| For Immediate Release November 16, 2005 |
Contacts: | Milly Hawk Daniel 212-629-9570 x212 mdaniel@policylink.org |
Angela Glover Blackwell to Address Democratic Caucus
Taskforce on
Jobs and the Economy:
“Making Every Community
a Livable Community:
Equitable Lessons from the Gulf Coast”
Washington, D.C.: Angela Glover Blackwell, the founder and CEO of PolicyLink, will talk to members and staff of the Democratic Caucus on Jobs and the Economy Taskforce, Wednesday, November 16 at 4 p.m. Her presentation will focus on revitalizing cities, suburbs, and rural areas through the use of equitable development principles, which PolicyLink is using in its work with state and local officials, community-based organizations, and the people of Louisiana following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the collapse of levees in New Orleans.
“Where you live,” says Blackwell, “has always been a proxy for opportunity. It determines whether you will have resources like quality affordable housing, strong public schools, convenient and comprehensive transportation options, living-wage jobs, and even access to supermarkets offering fresh, healthy foods or parks and public spaces for recreation and physical activity.”
Equitable development strategies help communities become vibrant, livable places and enable regions to be competitive both nationally and globally. There are four basic principles of equitable development:
PolicyLink has pioneered the use of equitable development in regions all over the country, throughout the state of California, in Atlanta, Boston, and Washington, D.C. The principles have proven effective in thriving economies and in those described as weak markets or older core cities.
The principles are also guiding the work that PolicyLink is undertaking in the Gulf Coast region. “Not only did the levees and pumps that hold back Lake Pontchartrain fail in New Orleans,” Blackwell concludes, “so too did the contract between government and the people, a contract that is codified in public policy. Equitable development can provide a blueprint for restoring and invigorating that contract in every part of the nation.”
PolicyLink is a national nonprofit research, communications, capacity building, and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing policies to achieve economic and social equity. Headquarters is in Oakland, California, and the communications office is in New York City.