Policy Initiatives

Overview

Greenlining creates a space for holistic policy-focused research and advocacy to bring diverse voices to the table and to overcome fragmentation of local advocacy, policy, and community organizing efforts.   Central to the work of the Institute is the “big picture” recognition of the interrelatedness of issues to our constituency…for example, the ways in which education affects our future socio-economic status, which affects our access to safe and affordable housing, which in turn affects our health, and so forth.  The Institute aims for nothing less than a paradigm shift across California’s movements for justice.

Overall, Greenlining believes fundamentally in the capacity of low-income and minority communities to determine their own destinies through real investment, leadership development, coalition building, and tenacious struggle for justice. The ultimate goal of the institute is to increase low-income and minority participation in policy-making, resulting in equitable policies that will improve the quality of life for all communities.

Claiming our Democracy, a program to reframe the campaign finance reform debate as a civil rights issue.

Bridges to Health, a program to improve health outcomes for California's low income and multi-ethnic communities through advocacy for increased health access, economic development, health workforce diversity and prescription drug industry reform.

Fair Growth & Sustainable Development, a program to ensure that economic growth in California is smart, fair, adequate, and equitable for all of its residents.

Consumer Protection, a program to defend low-income and minority communities from deceptive marketing and consumer victimization by utility and other companies. Learn more about our battle against "slamming", "cramming", and other practices which take advantage of the poor in our newly deregulated phone and utility markets.

Community Reinvestment & Sustainable Development, a program to secure financial investments in health, education, homeownership, employment, and entrepreneurship for all communities. We're working with banks to get more loans for lower-income families and with our legislature to take advantage of "brownfields" to build affordable housing

Higher Education, a program aimed at increasing higher education opportunities for all California students.

Annual Economic Summit, a long-running conference of minority business and corporate leaders, community-based economic development practitioners, civil rights activists, health advocates, and philanthropic leaders to discuss and seek solutions to California’s inequitable public and private policies.