USC PERE and USC CSII have merged under a new name. Effective July 22nd, 2020, our new name and tagline is: USC Equity Research Institute (ERI): Data and Analysis to Power Social Change.
Visit our ERI website FAQ page to learn more about the rebrand.
Please stay tuned for news of exciting changes to PERE, and to the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) at USC.
The PERE/CSII staff is eager to continue our work in new ways, and to embark on the next phase of our organizational growth. An official announcement is planned for late July 2020.
June 18, 2020
A statement from PERE and CSII Director, Prof. Manuel Pastor on the Supreme Court's DACA ruling: https://dornsife.usc.edu/csii/news/
June 3, 2020
A message from PERE and CSII Director, Prof. Manuel Pastor: "Plan, Plot, Organize, Mobilize"
Visit PERE's Racial Justice page
June 2020
J. Mijin Cha is Assistant Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College, fellow at the Worker Institute at Cornell University and senior fellow at Data for Progress.
Professor Cha recently co-authored an article in the Environmental Law Review with PERE’s Manuel Pastor, and Madeline Wander titled, “Environmental Justice, Just Transition, and a Low-Carbon Future for California”.
Learn more about Professor Cha's research on Just Transition in this faculty spotlight article by Emma Yudelevitch, PERE Project Assistant.
May 11, 2020
By Dr. Kim Tabari
Organizational Development Director at PERE/CSII
USC PERE and CSII recently hosted a webinar titled, Behind Bars, Beyond Borders, to spotlight the experiences within migrant and incarcerated communities of an immigrant rights activist, a clinical emergency medicine doctor/faculty member, and a Black-life focused artist and abolitionist.
With over 160 students, faculty, staff, and community members, we learned how transformative alliances build social movements, and the role of politics, economics, and culture in that work.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Dr. Manuel Pastor joins Task Force of CEOs, civic and labor leaders, activists and prominent public servants, promising to focus his efforts on promoting innovation and inclusion, centering racial and economic equity, and lifting up the importance of democratic engagement.
USC PERE director, Dr. Manuel Pastor, was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on April 17, 2020 to a new, bi-partisan Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery.
Professor Pastor joins California business, labor, health care, and community leaders as the sole academic to recommend plans that protect California’s workforce and economy, with focus on the regions and communities most affected by the pandemic.
"California consistently leads the national response when it comes to progressive policies. Now is no exception. I am proud to join the governor’s Task Force with others from a diverse range of industries and sectors, to rebuild our economy with and for all Californians. To be sustainable, we cannot go back to the vulnerabilities of the past; We must instead center equity—ensuring that our new economy brings together innovation and inclusion, reduces racial and geographic differences, and supports democratic engagement. The type of solidarity and mutuality we are seeing now as we respond to our public health crisis must be operating principles for our economy as we move forward.” - Prof. Manuel Pastor
The Task Force will develop strategic plans that governments and businesses can use to help Californians recover from the coronavirus-induced recession while also shaping a fairer, sustainable, and prosperous future for all residents. It will convene twice a month through the end of 2020 to develop options for all Californians, emphasizing protections for those hardest hit by the pandemic.
Others on the Task Force include ex-Democratic presidential candidate and businessman Tom Steyer, who is leading the effort, and Apple CEO Tim Cook; former Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Aida Álvarez; CEO and Founder of Salesforce Inc., Marc Benoiff; SEIU President Mary Kay Henry; and UNITE Here President D. Taylor, among others. Read the full list of Task Force members here.
For media inquiries, contact: Gladys Malibiran, PERE/CSII Senior Communications Specialist
Recent PERE/CSII articles on the COVID-19 crisis
By Veronica Terriquez, UC Santa Cruz
May 2020
Youth organizing groups have stepped forward to offer young members a civics education, as well as practical information on the election process and government decision making. As a result, young Central Valley residents are learning how to shape social policies in ways that benefit their communities and engage others in having a voice. This research brief provides an overview of the campaign issues addressed by youth organizing groups and their impact on voter turnout.
By Dr. Veronica Terriquez, Randy Villegas, and Roxanna Villalobos
University of California, Santa Cruz
Spring 2020
California’s Central Valley has recently seen a rise in youths’ political activism. Between the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections, the number of young adults aged 18-24 who voted jumped from 32,414 to 85,007, an impressive 262% increase. While this upswing in turnout was certainly a response to the national political climate, youth members of community-based organizations in this largely agricultural region also played a central role in mobilizing voters. Their grassroots work was supported and documented by student leaders from the Central Valley Freedom Summer (CVFS) Participatory Action Research Project. As part of a university-community partnership, CVFS trained students at UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced to conduct research and work alongside community-based organizations. Its goal was to engage young people of color in improving their communities through electoral engagement and grassroots organizing.
March 2020
By Manuel Pastor and Justin Scoggins
With COVID-19 threatening the nation, certain populations are more vulnerable to its health, economic, and education impacts.
Community partners asked USC’s Program for Environmental & Regional Equity (PERE) to look at certain vulnerable populations in Los Angeles: the elderly, the undocumented, renters, and children on the other side of the digital divide.
