Solidarity Series 2: Antiracist Policy Making

At the beginning of the summer the Policy Innovation Lab shared a first statement in its “Solidarity Series” to keep partners, stakeholders, and community members apprised of the Lab’s efforts outlined in the initial statement including:

1. Continue to train a new class of public policy students in the Lab’s curriculum and methodology
2. Add specific antiracism training to the curriculum
3. Reflect on the role of the Lab in dismantling racism in this moment and the future
4. Continue and expand our partnerships with Black-led local grassroots organizations 
5. Host a McCourt-wide event in order to move the conversation around anti-racism forward, as many students look to become active in policy making and leadership roles

Over the course of the spring semester the Lab’s Equitable Development Team of Daniel Lee (MPP‘21), Mackenzie Loy (MPP‘21), Joanna Shell (MPP‘20) and Nick Stabile (MPP’21) worked on a report centered around equitable development and housing in Washington, DC. The team lead, Nick Stabile, wrote a student reflection and blog post to accompany the report. 

“Equitable development, particularly in Wards 7 and 8, is an issue situated at the intersection of people, power, and racial equity, which are all important focus areas of our work in the Policy Innovation Lab,”explained Stabile in the blog post. 

The Policy Innovation Lab’s focus on equitable development  reminded us that the Policy Innovation Lab is just that–a policy lab. In reflecting on Ibram X. Kendi’s quote shared below, we wanted to share some of the thinking behind creating antiracist, equitable policy that the Lab endorses, fosters, and requires. The second installment in the Solidarity Series outlines  Policies and Principles for an Equitable Recovery and Beyond and the team’s corresponding Equitable Development Report.

“A racist policy is any measure that produces or sustains racial inequity between racial groups. An antiracist policy is any measure that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups. By policy, I mean written and unwritten laws, rules, procedures, processes, regulations, and guidelines that govern people. There is no such thing as a nonracist or race-neutral policy. Every policy in every institution in every community in every nation is producing or sustaining either racial inequity or equity between racial groups.” 

-Ibram X. Kendi (How To Be An Antiracist)

We chose to capitalize White and Black for the reasons enumerated here. If this provoked thoughts, questions, or concerns for you, we welcome your response at Margaret.OBryon@georgetown.edu; ms4542@georgetown.edu; and/or gnc8@georgetown.edu.