About this webpage:
Homelessness would not exist to the extent that it does without racism. Every system (especially housing) that leads to homelessness is rooted in a history of oppression and, at least implicitly, continues to marginalize people who are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. But it is not just history and feeder systems at play: the homeless services sector itself is complicit in racial injustice if it is not actively working to confront it.
In this context, the Racial Equity and Diversity Committee of the Nashville Continuum of Care has organized the following resources for CoC members and others interested in housing/homelessness. Not meant to be comprehensive, these resources serve as a foundation for understanding racism as something beyond a list of bad words, focusing on the impact of racism on housing and homelessness, accompanied by tools that promote antiracist practices within organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness.
Inclusion Criteria:
All resources must
Resources:
Understanding racism as a structure and system
Resource Submission Process:
To submit a recommendation for resource addition, please e-mail April Calvin at [email protected].
All submissions must fit the above criteria and will be reviewed by a staff person from MHID and members of the Continuum of Care Equity and Diversity Committee.
Homelessness would not exist to the extent that it does without racism. Every system (especially housing) that leads to homelessness is rooted in a history of oppression and, at least implicitly, continues to marginalize people who are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. But it is not just history and feeder systems at play: the homeless services sector itself is complicit in racial injustice if it is not actively working to confront it.
In this context, the Racial Equity and Diversity Committee of the Nashville Continuum of Care has organized the following resources for CoC members and others interested in housing/homelessness. Not meant to be comprehensive, these resources serve as a foundation for understanding racism as something beyond a list of bad words, focusing on the impact of racism on housing and homelessness, accompanied by tools that promote antiracist practices within organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness.
Inclusion Criteria:
All resources must
- Have been used and trusted (not just read) by the submitter;
- Be reviewed by someone at MHID before posting;
- Directly relate to the work of Continuums of Care;
- Coincide with the values represented in the antiracism pledge adopted by the CoC Homelessness Planning Council (Scroll down for pledge);
- Include a description and call to action;
- Be accessible without subscription or fee.
Resources:
Understanding racism as a structure and system
- Structural Racism and Community Building (2004); Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change | While a bit old and lengthy, this report is an oft-cited overview of the meanings of structural racism and white privilege and how it plays out in society and systems. It also includes a helpful FAQ list on issues of race and racism. Use this to encourage staff and Board members to think of racism beyond the interpersonal dimension.
- Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities: Phase 1 Findings (2018) C4 Innovations | Well known to many in the Continuum of Care world, the SPARC report was the first major effort to call attention to the racial disparities in homelessness. While the demographics had been known through the AHAR, the SPARC reports reflects deeper research into the causes of the disparities, the experiences of Black and Brown people experiencing homelessness, and the racial makeup of the homeless-services-sector staff. Consider this foundational to understanding the intersection of racism and homelessness.
- Segregated by Design ; Silkworm Studios (2019) | This 18-minute, animated video compellingly summarizes Richard Rothstein’s acclaimed book The Color of Law, and is narrated by the author. Use this video as an alternative to articles/reading to educate staff on the history of racist policy decisions that lead to housing segregation and the widening wealth gap.
- Homelessness and Racial Equity (2021); National Racial Equity Working Group | This 2-minute, animated video summarizes why homelessness is a racial justice issue. Use this to get initial buy-in from homeless-services staff on why tackling racism is essential to ending homelessness.
- A Brief Timeline of Race & Homelessness in the USA (2019); Jeff Olivet et al. | This three-page document was created by leaders of the National Racial Equity Working Group and published by Community Solutions. It traces key incidents starting from 1607 to the 2010s on the role of racism in the crisis of homelessness and housing insecurity in the US. Use this as an introductory education tool on key historical periods, which can be a springboard to learn more about specific events.
- Understanding Nashville’s Housing Crisis, Part 3: Residential Segregation; Metro Human Relations Commission | This pamphlet goes deeper on many of the issues raised in Segregated by Design (above) such as redlining, blockbusting, and racially restrictive covenants, all specific to Nashville. It concludes with a summary of how some other cities have used a Racial-Equity Lens to housing policy. Use this resource to understand the wealth gap and housing not just on a national/theoretical level but here in our city.
- REJI Organizational Race Equity Toolkit (2nd Ed., 2020); Just Lead Washington | At 115 pages, this document covers a lot of ground. It includes material on introductory concepts like the five levels of racism and the difference between equity and equality. Part 2 prepares you to begin organizational work on racial equity, including an assessment tool, while part 3 offers strategies to go deeper. Nearly the entire second half is Appendices that include worksheets, sample plans, supervision guides, and more. While lengthy, this document has bite-sized components that can be used for various purposes independently.
- Tool for Organizational Self-Assessment Related to Racial Equity (2013); Eliminating Disparities in Child and Youth Success Collaborative | This document is an assessment tool (in two versions) that measures readiness for tackling racial equity issues in the workplace. It includes detailed instructions on how to use it and what to do with the results. Consider using this with your DEI team, leadership team, or all-staff to assess perceptions on progress on issues related to workforce competencies, community partnerships, governance, and more.
- Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture (2020); In collaboration with over 120 experts in the field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and race equity, Equity in the Center created this downloadable guide to provide insights, tactics, and best practices to shift organizational culture and operationalize equity.
- White Dominant Culture & Something Different; Created and adapted based on “White Supremacy Culture” by Tema Okun and Kenneth Jones, this tool allows individuals and organizations to look at the characteristics of white dominant culture and think about how they might apply. Alternatives to white supremacist culture characteristics are provided to assist individuals and organizations with making changes.
- The Longest Journey Starts with a Single Step (2021); Published by the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, this publication is grounded in the real-life experiences of Health Care for the Homeless health centers and other direct-service nonprofits in pursuing DEI internally. Rather than telling readers what to do, this presents what others have done and, in particular, where they faced obstacles.
- Report and Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness (2018); Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority | The Los Angeles Continuum of Care, known as LAHSA, formed an Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness. This report describes their work and recommendations to address the overrepresentation of Black people among those experiencing homelessness. While a different city, the lessons it describes are instructive for Nashville in how we confront inequity here. If nothing else, consider reading the Executive Summary and review the appendices.
Resource Submission Process:
To submit a recommendation for resource addition, please e-mail April Calvin at [email protected].
All submissions must fit the above criteria and will be reviewed by a staff person from MHID and members of the Continuum of Care Equity and Diversity Committee.
| coc_homelessness_planning_council_antiracism_pledge.pdf |
