Our Commitment to Racial Equity
We recognize that:
Due to structural racism, people of color are dramatically overrepresented among those who are experiencing homelessness—comprising approximately 60% of the homeless population in the United States, compared to 39% of the general population.
In PD9, people of color who are currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness represent 48% of those facing housing insecurity, while only accounting for 11.9% of its population.
Racial discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, education, criminal justice, and other systems contribute to high rates of homelessness for people of color.
In response, we will:
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Center racial equity to strengthen existing strategies and create new approaches that more effectively meet the needs of people of color experiencing homelessness.
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Craft prevention strategies to stem inflow of people of color into the homelessness system, particularly from criminal justice and foster care.
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Invest in ongoing racial equity training in our own organizations, and the Continuum.
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Ensure that research data collection efforts are racially-explicit and involve community participation in design and execution.
At its core, this is the work of equal justice, anti-oppression, and human rights for all. We commit to one another and to all people experiencing homelessness that we will continue to work until homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring.