if you have an organizational, action group or affinity group in the workshopHabits to BreakHabits to Cultivate

Discussion Questions for Breakout Session Two-Thematic Areas:In order to build, repair and maintain the relationships, and develop the capacities needed to be successful in this thematic area, what will we need to think and do differently?What habits of mind and behavior are in the way?What habits do we need to break?What will we have to stop doing?Whats needed instead? What habits do we need to cultivate?What do we need to start doing, continue doing or do more of?What will make it hard to do these things?What support will you need?

Examples of habits to break:

People with resources and decision-making authority:Making decisions without getting input from people who will be affected by those decisionsPlanning activities and events and including other people as an afterthoughtNot listening when people tell you things you dont particularly want to hear because the information if used would disrupt your plans

People with fewer resources and decision-making authority:Assuming that your voice doesnt make a differenceAssuming that you dont have any power or influencePulling each other down, in-fighting, bad-mouthing each other

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Examples of habits to cultivate:

People with resources and decision-making authorityEstablishing relationships outside your comfort zoneListening carefullyIncluding people who have been marginalized in the decision-making conversations and at least letting them know the conversations are taking place

People with fewer resources and decision-making authorityKeep yourself informed about what is going onShow upSupport each other

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Open Space Discussion Questions (optional): Opportunities; what seems possible and what seems exciting?Specific next steps we are each interested in taking to make a difference in the thematic areas &/or to support one of the case samples Support we will need from othersNext steps we should take together (e.g. next meetings)What support is needed from the planning group?

Roundtable Discussion Questions:Specific next steps we are each willing to take to make a difference in this area, to support one of the projects Support we will need from others

Any next steps we should take together (e.g. next meetings)

Set up individual meetings to explore possible partnerships/alliances?

What support will be needed from the planning group?

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY Check-in on our goals for the past two days:Do we have:A shared vision of what a just and sustainable local economy looks like? A shared analysis of our situation and a narrative that we can share with others?A shared set of strategies for achieving our vision that all (or most of us) believe have a good chance of working?Stronger relationships and a shared commitment to take the specific actions that will make those strategies successful?

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TOMPKINS COUNTY REGIONAL ECONOMY