SPARCC sites were equipped for the events of 2020 due to the new relationships, trust, and administrative infrastructure built in the first three years of the initiative, which laid the foundation for an effective response in 2020.

This country, and much of the global economy, was built on anti-Black racism. The veneer of American exceptionalism would have you believe these days are long gone or even didn’t happen. Yet, anti-Black racism is embedded in the DNA of America.

By Vrunda Vaghela The Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC) is a multiyear initiative investing in and amplifying local efforts in six regions to ensure that public investments in the built environment reduce racial disparities, build a culture of health, and respond to the climate crisis. The initiative’s long-term goal is to change the […]

As the temperature rises globally, heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense, which has been shown to increase risks of respiratory, neurological, and heart issues, as well as risks of cancer and death.

What often gets lost in the commemoration of Juneteenth is that it is a celebration. Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Liberation Day, communities across this country have embraced this day through dance, song, art, and festivals. These celebrations remind us of what those last enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas must have felt when they received the news of their emancipation on June 19, 1865: Joy.

Through an unprecedented process involving deep community engagement and cross-sector collaboration, the City of Chicago recently prepared its first Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan. There are many lessons and insights applicable to other cities and regions. This webinar will delve into what it took to create the plan, recognizing that a lot of the work […]

I Guess I’ll Have To Play Pagliacci And Get Myself A Clown’s Disguise
And Learn To Laugh Like Pagliacci With Tears In My Eyes
I’m Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
And So Is Love, And So Is Love

-Allie Wrubel, Herb Magidson

For the murder of George Floyd, justice has been served. While legal in nature, the guilty verdict in Chauvin’s trial was an important milestone in addressing decades of wrongs not just by police, but by the criminal justice system.

They say the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. But when Mother Nature swept in with an unprecedented snowstorm in the Lone Star state the stars were the only thing you could see as massive power and water outages blanketed the state.

As the Biden-Harris administration implements more extensive COVID recovery measures, the importance of “building back better” has never been clearer. Instead of using recovery funds to return to what was, there is an opportunity to envision something better. This is particularly true in communities most adversely affected by the pandemic’s health and economic fallout; these same communities have been long subjected to intentional disinvestment by local, state, and national stakeholders. One pathway to a better future? Community ownership.