United Way to invest $100M to build racial equity – The Providence Journal

G. Wayne Miller|The Providence Journal

PROVIDENCE United Way of Rhode Island on Friday announced a five-year plan backed by a commitment of $100 million to build racial equity in the state. The Live United 2025 initiative is aimed at improving education, ensuring availability of housing that is affordable and safe for all, and empowering non-profit organizations, among other objectives.

Weve been taught that race shouldnt matter, but the data tells a different story, the United Way states in a 16-page outline of the plan. The data shows that systemic inequities are the root causes of intergenerational poverty among people of color.

And, despite our best efforts through broad support of our communities in need, we know that our progress is hampered by these systemic inequities. Until we can make sure everyone has an equal shot at the starting line, our work will never reach its full potential.

The plan has been in development since 2019, but events during 2020 magnified racial inequities, thus raising the importance of implementation, United Way declared.

The pandemic showed that where you live and the color of your skin is a powerful determinant of your likelihood to live or die from COVID-19, the charity states in its outline. And murders of our neighbors like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor remind us that Black Rhode Islanders are eight times as likely to be in jail as whites.

Among the hardest-hit communities during the pandemic are Central Falls, Pawtucket and Providence, which have large populations of people of color.

In an interview with The Journal, United Way president and CEO Cortney Nicolato said: I love Rhode Island. I love our tenacity. I love our commitment to community but we have work to do. Rhode Island is challenged in many ways and as a community we have to come together to fix that.

At the very top is the fact that there are incredible equities for our men and women of color. This plan is centered and focused on building racial equity and opportunities and justice for our community. Our community will not thrive, it just won't, unless everyone thrives and that is inclusive of our Black and brown communities.

She added: To this plan has been incredibly intentional, incredibly focused on making sure that our community investments that we make go to the place that makes the biggest impact and so we could not be more thrilled.

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United Way of Rhode Island is launching a five-year plan backed by a commitment of $100 million to build racial equity in the state.

The Providence Journal

Among the specific goals of the five-year plan, according to the charity:

Double the number of Rhode Island cities and towns that are meeting the 10% affordable housing threshold (with a specific focus on core cities).

Reduce by 25% the number of people of color who are underemployed or unemployed.

Increase by 25% the number of individuals enrolled in SNAP benefits [formerly known as food stamps] based on income.

In announcing the plan, Michele Lederberg, United Way board chair and interim president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, said:

Housing is a fundamental human right that remains out of reach for many Rhode Islanders. And this right intersects with every aspect of our lives health, education and financial. We may have been taught that all races are equal, but the data demonstrates that not everyone has been treated the same or afforded the same opportunities. This struggle has undermined our states ability to thrive for too long.

Several entities including CVS Health, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the state Department of Education have already endorsed the five year plan. Brown University has committed $600,000 over 4 years, the charity said.

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United Way to invest $100M to build racial equity - The Providence Journal