March 2020
by J. Mijin Cha, Madeline Wander, and Manuel Pastor
“Just transition” often refers to addressing the needs of those communities, but an equitable transition into a low-carbon future should also take into account environmental justice communities that have suffered from disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards and that could and should benefit from job creation. This Article presents the results of a community-informed research project analyzing the challenges and opportunities of a just transition for environmental justice communities in California. Through interviews, case studies, and original data analysis, a framework for just transition policy development is presented built on four pillars: strong governmental support, dedicated funding streams, diverse and strong coalitions, and economic diversification.
February 2020
By Jennifer Ito, Justin Scoggins, and Manuel Pastor
This report is an update of Getting Real About Reform: Estimating Revenue Gains for Changes to California’s System of Assessing Commercial Real Estate, a report released in May 2015 that sought to provide empirical analysis to help generate a new level of civic—and civil—conversation about structural changes to the state’s property tax system and revenue implications (Ito, Scoggins, and Pastor 2015).
This is our third round of exploring one question: How much additional revenue would be generated through the 1-percent general tax levy if commercial and industrial property were assessed at market value? In Getting Real About Reform II, we estimate that an additional 11.4 billion dollars, or between 10.3 and 12.6 billion dollars, in property tax revenues would be available in 2021-22 if all commercial and industrial property were assessed at market value.
January 2020
By Veronica Terriquez and Jiayi Xu
University of California, Santa Cruz
Between the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections, the number of Californians aged 18 to 34 who voted increased by 292%. While contentious federal politics and the local concerns of youth populations helped motivate this turnout, deliberate efforts to mobilize young adults of color also made a significant difference. Using an experimental strategy, we assessed the campaign efforts of Power California, a network of youth organizing and civic engagement groups that implements youth-led campaigns to educate and mobilize eligible young voters of color in low-income and communities of color. Here we summarize findings from our experiments to demonstrate how the network’s collective efforts to get out the vote via telephone calls, texting, and social media increased turnout.
December 2019
By Veronica Terriquez
University of California, Santa Cruz
This report describes the TCE-supported Youth Power Infrastructure and indicators of impact. The report begins with a conceptual description of what youth power looks like at the individual, community, and regional/ statewide levels. Next, it turns to the organizations that directly serve youth, as well as the intermediaries that provide technical expertise and deepen networks among those trying to address health and racial disparities across the state. Finally, the report provides a brief accounting of fairly recent milestones and victories TCE-funded organizations have achieved in advancing health and well-being. The conclusion summarizes findings and offers suggestions for further strengthening this infrastructure.
Fall 2019
By Dr. Veronica Terriquez, Ph.D. and Jennifer Soto
University of California, Santa Cruz
This report draws on survey data collected from partner organizations in August 2017 as the network was beginning to train and plan for the 2018 election season. The first part of the report summarizes findings from panel survey data collected from a cohort of 13 organizations that were part of both the planning and implementation phases of campaign efforts targeting future 16- and 17-year-old voters, as well as 18- to 34-year-olds who were eligible to vote.
It offers insights into partner organizations’ growth during this time period, focusing on each organization’s level of experience with (a) voter registration; (b) voter education and outreach; (c) voter mobilization; and (d) voter tracking and data management. The second part of the report shares survey results from November 2018, evaluating the extent to which 20 partner agencies found Power California’s technical assistance helpful in advancing their organization’s efforts to reach young voters. In the conclusion, we summarize findings and emphasize the importance of funded networks that aim to increase the informed participation of young voters in elections.
By: Sabrina Kim, Arpita Sharma, Ashley Thomas, Jennifer Ito, and Manuel Pastor
November 2019
Small businesses are the backbone of the Los Angeles economy. As they grow and thrive, so do workers, families, communities, and cities. An often-overlooked opportunity for small business growth is procurement opportunities from public and private institutions. However, due to several challenges, including lack of access to lending and purchased protection for the customer, referred to as bonding, small businesses struggle to compete for these contracts. This is particularly true for people of color business owners and their communities. Los Angeles as a Host City asks how we can face those challenges and how we should prioritize investing our limited resources in order to build a more equitable region.
This research represents a new benchmark for understanding the diversity and specific geography of the Los Angeles small business community.
October 1, 2019
By: May Lin, Jennifer Ito, Madeline Wander, and Manuel Pastor
What happens in California can offer possibilities and pathways forward for a nation experiencing unease. After all, the demographic change in California presaged the nation’s change while the economic shifts in the Golden State also signal, for better or worse, America’s economic future. Getting policies that secure a more prosperous and inclusive California is critical for the state, but it is also instructive for the nation.
The report, Vote, Organize, Transform, Engage (VOTE): New Frontiers in Integrated Voter Engagement, highlights lessons from a decade of building that civic capacity in California. There are four themes from the Golden State IVE story that we think are relevant for Californians and non-Californians alike—and that we hope are easy to remember given its appropriate acronym: vote, organize, transform, and engage (VOTE). Taken together, these themes capture why groups employ IVE as a power-building strategy, what they are able to accomplish by harnessing IVE as part of their broader movement building, and the nuts and bolts of how they implement IVE.
