Our Power: SPARCC Introduces Pathways to Community Prosperity

It is impossible to ignore the concurring injustices of our time– undeniably thrust into the nation’s consciousness through the events of 2020 and now. We stand at the intersection of grave racial, economic, health, and environmental injustices. Like any crossroad, there are different pathways forward. We know that there is no single pathway that will apply to all communities, all organizations, and all people. There will be many pathways that lead us to a more just and equitable future. In that spirit, we are proud to release our platform, Pathways to Community Prosperity.

>> Find Pathways to Community Prosperity here or below.

This platform was created in partnership with national and community-based partners from across Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Memphis and the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a living document that represents four years of collective work and collaboration to confront the ongoing issues at the intersection of race, climate, and health. In this document we articulate our own SPARCC work and subsequent recommendations. Our goal is to influence local and national policy advocacy, organizations working in community development, health and climate organizations, and ensure our goals are in alignment with local work and community needs. 

We believe in our collective power to push us forward and realize a racially-just restorative future for our communities, for our economy, and for our planet.

We organized this platform to:

• Center race and elevate intersectional policies that advance health equity and climate justice. 
• Focus on the immediate needs of people and communities and elevate local ideas for equitable and just recovery and development.
• Offer recommendations to achieve greater local control and community ownership
• Serve as a tool for coordination and collaboration between local and national partners.
• Include policies that are implementable and actionable across the collective SPARCC communities and across various local, state and national levels. 

Through our recommendations we hope to engage with community residents, national, state and local public officials, advocates, organizers, non-profit organizations, and those connected to community development, including funders, to influence equitable solutions that fall under four focuses areas:

• Restorative and Regenerative Economy
• Housing as a Human Right
• Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD)
• Parks and Open Space Equity

During the coming weeks we will provide more in-depth context for our recommendations that serve a larger ecosystem of policies and programs needed for more just and sustainable communities. Each section was created by a SPARCC work group composed of representatives from local and national organizations across the six SPARCC regions. Like communities themselves each section has a slightly different format and focus. Each reflects the many conversations that took place during the traumatic and revolutionary past year. This policy platform does not represent the totality of possibilities. Rather it includes those areas where SPARCC partners are already at work, and where greater local, state and national advocacy will be required for the next couple of years. 

We ask that you check out our policy platform and join with us as we work to create a more fair and equitable future for all.