ERI Events
Lunch and Learn Series: What Does it Mean to Conduct Community-Engaged Research?
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Doheny Library, DML 240
The Equity Research Institute (ERI) is hosting a Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, from 11am to 1pm, at USC in Doheny Library (DML) 240.
The first half of the event will consist of a panel conversation with scholars, staff, and community leaders discussing what it means and how to conduct inclusive community-engaged research in their respective fields. The panelists include Deisy Del Real (USC Assistant Professor of Sociology), Jennifer Ito (USC ERI Research Director), Thai Le (USC ERI Turpanjian Postdoctoral Fellow), Gary Painter (USC Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Homelessness Policy Research Institute), Kristin Nimmers (Policy and Public Affairs Manager at California Calls), and Pete White (Executive Director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network). The panel and Q&A will be moderated by Manuel Pastor (Distinguished Professor of Sociology and USC ERI Director).
The second half of the event entails small groups engaging in discussions about community-engaged research over lunch. Our goal is to deepen our practices and build on the excellent community-engaged research already occurring in so many places across the campus, and to support faculty, graduate students, and community members engaging in this kind of work.
Lunch and parking are provided!
Co-sponsored by the Homelessness Policy Research Institute, USC Department of Sociology, and USC Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3-28-eri
Past Events
Solidarity and Spirituality: Soul, Scale, Strategy in a Time of Crisis
Solidarity and Spirituality: Soul, Scale, Strategy in a Time of Crisis
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Together we are forging new futures so that our communities are sustained and thriving. This labor of love often looks external: Changing the material conditions through organizing, educating, voting, and more. It is long and dedicated work.
But what about the internal work? How does what happens internally impact our collective justice work? Are we fueled by love and grace for each other, or are we running on empty, about to burn out? How can we draw on the waters of our spiritual traditions to bring refreshment to ourselves and revolutionize our collective work for liberation?
Join us as nationally renowned Valarie Kaur (Revolutionary Love Project) leads us through a conversation that weaves her own work as well as new works by our other speakers: The Activist Spirit: Toward a Radical Solidarity (Victor Narro, UCLA Labor Center) and Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter (Chris Benner, UCSC; Manuel Pastor, USC).
Book Talk: Building Downtown Los Angeles: The Politics of Race and Place in Urban America
Building Downtown Los Angeles: The Politics of Race and Place in Urban America
Tuesday, October 25
12:00-1:00 p.m. PDT
Leland Saito, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California will discuss his new book "Building Downtown Los Angeles: The Politics of Race and Place in Urban America"
From the 1970s on, Los Angeles was transformed into a center for entertainment, consumption, and commerce for the affluent. Mirroring the urban development trend across the nation, new construction led to the displacement of lower-income people of color, as city officials targeted these neighborhoods for demolition to spur economic growth and bring in affluent residents.
Responding to the displacement, there emerged a coalition of unions, community organizers, and faith-based groups advocating for policy change. In his book, Saito traces these two parallel trends through specific construction projects and the backlash they provoked. He uses these events to theorize the past and present processes of racial formation and the racialization of place, drawing new insights into the relationships between race, place, and policy.
California Immigrant Data Portal Webinar
On Thursday October 20, 2022 the USC Equity Research Institute held a webinar to present the most recent updates to our online data tool, the California Immigrant Data Portal. The webinar included a tour of the website and highlighted updates to the California Immigrant Data Portal including:
• Two new data indicators: digital divide and languages spoken
• New interactive maps
• Updated data on refugees communities, immigrant voters, and more
We hope the California Immigrant Data Portal helps to inform immigrant equity and inclusion work throughout the state.
April 26, 2022: California for All
California for All: Towards a Strategic Plan for Immigrant Integration in the Golden State
Watch the webinar recording and access the data>>
April 25, 2022: California 100 to Release Reports on the Future of California's Health, Immigrant Integration, and Public Safety
California 100 Presents: Health, Immigration, and Public Safety: Scenarios for California's Future
You've heard of the future of work. What about the future of health & wellness? The future of immigrant integration? The future of public safety?
Join California 100, a new statewide initiative being incubated at the University of California and Stanford University, in unveiling issue and future scenario reports focused on these policy areas involving the future of health, immigrant integration, and public safety in California. On April 25, 2022 the California 100 research partners discussed their findings and possible scenarios for the future in a panel discussion.
The goal of California 100 is to lift up and support transformative ideas, people and projects that accelerate progress with a focus on inspiring a vision and strategy for California’s next century that is innovative, sustainable, and equitable. In addition to sponsoring original work, the California 100 Platform will promote the best of what is happening in California. Through these various projects and activities, California 100 seeks to move California towards an aspirational vision—changing policies and practices, attitudes and mindsets, for a more vibrant future. In total, California 100 will release 15 issue & future scenarios reports throughout the Spring and Summer of 2022.