Learn more>>
October 2019
By: Veronica Terriquez, Jiayi Xu, Randy Villegas, and Jennifer Soto
University of California, Santa Cruz
Between the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections,voter turnout among 18 to 24-year-olds in California more than tripled. Concerns about the country’s political dynamics may have motivated some to vote, but youth-led efforts also contributed to the increase in turnout.
Coordinated by the Power California network, grassroots youth organizing and civic engagement groups across the state involved high school-aged adolescents and young adults in conducting non-partisan outreach among their peers. They targeted youth in low-income, immigrant, and communities of color. Based on two years of mixed-methods research, we found four key elements of Power California’s 2018 campaign efforts that made a difference in educating and mobilizing young voters.
Equity is central to economic sustainability. PERE's new video illustrates how regions that are making progress on equity have stronger and more resilient economic growth. Learn what "just growth" means and how it connects to PERE's research and approach as well as what it means for building more racially just and sustainable communities.
The Bay Area Equity Atlas is a comprehensive data support system to track the state of equity across the region and equip community leaders with data to inform solutions for inclusive prosperity.
The Atlas is produced by the San Francisco Foundation, PolicyLink, and the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE).
Learn more at https://bayareaequityatlas.org
April 23, 2019
By: J. Mijin Cha
With: Manuel Pastor, Madeline Wander, James Sadd, and Rachel Morello-Frosch
Prepared for the Climate Equity Network
In the face of the looming climate crisis, any chance of staving off even worst impacts from climate change depends on significant reductions in GHG emissions and a move from a fossil fuel-based economy to a low-carbon economic future. California is already on the path to a low-carbon future and targeted, deliberate policy implementation will move the state toward an equitable one. This report provides a roadmap for a just transition for environmental justice communities built on four pillars:
1. Strong governmental support
2. Dedicated funding streams
3. Diverse and strong coalitions
4. Economic diversification
These pillars provide a framework for protecting communities and workers in the transition to a low-carbon future. While challenging, we can create a low-carbon future that not only creates opportunity but also addresses the historic burdens of the extractive economy.
March 26, 2019
By PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE)
Like much of California, Orange County experienced demographic change ahead of national shifts and will continue to do so through at least 2050. Today about 58 percent are residents of color however racial and economic inequalities persist, threatening future prosperity countywide.
An Equity Profile of Orange County examines demographic trends and indicators of equitable growth, highlighting strengths and areas of vulnerability in relation to the goal of building a strong, resilient economy. It was developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) to support Orange County funders, advocacy groups, elected officials, planners, business leaders, and others working to build a stronger and more equitable region.
February 4, 2019
Like other cities in Southern California, Long Beach became a majority people-of-color city decades ago, ahead of the national trend, and the pace of change is now slowing.
Today, seven in 10 Long Beach residents are people of color, yet persistent inequities by race, gender, and geography threaten the city’s economic vitality. Embracing diversity as an asset and advancing equity is the city’s path to a prosperous future.
This profile (including a summary and fact sheets) is designed to be a resource for all seeking to enhance prosperity for everyone in Long Beach, including advocacy groups, government agencies, elected officials, funders, business and civic leaders, and more.
January 2019
By Robert Chlala, Madeline Wander, Jennifer Ito, and Manuel Pastor
The 1000 Leaders (and More) Rising report aims to bring to light leadership development efforts—particularly Working Partnerships USA’s 1000 Leaders Project and similar programs, like the Oregon Futures Lab—and their local impacts.
These programs train grassroots leaders to run for office as well as support and equip them with the technical knowledge and political know-how to help them succeed in passing and implementing policies once elected.
December 3, 2018
By Manuel Pastor and Chris Benner
The American Prospect
Pastor and Benner's op-ed outlines the 12-step program for the California economy from PERE's From Resistance to Renewal report.
As the United States continues to face growing racial and economic inequities that leave one in three people in the nation unable to make ends meet, having a clear portrait of who is struggling, and why, is an essential first step in implementing policies and solutions that can bring millions of people into the middle class.
That is why PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California (USC) are excited to release 100 Million and Counting: A Portrait of Economic Insecurity in the United States, a critical analysis that sheds new light on the 106 million Americans — nearly a third of the nation — who are living below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, for whom even a short-term illness, loss of income, or emergency expense can be insurmountable.
Produced with the support of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the report shows that even with low unemployment, economic insecurity is growing rapidly. Since 2000, the population living below 200 percent of poverty has grown by 25 million — more than twice as fast as the nation's population growth overall.
In addition to nuanced data on who is economically insecure in America, the report details barriers to financial security and lifts up the bold policies that organizers, policymakers, business leaders, and others can pursue to foster a more inclusive and equitable economy.
October 2018
Prepared by USC PERE in collaboration with Health and Justice for All Power-Building Landscape Working Group
The Health and Justice for All Power-Building Landscape Assessment (PLA) is a scan and data-driven analysis of the organizational landscape in California that supports “historically-excluded adults and youth having power, agency, and voice in public and private decision making to create an inclusive democracy and close health equity gaps”—one of The California Endowment’ North Star Goals.
This brief provides a framework for understanding California’s power-building ecosystem—what is being referred to as the “power flower”—and strategies that drive policy, systems, and structural changes.
