By and for community

At Voices for Racial Justice, we believe that it’s possible to build abundant futures where none of us are disposable, and all people have the resources, support, and autonomy to determine our own realities. 

We also believe that one essential approach to building those futures is community-centered policymaking. 

This is because at its core, policymaking guides decisions for the collective. From state budgets that fund or neglect our neighborhoods to requirements for public services that protect or undermine our basic human needs, policies determine the opportunities we have, and the barriers we face to creating our own realities.

But for generations, policymaking spaces have intentionally excluded the most impacted communities. Policymaking processes have been designed for people with very limited types of knowledge, very specific ways of communicating and, in many cases, the ability to respond to very rapid timelines. In this way, policymaking systems and policies themselves are purposely challenging to understand and made to feel distant from our daily lives. This makes it harder for us to advocate for the collective decisions we need to live with dignity and joy, and ultimately tips the scales in favor of people and corporations who profit from whiteness and wealth - all at the expense of the health, wellbeing, livelihoods, and self-determination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. 

It’s long past time to transform these systems so that they can truly represent and support the people. Each of us is the expert of our own experience, and we and our communities deserve to be heard and valued in the issues that impact us everyday. From housing to healthcare, we the people - not corporate donors or lobbyists - need to be at the center of the policies and laws that shape our lives. 

That’s why we’ve created a framework to center community in policymaking and advance racial justice, and a workbook to help community advocates, organizers, and elected officials be more intentional and inclusive in their work. As we collectively prepare to show up for racial justice in 2025, we invite you to join us by meaningfully centering community in your policymaking and advocacy efforts.

Whether you’re an organizer or lawmaker, policy advocate or evaluator, community member or ally, we are grateful for your interest in Centering Community in Policymaking: A Framework to Advance Racial Justice and are inspired to continue building with you in the new year.