After the election, the GARE membership network created a Rapid Response Working Group to share information, strategize, and respond to actions from the new administration that undermine racial equity. Given the uncertainty of our national political landscape, it is more important than ever that we are well organized as a network, within and between local jurisdictions, so that we have the capacity to be responsive to the moment while still moving a proactive agenda that advances racial equity.
This collective approach will allow us to provide timely guidance and resources to local jurisdictions, while elevating best practices from across the country that are in line with the values and vision of GARE. The Rapid Response Working Group is composed of GARE members, nonprofit partners, and experts from the field. The group meets on a bi-weekly basis and is structured in response to GARE’s normalize/organize/operationalize framing.
In addition to hosting a series of webinars on pressing issues—including immigration, housing, and public health to name a few—the group will identify ways to leverage the GARE membership network to maximize our impact and strengthen our movement.
“The Rapid Response team connects GARE members to timely information and content experts. Connecting to resources on the ground has helped our programs think more collaboratively and strategically about how we respond to our communities in this challenging time.”
-Janine Anzalota, Executive Director of the Office of Fair Housing and Equity in Boston and co-chair of the rapid response team
Current efforts underway include:
- Compiling resources to be shared through the GARE members-only portal of the website
- 2/24 webinar on actions that local jurisdictions can take to protect immigrant and refugee population
- Upcoming webinar (4/11) on strategies that public health departments are taking to support immigrants and refugees
- Upcoming webinar (4/20) on threats to the AFFH rule and local/state responses
For more information, or to get involved, email Rachael DeCruz at rdecruz@thecsi.org.