Our hope is that it also provokes new thinking and approaches to measuring power. To this end, we encourage taking an ecosystem approach. This necessitates an understanding that achieving health and justice for all Californians is beyond the reach of any single organization but rather requires an ecosystem of diverse organizations that can collectively influence the broad terrain where ideas, policies, and power are contested. At the center of California’s dynamic and constantly evolving ecosystem are organizing and base-building groups—but they alone are insufficient to influencing decision-making and so need an ecosystem of diverse and complimentary capacities.
October 24, 2018
As California faces off against the federal government on everything from immigration to climate change, the state has the opportunity to do something radically different: transform our infrastructure, education, workforce development, housing and transportation systems for the 21st century.
From Resistance to Renewal outlines a framework to help California shed its addictions to inequality and racism, and get it onto the path toward an inclusive economy that will benefit Indigenous, Black, and all communities.
Released on October 10, 2018
By Manuel Pastor, Vanessa Carter, and Maya Abood
Rent Matters shows that rent stabilization is one tool in addressing the housing crisis with far fewer negative impacts than is generally thought. It will not address everything but it also will not impede the housing market. It is a useful tool in a crisis.
Surveying existing research on rent regulations, we find that moderate rent controls do not constrain new housing, do promote tenant stability, may lead to condo conversion (which can be limited with other tools), and may deter displacement from gentrification.
Our data and communications teams at PERE/CSII have teamed up to bring you a new feature: Charts of the Week!
July 10, 2018
Authors from allied research organizations (Lara Cushing, Dan Blaustein-Rejto, Madeline Wander, Manuel Pastor, James Sadd, Allen Zhu, and Rachel Morello-Frosch) published a first of its kind study in the PLOS Medicine edition on climate change and health.
They examine potential social disparities in greenhouse gas and co-pollutant emissions under a California's carbon trading program, and if GHG regulation could yield public health benefits as well as reduce environmental inequities.
June 2018
By Alejandro Sanchez-Lopez, Robert Chlala, Pamela Stephens, and Manuel Pastor
This report analyzes education and employment outcomes for boys and young men of color in the United States and the workforce disconnections that occur between the two. Education and employment data provide a broad sense of the present conditions faced by young men of color and a glimpse into their prospects in a demographically and economically changing U.S. Taking a disaggregated look at standard workforce indicators like educational attainment, unemployment, and ‘disconnected’ youth allows for a deeper contextualization of the life outcomes for young men of color.
This report was prepared for RISE (Research Integration Strategies Evaluation) for Boys and Men of Color. RISE is a field advancement effort that aims to better understand and strategically improve the lives, experiences, and outcomes of boys and men of color in the United States.
June 19, 2018
Albuquerque is a growing, majority people-of-color city that is becoming even more diverse as communities of color drive the city’s growth. Embracing this rising diversity as an asset and addressing persistent racial and economic inequities is critical to the city’s prosperity.
We estimate that the Albuquerque metro economy would have been $11 billion larger in 2015 absent its racial inequities in income. This profile was produced by the National Equity Atlas partnership with PolicyLink and the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The profile was released in partnership with the City of Albuquerque and New Mexico Voices for Children, and will serve as a guide for the city’s new Office of Equity and Inclusion to set its racial and economic equity agenda.
June 6, 2018
The Omaha-Council Bluffs region continues to undergo a demographic transformation that has major implications for how the region charts a future of sustainable, inclusive prosperity. Communities of color – particularly a growing Latino population – are driving population growth in the region, making their ability to participate in the economy and thrive central to the region’s success. Equitable growth is the path to prosperity. Our updated analysis finds that closing wide racial gaps in income could have boosted the regional economy by nearly $4.8 billion in 2015.
April 23, 2018
The New York Times Book Review
How California Turned into a 'State of Resistance'
James Fallows called the book, "concise, clear and convincing," and notes how Pastor "contends that the redemptive arc of modern California’s history offers both cautionary and constructive guidance on a vision for the country as a whole."
Visit StateOfResistanceBook.com to purchase a copy, to read related articles by Manuel Pastor, and to stay updated on upcoming book tour events.
PolicyLink, the USC Program for Environmental & Regional Equity (PERE), and local partners have developed a set of briefs analyzing five Southern states and how various employment equity strategies are essential to each state’s future.
Based on data analysis and modeling of a “full-employment-for-all economy” (defined as an economy where everyone who wants employment can find a job—regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender), each brief highlights the potential gains for each state and outlines ways to reduce employment barriers for economically insecure working-age adults.
Read more and download the reports and fact sheets for:
April 10, 2018
Solving the Housing Crisis Is Key to Inclusive Prosperity in the Bay Area presents new data and analyses that illustrate how rising rents and stagnant incomes are straining household budgets and stifling opportunity in the nine-county Bay Area, jeopardizing the region’s diversity, growth, and prosperity.
The report was developed as part of the Bay Area Equity Atlas, a partnership between PolicyLink, The San Francisco Foundation, and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity at the University of Southern California (PERE) that is working to create a regional platform designed to provide data and serve those who are seeking to advance solutions at a local and regional scale.
