Our Mission
The USC Dornsife Equity Research Institute (ERI) seeks to use data and analysis to contribute to a more powerful, well-resourced, intersectional, and intersectoral movement for equity.
Values
• Leading with optimism and vision
• Providing support and respect
• Being accurate and credible
• Centering the community and racial equity in all our work
Community Collaboration and Power
ERI believes that we should center the voices of socially, economically, racially, and environmentally marginalized communities in our work. Collaboration with community partners expands our perspective, makes for better research and policy recommendations, and co-creates effective power-building strategies.
Connection Through Community-Centered Data and Dialogue
ERI believes that focused, interdisciplinary exploration with rigor uncovers credible and actionable analysis that can result in new, more effective equity narratives that strengthens organizations, connects communities, and powers movements.
History
Led by Professor Manuel Pastor, the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) was founded in 2007. PERE’s mission was to provide forward-looking, actionable research to support community-based organizations, funders, and other stakeholders working towards social, racial, economic and environmental justice.
In 2008, PERE incubated the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) to remake the narrative for understanding, and to shape the dialogue, on immigrant integration in America. CSII’s work focused on data, events, and publications on immigrant integration and immigration topics. CSII also developed a network of faculty affiliates across the university involved with immigration issues and scholarship. In 2017, CSII launched the Immigrant Integration Wire blog.
As of July 28th, 2020, PERE and CSII merged into one center now known as the USC Equity Research Institute.
For more information about the name change, visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Donate to the Equity Research Institute
Please consider supporting ERI to help our data, analysis, and narratives reach beyond the university to a world in need of solid facts, civil dialogue, and community-driven solutions.
Visit our donation page on the Give to USC website. Select “USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity Fund” (our former name) to direct your contributions to our work.
Thank you for your support!