The Louisiana Health Equity Atlas is a data resource to track, measure, and make the case for health equity in the state, particularly the Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans metro areas. The Atlas examines how much the state stands to gain by addressing racial inequities and how we are currently faring on key indicators of racial economic inclusion, which are critical arenas for promoting good health. It also shares local strategies and solutions to improve performance on these indicators and achieve health equity. The Louisiana Health Equity Atlas is powered by the National Equity Atlas team and produced in partnership with PolicyLink, the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California, Power Coalition, and Louisiana community leaders.

Mirroring national trends, Pinellas County in Florida is becoming more diverse. In the next few decades, the majority of the county’s residents will be people of color from a rich variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. As a result, the success and prosperity of the county rely on dismantling unjust barriers and ensuring that everyone can participate in and enjoy the benefits of a thriving economy. This profile illustrates how disparities in income, housing, educational attainment, and many other areas are costing Pinellas County billions of dollars in potential economic growth each year. In addition, the accompanying summary offers several promising strategies that have been used across the country to eliminate barriers and advance equity. Both the profile and summary were developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) at USC, in partnership with UNITE Pinellas. Read the profile and summary.

Media: Report: With Population Shifts on the Way, Pinellas Needs to Change (Tampa Bay Times), Study: Addressing Racial Inequities Would Boost Pinellas County GDP by $3.6 Billion (St. Pete Catalyst), First-ever Countywide Equity Assessment Spotlights Need for Change (Tampa Bay Newspapers), Insight Action, Not Data Collection, Required to Create Nutrition Equity in St. Petersburg (St. Pete Catalyst)

Like much of California, Orange County experienced demographic change ahead of national shifts and will continue to do so through at least 2050. Today about 58 percent are residents of color; however racial and economic inequalities persist, threatening future prosperity countywide. This profile examines demographic trends and indicators of equitable growth, highlighting strengths and areas of vulnerability in relation to the goal of building a strong, resilient economy. It was developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) to support Orange County funders, advocacy groups, elected officials, planners, business leaders, and others working to build a stronger and more equitable region. Read the profile and summary, and see the press release.

Like other cities in Southern California, Long Beach became a majority people-of-color city decades ago, ahead of the national trend, and the pace of change is now slowing. Today, seven in 10 Long Beach residents are people of color, yet persistent inequities by race, gender, and geography threaten the city’s economic vitality. Embracing diversity as an asset and advancing equity is the city’s path to a prosperous future. This profile is designed to be a resource for all seeking to enhance prosperity for everyone in Long Beach, including advocacy groups, government agencies, elected officials, funders, business and civic leaders, and more. The summary report that accompanies this profile highlights leading indicators and offers policy recommendations. PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) at the University of Southern California are grateful to Citi Community Development for their generous support of this project. Read the profile, summary, and fact sheet (English, Spanish, Tagalog, Khmer), and see the press release.

Media: Lessons From California’s Diverse Cities (US News & World Report)

As home to nine Fortune 500 companies, and new investment in neighborhoods such as Over-The-Rhine, Cincinnati is poised for an economic renaissance. But not all residents are benefiting from this recovery. Persistent racial and gender inequities are preventing many residents, particularly women of color, from thriving. This profile illustrates how disparities in income, housing, educational attainment, and many other areas are costing the Cincinnati region billions of dollars in potential economic growth each year. In addition, the accompanying policy brief offers a series of recommendations designed to close some of these gaps. They were developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) at USC, in partnership with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Interact for Health, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Read the profile, policy brief, and fact sheet, and see the press release.

Albuquerque is a growing, majority people-of-color city that is becoming even more diverse as communities of color drive the city’s growth. Embracing this rising diversity as an asset and addressing persistent racial and economic inequities is critical to the city’s prosperity. We estimate that the Albuquerque metro economy would have been $11 billion larger in 2015 absent its racial inequities in income. This profile, produced with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, was released in partnership with the City of Albuquerque and New Mexico Voices for Children, and will serve as a guide for the city’s new Office of Equity and Inclusion to set its racial and economic equity agenda. Read the profile and one-page summary.

Media: Mayor Discusses Equity Profile (KRQU TV News), ABQ Releases Report on Racial Diversity (Albuquerque Journal)

This profile is an update to the original profile released in December 2014 to help Heartland 2050, a community-driven initiative working toward a common vision for the Omaha-Council Bluffs region in Nebraska and Iowa, implement its plan for equitable growth. The Omaha-Council Bluffs region continues to undergo a demographic transformation that has major implications for how the region charts a future of sustainable, inclusive prosperity. Communities of color – particularly a growing Latino population – are driving population growth in the region, making their ability to participate in the economy and thrive central to the region’s success. Our updated analysis finds that closing wide racial gaps in income could have boosted the regional economy by nearly $4.8 billion in 2015. Read the profile, summary, and view the press release. 

Media: Heartland 2050: "Everyone Prospers" Event Set for Wednesday (KIOS 91.5), Report Paints 'Stark' Picture of Economic Consequences of Omaha Area's Racial Gaps (Omaha World Herald), Study: Not Everyone Benefiting From Strong Local Economy (Daily Nonpareil), As Demographics Change, Groups Look to Increase Equity in Opportunities (Omaha Public Radio)

This profile analyzes the state of health equity and inclusive growth in the Sacramento region, and the accompanying policy brief, Health Equity Now: Toward an All-In Sacramento, summarizes the data and presents recommendations to advance health equity and inclusive growth. They were created by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) in partnership with the Healthy Sacramento Coalition, whose broader vision is to eliminate health inequities in Sacramento. This equity analysis was developed with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Read the profile and policy brief.

Media: Sick Stats: New Report Says Lack of Action on Community Health is Costing Sacramento (NewsReview.com)

Las Cruces, New Mexico is already 63 percent people of color; growth and transformation in the city has been driven mostly by an increase in the Latino population. By growing good jobs, connecting younger generations with older ones, integrating immigrants into the economy, building communities of opportunity, and ensuring educational and career pathways, the city can secure a bright future for the city and region. This equity analysis was developed with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Read the profile.

The diversity of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region is a tremendous economic asset – if people of color are fully included as workers, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Equitable growth is the path to sustained economic prosperity. In fact, closing racial gaps in income would boost the regional economy by more than $200 billion. The 2017 Nine-County Bay Area Equity Profile complements an initial five-county profile released two years ago and recently updated. Read the profile.