March 2018
By Jennifer Ito, Manuel Pastor, May Lin, and Magaly Lopez
A Pivot to Power: Lessons from The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities about Place, Health, and Philanthropy offers a mid-initiative assessment of TCE’s 10-year investment in building “people power” capacity in 14 diverse communities. The report is based on surveys from grantees funded to organize in one or more of the 14 sites receiving grants through BHC and interviews with organizers, funders, intermediaries, and academics. The data is clear: There is evidence of increased capacity in BHC places to organize people who are usually excluded from the policymaking process such as documented and undocumented immigrants, young people, formerly incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQ individuals. Through campaigns, they are developing their voice, leadership, and advocacy skills to influence neighborhood, local, regional, and statewide decision-making processes.
Adapted from A Pivot to Power, the Sustaining People Power brief summarizes the organizing capacity supported by BHC and identifies key challenges and recommendations for sustaining capacity based on interviewee insights.
Over the past five years, USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity and PolicyLink have engaged in a formal partnership to highlight the potential corrosive impact of inequality on growth and the particular way in which persistent racial disparities may threaten future prosperity. A cornerstone of our partnership is the National Equity Atlas.
The Southern California Equity Atlas is a joint project of PolicyLink and PERE that seeks to produce equity reports and analysis specific to six-county region. The intent is to put forth compelling data and a frame that is inclusive so as to engage a broad cross-section of stakeholders yet focused so as to support active campaigns led by the region’s social justice organizations.
In November 2016, Los Angeles County voters approved ballot measures to invest public funding into infrastructure that will improve the sustainability, connectivity, and livability of our region: Measure M for the build-out of our transportation infrastructure and Measure A for parks and open space. To ensure that these funding streams are invested equitably will require strong and coordinated implementation.
The new report, Measures Matter: Equitable Implementation of Los Angeles County Measures M & A, is a framework for equitable implementation developed by PERE and our partners. Measures Matter provides an overview of equity in Los Angeles County, a definition of equitable implementation, eight principles for equitable implementation, specific recommendations for moving forward, and more.
In this unique moment in which Angelenos have voted to invest in ourselves and our region, Los Angeles has the opportunity to forge a new model for infusing equity into infrastructure build-out for the nation.
August 17, 2017
Thanks to all who came out for "Infrastructure that Uplifts" event last night!
Shout out to ACT LA: Alliance for Community Transit Los Angeles, many volunteers, interpreters, techs, and event staff who helped make it happen.
If you missed it, you can still watch the full livestream video online.
Special thanks to the inspiring and powerful panelists (pictured above, from left to right): Madeline Janis, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Angela Glover Blackwell, Isela Gracian, and moderator Manuel Pastor.
For all the folks who were tweeting (in person or via livestream), thanks for making #UpliftLA trend in LA!
September 6, 2017
By Manuel Pastor, Justin Scoggins, and Sarah Treuhaft
In 2015, 78 percent of America’s seniors were white while 49 percent of the nation’s youth were people of color—a phenomenon that we call the racial generation gap. To the extent that racial divides result in predominantly white seniors choosing not to invest in a more racially diverse young population, this could hamstring the development of the next generation of workers and leaders. This research brief by PolicyLink and USC PERE examines the growth of the racial generation gap and its effect on per-child k-12 education spending—and shows why it is critical to ensure equitable school funding, direct investments in youth, and build multi-generational coalitions for change.
April 28, 2017
KCET
By Manuel Pastor and Gloria Walton
"Twenty five years ago, Los Angeles exploded in the worst urban civil unrest in contemporary American history.
Ground zero for the social upheaval was South L.A., an area battered by deindustrialization and job loss, wracked by a crack epidemic and gang warfare, and frustrated by policing practices that best resembled those of an occupying force. Added to the brew was a rapid demographic shift — from 80 percent Black in 1970 to nearly half Latino by 1992 — that strained community institutions.
Flash forward to today and some might surmise that little has changed: South L.A. still boasts unemployment and poverty rates far above the county average, police-community relations are improved but remain fraught with concerns over excessive force, and the demographic denouement seems complete, with some older Black residents wondering about their place in an area that is now two-thirds Latino..."
August 1st, 2017
By Veronica Terriquez, PhD
Professor Veronica Terriquez's summary report outlines key themes, impacts, and developmental outcomes of youth organizing in the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative.
Learn more and download the PDF (2 pages) >>
If you missed our panel at the Forward LA conference, check out the event page for links to the recorded livestream and more.
Check out all the event photos on Flickr >>
Info about "Which Way, South LA" >>
March 2016
By Dr. Veronica Terriquez and Stephen Carmona Mora, University of California, Santa Cruz
PERE features two new reports on the YVote partnership between the Movement Strategy Center (MSC) and Mobilize the Immigrant Vote (MIV) which brought together grassroots youth and electoral organizations across California.
Learn more about Building a Movement to Mobilize Young Voters: Results from the 2016 YVote Partners Panel Survey and the YVote Bootcamp and Technical Assistance Summary Evaluation reports here >>
March 2017
In collaboration with the Weingart Foundation, PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity have released An Equity Profile of the Los Angeles Region which highlights the widening inequities in income, wealth, health, and opportunity in Los Angeles County.
