The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has recently announced the launch of a new playbook, providing a roadmap for key issues affecting Black Americans.
Created in partnership with the think tank Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the “Forward Together: Black Policy Playbook For an Equitable America” covers seven key areas in which developments can be made to better Black communities in the U.S. Along with voting rights and economic opportunities, workforce development, education equity, healthcare access and cost, criminal legal system reform and technological policies are all discussed in the handbook.
The playbook draws from decades of research and recommendations from nonprofits to create a list of solutions that can address the existing disparities in these areas of life. Through the usage of public policy, existing gaps can be bridged, according to the foundation.
For example, in the playbook, the nonprofits highlight the potential for continued improvement across several communities by citing research from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. The bank previously found that if structural racism is addressed in loaning practices and the wealth of Black households is increased, the overall national economy would be improved.
The “Black Policy Playbook” also addresses topics such as voter intimidation, disinformation campaigns, tax policies, occupational segregation, debt cancellation, environmental justice, racial disparities in incarceration and content moderation on social platforms.
“This collaboration between CBCF and the Joint Center demonstrates the power of partnership in advancing thoughtful, data-driven solutions to the complex challenges facing Black communities,” said the President and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Nicole Austin-Hillery, per a statement. “Together, we are equipping lawmakers, advocates, and changemakers with the tools they need to enact policies that move us closer to equity and justice for all.”
In the playbook, the foundations addressed the increasing impact of the Trump administration as it continues to reverse some of the policies set in place by the previous Biden-Harris administration.
Along with the removal of DEI, leading to the removal of thousands of jobs across the government and multiple Black historical figures across websites, last month, civil rights leaders and protestors rallied to save the National Museum of African American History and Culture as at least 32 artifacts related to enslavement and the civil rights movement were removed.
Although the White House distanced itself from the situation, the changes came after an executive order dedicated to targeting museums that had exhibits that “divide Americans based on race” was signed, effectively attempting to erase Black history, according to critics.
The administration’s Department of Justice also recently agreed to drop Biden-Harris era police reform agreements and investigations in multiple states, including Minnesota, Kentucky, New York, New Jersey and Oklahoma. With the lack of police reform in practice, civil rights readers such as Attorney Ben Crump are warning that it will “deepen the existing divide” between the police and the people who have been advocating for justice and reform for years.
Funding cuts for the Department of Education are also expected to impact several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the coming months.
In a press release issued alongside the handbook, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation highlighted the challenges to reform at this time.
“This is a pivotal moment for Black Americans,” said Jonathan Cox, PhD, Vice President of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research at CBCF, per a statement. “History has shown us that progress is often met with resistance. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that Black communities have the resources, rights, and opportunities to thrive.”
