As 2017 begins to wind down, I have been reflecting on what has been an important year for the growth of the All-In Cities Initiative.
 
When the new administration took office, the All-In Cities team continued to demonstrate why cities must lead the nation to racial inclusion and equitable growth. In response to increased threats to immigrant families, Muslim residents, and other communities of color, we hosted a webinar on "sanctuary cities" to help policymakers and advocates understand how cities can protect their residents. We then published an op-ed in the New York Times describing how cities can pair the spirit of resistance with homegrown policy solutions to tackle the ongoing challenge of racial inequality that existed long before the last election.

Throughout the year, the All-In Cities team deepened our efforts by expanding where we're working, and by launching the All-In Cities Policy Toolkit to help even more leaders understand and choose policy solutions that foster inclusive growth. In October, we brought together equity leaders from around the country to Washington, DC for our first-ever convening. And most recently, we announced the creation of the All-In Cities Anti-Displacement Policy Network.
 
We also reached important milestones with partners, such as:

• The City of New Orleans launched its Equity Strategy, outlining how local government can advance equity through its operations and decisionmaking.
• The City of Pittsburgh released its resilience strategy, highlighting our equitable development work with partners as part of the solutions to addressing economic and racial inequality.
• Fairfax County successfully passed a joint social and racial equity policy called One Fairfax through the County Board of Supervisors and the School Board.

Despite the challenges facing our country, this year I have witnessed firsthand how leaders across the nation, in cities big and small, have a growing interest in equity and are committed to ensuring cities are places of opportunity for all. That is why, going into 2018, the All-In Cities team is committed to expanding our work to more cities, sharing more tools and resources, and creating opportunities for our network to learn about strategies to achieve results at scale.

PolicyLink is also gearing up for the 2018 Equity Summit – a call to activists, organizers, and leaders to step into our power, activate our imaginations, and set the national agenda. I encourage you to register and meet us in Chicago!
 
Thank you for being part of our community this year, and I look forward to the work ahead!

Sincerely,

Tracey Ross
Associate Director
All-In Cities Initiative