While the nation is projected to become a people-of-color majority by the year 2044, Los Angeles reached that milestone in the 1980s. Los Angeles’ diversity is a major asset in the global economy, but inequities and disparities are holding the region back. The report underscores how closing racial gaps in economic opportunity and outcomes will be key to the region’s future.
February 2017
By Chris Benner of the Everett Program at UCSC and Manuel Pastor of the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) at USC
In collaboration with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)
Learn more and read the report >>
According to PERE/CSII director Manuel Pastor, "The battle begins now." But what can Democratic California do in light of a Trump victory? Prof. Pastor's latest piece for Capital & Main offers some advice for overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.
"California has the ability to exert enormous pressure on everything from markets and mores to politics and policy, a position it has ably demonstrated in its leadership role in addressing climate change, despite federal inaction."
November/December 2016
By Prof. Veronica Terriquez, University of California Santa Cruz
Since 2010, The California Endowment (TCE) has invested in youth leadership and youth organizing groups as a key component of its Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative. This summary report draws on survey data collected from the regular participants, or “core” youth members, of 98 organizations that engage their members in grassroots organizing and advocacy, media production and cultural arts, practices that promote healing and well-being, and/or other activities.
This report provides a demographic profile of participants and describes their involvement. It also presents self-reports of how youth acquire a range of civic and educational skills and experiences, while also enhancing their own well-being. Gathered just after the 5-year midpoint of the BHC initiative, survey results evidence how the BHC initiative is contributing to the leadership and healthy development of a large cohort of California’s youth.
In addition to the statewide report, we are also adding reports for each of the 14 BHC sites throughout November and December.
Learn more and download the 2016 California report and individual BHC site reports >>
September 14, 2016
By Lara J. Cushing, Madeline Wander, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Manuel Pastor, Allen Zhu, and James Sadd
California’s cap-and-trade program is a key strategy for achieving reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under AB32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act. It not only offers the possibility of reducing GHGs, which cause climate change, but also reducing other accompanying pollutants, like particulate matter (PM10), the directly harm the health of nearby residents.
In this research brief, we use data from the California Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Census to assess inequalities in the location of GHG-emitting facilities and in the amount of GHGs and PM10 emitted by facilities regulated under cap-and-trade. We also provide a preliminary evaluation of changes in localized GHG emissions from large point sources since the advent of the program in 2013.
Learn more and download the brief >>
June 2016
by Veronica Terriquez, PhD and Abdiel Lopez
Initiated in 2010 by The California Endowment (TCE), the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative has sought to increase access to resources that promote health and well-being in 14 low-income communities across the state.
This report inventories youth programming at the BHC initiative’s five-year midpoint. Drawing on web-survey data collected from the staff of 132 youth-serving organizations across the state, this report describes the characteristics of youth organizations and their participants. It also lists key community issues that youth organizations are seeking to address and describes youths’ roles in grassroots efforts.
Learn more about BHC Youth Leadership and download reports >>
May 2016
Primary Authors: Manuel Pastor, Jennifer Ito, and Madeline Wander;
Contributors: Chris Benner, Vanessa Carter, Robert Chlala, Jared Sanchez, and Alejandro Sanchez-Lopez
As the dust settles on the June primaries and just weeks away from the July conventions, progressives may now find themselves reflecting, restrategizing—and perhaps simply recouperating—for what looks to be a very full five months to the November election.
PERE's newly released report, Changing States: A Framework for Progressive Governance, proposes a shift in thinking: one that looks beyond electoral moments to understand how movements shift power and policy.
A culmination of over a year of in-depth research, the Changing States report offers a three-part framework—conditions, arenas, and capacities—for determining pathways to progressive governance, as well as a set of recommendations for the field and data tools.
Our hope is that Changing States helps to provoke new dialogue among funders, strategists, advocates, and organizers, as well as spur new collaborations to forge pathways toward sustained social change and transformation.
How are people working across the U.S., across lines of political, religious, and social difference? How does the “softer” side of politics—dialogue, culture, and education—link to tangible, “hard” changes in policy and in people’s everyday lives?
Thank you to everyone who attended Turning The Page On Hate last week! If you weren't able to attend, you can still view the event stream online. Watch the video here.
October 13, 2015
We are excited to announce the official release of Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor's new book, Equity, Growth, and Community: What the Nation Can Learn from America's Metro Areas.
The book is now available in paperback and as a free ebook download in many formats via the UC Press Luminos platform.
Visit GrowingTogetherMetro.org to explore interactive data tables, download resources, and links to the many leaders and organizations featured in the 11 metro region case studies at the heart of this book.
Continue the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #GrowingTogetherMetro
September 16, 2015
By Manuel Pastor, Vanessa Carter, Alejandro Sanchez-Lopez, and Robert Chlala
Histories matter, movements matter, and models matter for achieving mutually beneficial wins
Planning, Power, and Possibilities tells the story behind two community benefits negotiations forged by the United Neighbors in Defense Against Displacement (UNIDAD) coalition in South Central Los Angeles.
