Improving Life for Black Washingtonians

Here’s what’s needed:

Economic Security

• Identify the most significant barriers to economic opportunity for Black Washingtonians today.
• Enable economic policies to ensure that all families in Washington state can meet their basic needs.
• Increase the share of Black people with access to good jobs.
• Focus attention on African American wealth building and create opportunities that connect African Americans to the supports they need.

Education

• Provide adequate access to an education that will allow Blacks to compete for the jobs of today and the future.
• Invest in an equitable education system that provides quality experiences for African American children and engages parents.
• Tackle the education issues that result from gentrification.
• Expand high quality early learning opportunities for Black children and families.
• Provide resources Black students need to stay in school and excel.

Health

• Develop strategies for Black families to use to remain healthy in challenging environments.
• Promote policies so that everyone in the Black community has adequate access to health insurance and care.

Civic Engagement

• Tackle the community center issues that result from gentrification.
• Support African American community organizing to come together around a unified agenda.
• Create community-driven strategies to bring about a more just and equitable political system
• Improve state policies and programs to better meet the needs of Black youth to keep them out of the criminal justice system.