Los Angeles Should Expropriate This Land and Give It to Tenants
Though slumlords are not directly to blame for our nation's wealth disparities, they profit from them. Seizing their property and giving it to tenants would produce a more just and equitable outcome than what has been practiced in the past.
COVID Through the Eyes of a South Asian Immigrant Teen
Why the federal government must allocate funds toward mental health counseling for youth and increase access to resources for immigrant families.
Uncage the Voters!
Here at Rooflines, we’ve been tracking recent reports from key swing states uncovering a coordinated GOP election strategy for suppressing votes of foreclosure victims....
Learning to Stretch
Community development corporations find ways to embrace new immigrant communities and new challenges.
Too Young to Vote, But Not Too Young to Engage
The Obama campaign headquarters were bustling five days before the election and two high school journalism students I brought there to report for their...
Not Your Granddad’s Suburb: Trump’s Racist Appeals Fall Flat In Diversified Suburbs
Trump attempted to win over the suburbs by using racist buzzwords, demonstrating his ignorance of what modern suburbia looks like.
Let’s Interrupt History: Racial Equity in a Time of Crisis
Data on the pandemic shows once again the dramatic consequences of racial inequalities. CDFIs must focus on ensuring equity for Black-owned businesses.
Why Opportunity Neighborhoods Aren’t Really for Everyone
Families living in opportunity neighborhoods are seen as actively translating opportunity into real benefits through their actions. But, of course, this is not what really happens.
Reflecting and Planning Using a Community Wealth Building Lens
Over an organization’s 25 years in existence, how do staff and volunteers measure impact and build off of lessons learned to guide their next steps forward?
DOJ Keeps An Eye On Michigan
Following reports out of Michigan earlier this month as outlined on this Rooflines post that state Republicans there were planning to use a list...
Have Yourself a Merry TRANSIT Xmas!
I’ve posted a bunch of great transit holiday photos over on my NRDC site. Please check them out, and happy holidays!
photo here of...
#ThisIsNotUs. Except, It Is.
We are constantly faced with the decision of whether to #TakeAKnee in our work, and whether we meet this challenge or not either reinforces our racialized landscape or disrupts it. What is clear is that we cannot sit on the sidelines with a universalist perspective, claiming to do good work.
Could High Gas Prices Have Positive Side Effects?
With The New York Times reporting an increase in mass-transit ridership as gas prices continue to climb, I’m reminded of my days as a...
A Partner, Not an Expert
Over the course of three decades in the development finance industry, I have learned that engaging and empowering those who have the greatest stake in their communities is the best way to achieve meaningful and lasting change.
The Connection Between Water, Justice, and Health
Our talk with Radhika Fox, the CEO of the US Water Alliance, about water justice and ways to build stronger communities.
The Problem with On-Demand “Transit”
While having door-to-door service might seem like an answer for areas poorly served by transit, it’s the wrong answer for both equity and ridership.
You’ve Seen One Hussein, You’ve Seen ‘Em All
I’ve been thinking about democracy a lot lately. It happens every time there’s an election. Every time I start getting bombarded by mailers for...
Crossing Neighborhood Boundaries
Equitable regions are stronger, healthier regions for everyone. This is becoming more and more of a bedrock understanding within our...
The Real Problem with the Model Minority Myth
There is a Time article—“The Real Problem When It Comes to Diversity and Asian-Americans“—that has been making the rounds on the Internet. As a card-carrying member of the Model Minority Myth Busters club, I am sympathetic with author Jack Linshi’s piece in that it seeks to discredit model minority mythology. However, there are a couple […]
Good News for Voting Rights
A three-judge panel blocked Texas's voter ID law today, stating the law would curb voter turnout and would foist “strict,...