Solidarity Economics: OUR Movement, OUR Economy
Solidarity Economics: OUR Movement, OUR Economy
A conversation with prominent national policy advocates and social movement leaders on Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor’s forthcoming book, Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter
Thursday, November 4, 2021
4:00-5:30pm PT (7:00-8:30pm ET)
Chris Benner is Professor of Environmental Studies and Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz
Manuel Pastor is Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California
Featured Speakers:
- Taifa Smith Butler, President of Demos
- Jennifer Epps-Addison, Network President & Co-Executive Director, Center for Popular Democracy
- Joseph Tomás McKellar, Executive Director of PICO California
Co-sponsored by: UCSC Institute for Social Transformation and USC Dornsife Equity Research Institute.
Visit the Solidarity Economics website for a full recap of the event>>
Corredores for Justice: A New Approach to Labor Migration in Central America and Beyond
Tuesday, October 19th at 12:30 PM
How do we reframe migration to move away from punitive policies and to focus instead on social and economic justice? How has the ongoing crisis of deportation and return exacerbated social inequities in Latin America, Canada, and the U.S.?
On October 19, 2021, scholars and community organizers from across the Americas will convene to discuss how a group of organizations are forming a hemispheric network to confront some of the complex issues tied to transnational migration.
Panelists include:
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Pablo Alvarado, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and NDLON partners in Latin America
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Gioconda Herrera Mosquera, Latin American Social Sciences Institute (FLACSO)
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Amparo Marroquín Parducci, José Simeón Cañas Central American University
Moderated by:
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Juan De Lara, USC Center for Latinx & Latin American Studies
In collaboration with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and the USC Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies.
Lead Local
Exploring Community-Driven Change and the Power of Collective Action
A Four-Part Webinar Series
8/26, 9/9, 9/21, and 9/28
Session 1 | The Power to Transform Communities
Thursday, August 26, 2021
11:00 - 11:45 am PT
Watch the recording of Session 1>>
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Session 2 | Profiles in Community Power: Building a People-Centered Movement
Thursday, September 9, 2021
10:00 - 10:45 am PT
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Session 3 | Profiles in Community Power: Multi-Issue and Multi-Racial Organizing
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
10:30 - 11:15 am PT
Session 3 | Profiles in Community Power: Multi-Issue and Multi-Racial Organizing
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
10:30 - 11:15 am PT
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Session 4 | The Power to Change Policies and Systems
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
10:00 - 10:45 am PT
Session 4 | The Power to Change Policies and Systems
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
10:00 - 10:45 am PT
IS SOUTH L.A. FORGING A NEW AMERICAN IDENTITY?
Tuesday, July 27th
6:30 PM
Mercado la Paloma
South Los Angeles, one of the West Coast’s last great working-class places, has been a destination point for two great migrations: African Americans arriving from the South and East, and, more recently, Latin Americans immigrating to Southern California. While media have long dwelled on examples of interracial and interethnic conflict there, the everyday reality of South L.A.’s ever-changing neighborhoods has revolved around Black-Brown co-existence, cooperation, and innovative multiracial organizing. How have South Central’s diverse residents managed to find solidarity in unsettling and polarizing times? What new and shared place-based identities have emerged from the area’s mix of histories and cultures? And what can the rest of L.A., and the U.S., learn from South L.A.?
USC sociologists Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo and Manuel Pastor, co-authors of South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A., and Corey Matthews, chief operating officer of Community Coalition, visit Zócalo to explore the lessons of South L.A.’s struggles and successes.
This event is produced in partnership with South Central Innervisions: An AfroLatinxFuturism multidisciplinary arts festival on July 31, 2021 at Mercado La Paloma.
Zócalo is back in-person, live at Mercado La Paloma! We’re also still here for our online audiences and will stream the event live on YouTube alongside our moderated chat room. Both audiences will have the opportunity to meet one another and submit questions to our speakers.
Real-time Spanish interpretation will be available on-site.
The Future of Immigrants in Los Angeles 2021 Summit
Leaders from the immigrant rights movement, public sector, and philanthropy will gather at Future of Immigrants in Los Angeles 2021 Summit for a free, three-day summit on June 8 - 10 (9am - noon PT).
Learn how immigrants have been powering LA County during the pandemic, the impacts of COVID-19 on LA immigrant communities, and propose bold policies that can help build an inclusive and just Los Angeles that celebrates and empowers those at the core of our success: immigrants.
The summit features the release of the updated State of Immigrants in Los Angeles County report by USC’s Equity Research Institute. The report unveils new data on how immigrants in LA County are faring on a range of indicators—civic and political participation, homeownership, educational attainment, the workforce—as well as data on the diversity of Los Angeles’ immigrant communities.
Spring 2021 Conference: Encuentro: Defending Migrant Rights Across the Americas
Join us for a full-day discussion on South America's innovative immigration policy solutions and how the United States can integrate more humane policy models.
Register > http://bit.ly/USC-Encuentro2021
USC Visions and Voices: Daughters of the Movement 3/29/21
The USC Equity Research Institute is proud to co-sponsor:
Daughters of the Movement
RSVP
DESCRIPTION:.
