Poverty and Race WorkshopDarlene Flynn, City of Seattle
Race and Social Justice Initiative
Disparities in Poverty
Unequal Opportunity Race
Root Cause of Racial Inequity
Racial Prejudice + Institutional Power
= Institutional Racism
What is Equity?
What is Equity?
Institutional Racism Inscribed in Geography
Puget Sound Regional Council ~ Comprehensive Opportunity Mapping ~
• What institutions or structures can you identify that shape the level of opportunity available to people who live in these areas?
• Of those, which ones impact health outcomes?
A Gardener’s Tale – By Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD
New Soil for One Box
Flower Seeds for Both
The Gardener’s Approach
Prefers red flowers - plants those seeds in the new soil
Plants pink flowers in the old soil - hopes for the best
Government & NGOs as Gardeners• Power to decide/or influence
• Power to act
• Control of resources
• Likely to reinforce historical inequity if not explicitly concerned with racial equity impacts
Racial Equity Action Plan Worksheet
Review and Discuss in Small Groups:
• Respond to first two prompts
• How would you proceed to apply the remainder of the framework to your work?
Seek Opportunity to Remove Structural Barriers to Health Equity