In two community organizing victories, UNIDAD has proven that community organizations and private developers can forge a shared future, using tools like community benefits agreements (legal agreements on new real estate development projects).
August 13, 2015
How much stronger could the economy be if everyone who wanted a job could find one—regardless of race,
ethnicity, or gender?
To inform the Center for Popular Democracy's "Fed Up" campaign, PolicyLink and PERE calculate the social and economic benefits of race and gender equity in employment. We produced 13 fact sheets illustrating what the U.S. economy—and the economies of the 12 metropolitan regions where each Federal Reserve office is located—could look like with full employment.
8/11/15 - The Washington Post blog cited this research report. Read more >>
July 31, 2015
In his most popular HuffPo blog to date, PERE's Manuel Pastor used data to refute claims made in recent column by Joel Kotkin which criticized Kevin De León (President pro Tempore of the CA State Senate) for his actions on climate change.
Manuel Pastor cited polling data showing widespread support among California Latinos for environmental action, and points out that De León has "worked hard to insure actions his constituents clearly want - state policies to address climate change - and also fought to make that consistent with creating jobs and addressing social disadvantage."
July 29, 2015
By Manuel Pastor, Alejandro-Sanchez Lopez, and Jennifer Ito
How can the next San Diego be a more equitable San Diego?
PERE's new report, "Linking Innovation with Inclusion: Demography, Equity, and the Future of San Diego," presents an in-depth analysis of equity and growth indicators for the region and offers nine unifying strategies to bring the region's diverse stakeholders together toward a common agenda for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
June 2015
By Rachel Rosner and Madeline Wander
With an Executive Summary by Manuel Pastor
What role do movement networks play in social movement building? What are the conditions for innovative, values-based leadership development to strengthen cross-movement innovation and collaborations?
Learn more and view report >>
May 2015
By Manuel Pastor and Jared Sanchez
A new PERE report, #WomenCanBuild:Including women in the resurgence of good U.S. manufacturing jobs, shows how addressing the underrepresentation and wage disparities for women in transit manufacturing can be good for econonomic growth. The report presents data on the state of manufacturing, stories of women in the industry, and promising best practices.
May 2015
By Jennifer Ito, Justin Scoggins, and Manuel Pastor
In this brief, we build provide an analysis of ten consecutive years of county assessor data on all non-government-owned commercial and industrial property in California covering the years 2004 to 2013.
April 24, 2015
By Manuel Pastor, Jennifer Ito, and Vanessa Carter
Commissioned by the Generations Initiative
The nation is a-buzz about its majority multi-ethnic future. By 2044, the U.S. is predicted to become a majority-minority nation. Since 2011, the majority of births have been to people of color, and by the end of the decade, the majority of youth will be of color. But across the nation, regional stakeholders and decision-makers are asking what this means for the future. What is the impact and how should they respond?
April 22, 2015
By PolicyLink and PERE
The Bay Area is booming, but a rising tide economy is not lifting up its low-income communities and communities of color. As communities of color continue to drive growth and change in the region, addressing wide racial inequities and ensuring people of color can fully participate as workers, entrepreneurs, and innovators is an urgent priority. Our analysis finds that the regional economy could have been $117 billion stronger in 2012 had its racial gaps in income and employment been bridged.
Learn about equitable growth for the San Francisco Bay Area region >>
March 31, 2015
By PolicyLink and PERE
As the Research Triangle Region undergoes a profound demographic transformation, ensuring that communities of color are full and active participants in the region’s economy is critical to its success and prosperity. This profile, produced in partnership with the Triangle J and Kerr-Tarr regional Councils of Governments and guided by a 26-member advisory committee, describes how the 13-county regional economy could have been about $20 billion stronger in 2012 absent its large racial economic gaps, and presents strategies to put all residents on the path toward reaching their full potential.
Learn more about equitable growth in the Research Triangle Region >>
February 11, 2015
By PolicyLink and PERE
The Cape Fear region is experiencing a demographic transformation characterized by a diversifying younger population and a rapidly growing senior population that is predominantly White. To secure a thriving economy for the decades to come, the region must tap the economic potential of its growing young population. Building education and career pathways for all and ensuring young workers are prepared for the jobs of the future are key strategies for inclusive growth in the region.
Learn about equitable growth in the Cape Fear region >>
February 5, 2015
We are excited to announce that Prof. Manuel Pastor was recently installed as the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change. As the Turpanjian Chair, Prof. Pastor aims to connect PERE/CSII's community allies, scholars, change makers,and the university as a whole for research that makes an impact on the civil society sector.
For an event recap, read USC Dornsife's feature story >>
December 4, 2014
By PolicyLink and PERE
The Piedmont Triad region in North Carolina—covering 12 counties and home to the cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point—is a growing region whose demographics are rapidly changing. Communities of color are driving growth, and have increased from 20 to 33 percent of the population since 1980. Ensuring its diverse residents can participate in the regional economy and contribute to stronger job growth and broadly shared prosperity is critical for the region’s future.
