The promise of Community Action reads, “Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.”
In order to fulfill the promise of Community Action, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) must be ingrained in all we do. The California Community Action Partnership Association (CalCAPA) stands as a beacon of commitment to fostering unity through its unwavering dedication to DEI initiatives. By offering focus groups, extensive training opportunities, and engaging in fruitful partnerships, it brings DEI to the forefront of Community Action work.
Mission and Values
Emerging out of the Civil Rights Era, momentous events created space for societal change– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech, African American students entered public schools in the state of Alabama, the Vietnam War began, and President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn into office and declares unconditional war on poverty in his State of the Union address. The War on Poverty led to the creation of the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) that was responsible for the creation of more than 1,600 Community Action Agencies nationwide.
The mission of Community Action is to ensure the causes and conditions of poverty are effectively addressed. Acknowledging the inequities in our communities and how they affect certain groups disproportionately is the first step in fulfilling the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
The California Community Action Partnership actively seeks out and collaborates with diverse stakeholders, including community leaders, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. By forging strategic partnerships, the association amplifies its impact and ensures that a wide range of voices are heard and represented in the decision-making processes. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by various communities and facilitates the development of targeted solutions.
Inclusive Programs and Services
One of the key ways in which Community Action Agencies support diversity, equity, and inclusion is through community input. Communities design and implement inclusive programs and services. Funds are then allocated to support these initiatives that address and support the specific needs of diverse populations, ensuring equitability and preventing households from falling through the cracks into poverty, or helping lift those up out of it.
Community Action Marin released their plan on how reallocated funds will be used to increase racial equity in the areas of economic opportunity, mental health, and housing. Jamillah Jordan, Marin County Equity Director states,
“We did deep dives into how we could transform the systems and structures that hold these inequities in place,” Jordan said, “looking at policies and resource flows, power dynamics and really mental models that we need to shift in order to change the system.”
Services like a commissary kitchen, commercial kitchen available to rent, at the County Civic Center, implementing a higher minimum wage, rent stabilization, building affordable housing for communities of color, equity symposiums, etc.
Through processes like Community Needs Assessments, Community Action Agencies continue to be the local go-to support for safety net services, they can tailor these inclusive programs and services to the unique needs of their county to ensure all community needs are being met and improved.
Cultural Competency Training
Recognizing the importance of fostering a culture of understanding and respect, the association invests in cultural competency training for its Community Action Agencies. Various training opportunities enhance the ability of individuals within Community Action Agencies to engage effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, as well as promote an environment where differences are celebrated and leveraged as strengths.
One of the offerings from CalCAPA to the California Community Action Network is discounted training opportunities. eCornell is an online Cornell Certificate Program, and one of their specialized certifications is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The certification covers topics like improving engagement, counteracting unconscious bias, DEI in the workplace, fostering an inclusive climate– all contributing to fulfilling the Community Action promise and mission at an affordable cost to Community Action Agencies. Originally priced at $3,699 per enrollee, agencies partnered with CalCAPA can take advantage of this opportunity for only $573! Spots are limited, and only available on a first come, first serve basis.
CalCAPA’s Annual Conferences offer relevant training, opportunity for discussion on innovative practices, and networking. A standard track in its annual conferences is diversity, equity, and inclusion. Past sessions have included training titled, “Attaining Racial Equity,” “Reframing the Way We See Service: Overcoming Biases in Non-Profit Work,” “Unpacking and Disrupting Implicit Bias,” and more. Often presented by leaders and staff from within the California Community Action Network, these training sessions create space to discuss real, in-time challenges faced by Community Action Agencies and solutions implemented by their peers.
Community Engagement and Outreach
Community Action Agencies place a strong emphasis on its community engagement and outreach efforts. By actively involving community members in important conversations, Community Action Agencies ensure that its initiatives, programs, and services are reflective of the diverse perspectives within their community.
Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County took the opportunity to bring voices of community members together by launching a Facebook live series turned podcast called, “Community Conversations on Race.”
Launched in June 2020, Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County’s Katie Watts-Whitaker started what was supposed to be an 8-part Facebook Live series of Community Conversations on Race. Listeners were receptive to CCOR because they craved an honest and vulnerable space to have these types of conversations. CCOR now is held bimonthly on KCRO, a local Sonoma County radio station, with more than sixty podcast episodes released. CCOR currently sees approximately 1700 listeners tuning in each episode.
“We started out with a smaller crowd, mostly people who were angry about the state of the country, by all the injustice happening– all very like minded people. And now that crowd has grown into a mixture of people who agree and disagree on things,” Watts-Whitaker states.
“By its original design, Community Action relies on a diverse mix of voices that leads to better building and outcomes for everyone, “ states David Knight, CalCAPA Executive Director. Creating an opportunity to bring in diverse voices, Community Action Agencies ensure true representation of the community it serves is reflected in their work, as well as helps Agencies remain responsive to evolving community needs and challenges, and transparent in its operations.
In championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, CalCAPA and the California Community Action Network emerge as trailblazers in creating positive social change. By aligning its mission with these values, forging strategic partnerships, implementing inclusive programs, providing cultural competency training, and engaging with communities, Community Action exemplifies how organizations can lead the way toward a more equitable future. As Community Action continues to evolve, its dedication to fostering unity serves as an inspiration for others to follow suit in building a world that values and celebrates diversity.