AdvAncing EquitAblE PoliciEs

racing the statehouse:

2010

tAmmy johnson

Ra e saee: Aa Eae Pe 2010  a pre  e AppeReear ceer, a p p e aa raa e r ea,reear a a. te Appe Reear ceer pe e awar-w

ColorLines

aaze a a fe  oaka, ca a new yrk c.

2 | the applied research center • racing the statehouse: advancing equitable policies 2010

Ts “Rac t Status” rrt as crat b tA Rsarc Ctr (ARC), a ata t ta 

racial equity. It contains a summary of the ndings from

a srs  t stat- rs b t statc raats. Ts rrt cars, but rsa rrss rrts rrst a cmrs aass t raca mact  urs  stat- sata butar masurs.Ma ab c suts t raca qut ar aaab stat amars cscus csr t raca m-

pact of their decisions. Among the reports’ key ndings are:

1. Mst stats a rct rs r ass smmasurs m t a a st raca mact tatu cs r mat raca sarts  aras sucas ubc ucat r crma justc.2. At t sam tm, r, mst stats as rsr ar sm masurs tat ar  t a aat raca mact b crat r ctrbutt urtr quat a xcus r rtraca rus.

3. When elected ofcials consciously consider racial

macts ur t ama a but-stt r-csss, t a t rtut t mat xstraca sarts a rt ut csqucs.

introduction, summaryand Key Findings

On the crisp evening of November 4, 2008, many were quick to proclaim thebeginning of a post-racial era as Barack Hussein Obama became the President-electof the United States. Simultaneously, fueled by anti-immigrant fears, 52 percent of Florida voters defeated the repeal of a 1926 constitutional amendment intended toprohibit property ownership by Asian Americans. Te juxtaposition of these eventsspeaks to a choice to be made for the future of our country. We can legitimate andlegislate a climate of institutionalized racism by adopting policies and practices thatdemonize, degrade and polarize people. Or, we can embrace a path of social inclusionand racial equity by advancing policies based on the principles of dignity, respect,equal opportunity and fair treatment that can unite us all.