The Daughters of the Movement are legacy holders—a remarkable group of women who sat at the feet of those who were on the frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement:
Gina Belafonte—Daughter of Julie and Harry Belafonte
Suzanne Kay—Daughter of Diahann Carroll
Stacy Lynch—Daughter of Bill Lynch
Hasna Muhammad—Daughter of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee
Ilyasah Shabazz—Daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz
Dominique Sharpton-Bright—Daughter of Reverend Al Sharpton
Keisha Sutton-James—Granddaughter of Percy Sutton
The Daughters carry the oral history, cultural values, and wisdom passed down to them by revolutionary leaders who turned the tide of American history. Their memories about growing up and watching their parents at work overlap and intertwine, as did the lives of their parents—civil rights activists, artists, politicians, political strategists, religious leaders, and funders of the Movement. In an inspiring live conversation moderated by Kim Tabari, organizational development director of the USC Equity Research Institute, this multigenerational sisterhood will share their stories in order to empower and activate future generations.
About the Panelists:
Gina Belafonte is an actress, director, award-winning producer, and artivist. She is the Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice organization that educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in the service of grassroots movements and equitable change.
Suzanne Kay is a writer and filmmaker currently working on a documentary about her mother, the late actress Diahann Carroll. The producer and co-writer of the award-winning feature film Cape of Good Hope contributes to Huffington Post and writes a blog on race at suzannekaystory.com.
Stacy Lynch is running for NYC Council in the 7th District to bring greater equality to government and to heal the division and wounds in her city. As former Deputy Director in the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Stacy managed First Lady Chirlane McCray’s public affairs and the Mayor’s interaction with external government agencies and key community stakeholders.
Hasna Muhammad is a visual artist, writer, and educator whose work focuses on family, social justice, and the human condition. She provides preparation for executive leadership, diversity management, and community engagement in order to diversify educational and political leadership.
Ilyasah Shabazz is an award-winning author, speaker, and educator. She is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City where she emphasizes empowerment and inclusion in her teaching. She also works to preserve her parents’ legacies through the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.
Dominique Sharpton is an actress, producer, and activist. As the National Director of Membership for National Action Network, one of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations, Dominique activates and engages the next generation and impacts systemic change through local community development.
Keisha Sutton-James is a consultant who works with clients in political, media, activist, and corporate diversity spaces to ensure that people of color are represented in all of society’s corridors of power. She is currently producing PERCY100, a year of events and activations around the legacy of her grandfather, Percy Sutton.
Kim Tabari (moderator) is the organizational development director of the USC Equity Research Institute. She holds a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from California State University, Long Beach, and has worked at a variety of institutions both public and private. Her research training using qualitative methodology is in students of color, in particular, African American males persisting through higher education.
Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative in partnership with the Institute for Theatre and Social Change at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Co-sponsored by the USC Equity Research Institute, the Center for Black Cultural Student Affairs, the Black Student Assembly, and Brothers Breaking B.R.E.A.D.
California Immigrant Data Portal - October 27, 2020
Informing strategy, tracking progress, and connecting communities for a more inclusive and equitable California
Tuesday, October 27th
11:00am to 12:30pm PT via Zoom
Register here: http://tiny.cc/dataportal
Join us for the launch of the California Immigrant Data Portal, an interactive website developed by the USC Equity Research Institute. The portal presents data and case studies that can be used to better understand and promote the well-being of immigrants, their families, and their communities. We will provide a demonstration of the website and discuss how the site can help inform immigrant integration work throughout the state.
Event speakers:
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Cathy Cha, President, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
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Maricela Morales, Executive Director, Central Coast Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)
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Manuel Pastor, Director, USC Equity Research Institute
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Joanna Lee, Program Manager, USC Equity Research Institute
No Going Back: Together For An Equitable & Inclusive Los Angeles Launch
Wed, September 9, 2020
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PDT
Join us for the virtual launch of No Going Back LA: Together for An Equitable and Inclusive Los Angeles.
This a groundbreaking moment in LA’s history when we will unveil a policy blueprint for system change and transformation centered in racial equity. The Committee for Greater LA came together to understand the effects COVID-19 had on select populations in LA County and expanded to a broader understanding of systemic racism.
- Jae Canas, Community voice
- Miguel A. Santana, Chair; Committee for Greater LA
- Fred Ali, President and CEO, Weingart Foundation
- Jacqueline Waggoner, Vice President, Enterprise Community Partners
- Manuel Pastor, Director, USC Equity Research Institute
- Gary Segura, Professor and Dean, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Business, philanthropy, labor, government and other community leaders came together to address issues such as employment, housing and homelessness, education, youth and trauma, with COVID-19 as a throughline. Witness how the report used data to define LA’s structural breakdowns and offer policy solutions to advance racial equity, increase accountability, and spark a broad civic conversation. Ultimately, the Committee wants to ensure vulnerable and marginalized communities will be better off than they were before the crisis – there is no going back LA. Be a part of this moment, ask questions, and converse with the panelists about how you can engage in advancing racial equality.
Event archives
Coming soon!
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