Learn about equitable growth in the Piedmont Triad region >>
December 2, 2014
By PolicyLink and PERE
Omaha-Council Bluffs has a relatively strong and resilient regional economy, with overall low unemployment and steady job growth. At the same time, wages have stagnated for most workers and many communities of color face barriers to accessing good jobs, living wages, and the education needed for the jobs of the future. Increasing connections to good jobs, raising the floor for low-wage work, and building communities of opportunity metro-wide are key strategies to shift the region towards equitable growth.
Learn about equitable growth in the Omaha-Council Bluffs region >>
November/December 2014
By Jennifer Ito, Rachel Rosner, Vanessa Carter, and Manuel Pastor
Transforming Lives, Transforming Movement Building documents the impacts and lessons from a two-year transformative leadership and movement building program to strengthen the domestic worker movement.
In collaboration with trainers from generative somatics (gs) and Social Justice Leadership (SJL), the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) took a cohort of 60 domestic workers and organizers through an intentional process of transformation that integrated political somatics practices with leadership skills for organizing and building power.
Learn more and download the report >>
November 5, 2014
The November 2014 issue of the Health Affairs journal includes an article by PERE's Manuel Pastor and Rachel Morello-Frosch around the theme of "Collaborating for Community Health." Pastor and Morello-Frosch called for "public health to reconnect to urban planning in ways that emphasize the impact of place on health and that address fundamental causes of poor health, such as poverty, social inequality, and discrimination."
More info via Health Affairs >>
October 22, 2014
How much could the economy benefit from racial inclusion? How can we put tools and data into the hands of community leaders and policymakers who want to help build an equitable economy for all?
This research brief by PolicyLink and PERE estimates the economic boost of racial inclusion for the largest 150 regions, all 50 states, and the nation. One key finding was that the national economy stands to grow $2.1 trillion every year from racial equity. As part of this research, PolicyLink and PERE also developed a new interactive website, the National Equity Atlas.
October 29, 2014
Citing PolicyLink and PERE's report The Equity Solution, the National Journal's Janie Boschma explains why cities all across the country would benefit from racial equity.
October 14, 2014
By PolicyLink and PERE
Learn more and download the Houston-Galveston regional equity profile >>
Media coverage:
Estudio: urge dar más oportunidades educativas y laborales a hispanos en sureste de Texas - by Álvaro Ortiz, La Voz de Houston
October 7, 2014
ABC7's Elex Michaelson interviewed Manuel Pastor in a piece looking at the context of local poverty and Mayor Garcetti's proposal to increase the L.A. minimum wage.
June 2014
by PolicyLink and PERE
The newest regional equity profile in partnership with PolicyLink, "An Equity Profile of Southeast Florida" shows how communities of color are driving the region's population growth, and how addressing racial gaps in income, health, and opportunity can lead to inclusive economic growth for all.
April 24, 2014
"Sharing Solar's Promise: Harnessing LA's FiT to Create Jobs and Build Social Equity" is a joint USC PERE/UCLA Luskin Center study conducted on behalf of the L.A. Business Council Institute. This report discusses the benefits of investing in solar equity "hot spots" and how high-need and high solar potential communities can spur economic growth and foster environmental sustainability.
February 2014 -April 2014
PERE partnered with KCET Departures for a compelling series of web articles exploring what transportation equity means for Los Angeles and its residents.
Based on the research from our report, "An Agenda for Equity," this series featured guest writers and neighborhood stories from organizations creating their vision of the Next L.A.
Learn more about our L.A. in Motion series >>
February/March 2014
By Manuel Pastor, Jennifer Ito, and Anthony Perez
In this report, PERE featured the early years of The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative, and offered a narrative to support efforts to shape its future. PERE created three-part storyline linked together by an overarching concept of "Just Health"—a vision for California centered on equity.
March 2014
by Jennifer Tran and Sarah Treuhaft
Minnesota’s Tomorrow: Equity is the Superior Growth Model is a joint report from PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) which documents the costs of racial inequities and the work under way to address these disparities in the state.
December 2013
By Jeffrey O. Sacha, Jared P. Sanchez, Ange-Marie Hancock, and Manuel Pastor
A Foot in Both Worlds: Institutionalizing Progressive Community-Engaged Research Centers within Universities explores the relationship between universities and the public through the recent development of progressive community-engaged research centers (PCERCs).
Learn more and view the report >>
Click to tweet and share this report! >>
November 2013
By Vanessa Carter, Manuel Pastor, and Madeline Wander
An Agenda for Equity: A Framework for Building a Just Transportation System in Los Angeles County put forward a framework for how investing with equity can lead to more sustainable economic growth for a region. PERE's research and narrative demonstrates why equity matters at every stage of transportation planning and development.
Learn more and view the report >>
Click to share this report on Twitter >>
September 2013
By Juan D. De Lara, Ph.D.
Juan De Lara, PERE affiliate researcher, released a new report on the needs of blue-collar warehouse workers and their families in the midst of economic recovery.
Learn more and view the report >>
The National Equity Atlas was developed by PolicyLink and PERE as a tool for the growing movement to create a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient economy. The Atlas contains data on demographic changes and racial and economic inclusion for the largest 150 regions, all 50 states, Washington DC and the U.S. as a whole.
Explore all the data tools for your region at http://nationalequityatlas.org
