Report: Creating an Equitable Future in Washington State | Centerstone

Report: Creating an Equitable Future in Washington State | Centerstone:

BLACK WELL-BEING & BEYOND

Creating an Equitable Future for Black Washingtonians Study

In collaboration with several organizations, Centerstone recently released a new study: “Creating an Equitable Future for Black Washingtonians”. Racism and inequality remain a looming problem in Washington State. It casts a shadow over the lives of many Blacks, leading to a lack of economic security, poor health, and high levels of stress. This new study seeks to encourage citizens and leaders alike to address these issues head-on, engage in conversations focused on solutions, and develop policies and laws to help Blacks gain equal footing with other races and ethnicities.

The comprehensive report outlines some of the major ways our social, economic, and political systems in Washington State intertwine to create barriers to opportunity that impede progress within the Black community. The coalition releasing this report is composed of Centerstone, the Washington Commission on African American Affairs, and the African American Leadership Forum – Seattle.

Here are the 10 most important ways that the study can improve life for Blacks:

• Enable economic policies to ensure that all families in Washington state can meet their basic needs
• Increase the share of Black people with access to good jobs
• Provide adequate access to an education that will allow Blacks to compete for the jobs of today and the future
• Expand high quality early learning opportunities for Black children and families
• Provide resources do Black students need to stay in school and excel
• Improve state policies and programs to better meet the needs of Black youth to keep them out of the criminal justice system
• Create community-driven strategies to create a more just and equitable political system
• Develop strategies for Black families to use to remain healthy in challenging environments
• Promote policies so that everyone in the Black community has adequate access to health insurance and care
• Identify the most significant barriers to economic opportunity for Black Washingtonians today

This report is the first phase of a longer effort to elevate and amplify the voices of Black Washingtonians in the decision-making processes that influence their everyday lives. The analysis focuses on five key areas of well-being – economic security, education, health, criminal justice, and civic engagement – to highlight conditions in the Black community and contribute to a robust conversation about what an equitable future in Washington State looks like.