Dear All-In Cities Community,

As I have written about previously, the political power of Black women has been on full display over the past few years, particularly in America's cities where a growing number of Black women have taken over as chief policymaker. This is why I am excited to share that PolicyLink has partnered with ESSENCE to create the ESSENCE-PolicyLink Mayors Roundtable, a network for Black women mayors to exchange ideas, share best practices, develop strategies to create equitable cities, and shine a spotlight on their work and communities.
 
Over the next few months, mayors in this network will participate in monthly virtual roundtables on a number of topics related to policy and leadership hosted by the All-In Cities Initiative, and will come to a close during the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans in July.
 
Participating mayors include: Catherine Pugh, Baltimore, MD; Sharon Weston Broome, Baton Rouge, LA; Vi Lyles, Charlotte, NC; Karen Weaver, Flint, MI; LaToya Cantrell, New Orleans, LA; London Breed, San Francisco, CA; Muriel Bowser, Washington, DC; and Lovely Warren, Rochester, NY.
 
Highlights from our kickoff meeting in Washington, DC can be found here.

2019 Housing Webinar Series
We are also happy to share that over the next several months, PolicyLink will be hosting a series of webinars that lift up innovative strategies for addressing housing insecurity without compromising the important principles of fair housing. Each webinar will showcase prominent advocates and activists linking residents to housing that is safe, secure, and connected to opportunity. Be sure to register for our first webinar in the series:

Fair Housing and the Right to Return
February 20, 2019 at 11:30 am PST / 2:30 pm EST

In the face of an administration and Congress that are rolling back rent subsidies, affordable housing investments, and fair housing protections, housing justice advocates and community development practitioners have come up with innovative ways to respond to the affordable housing and eviction crises impacting low-income communities and people of color. This webinar will draw on the knowledge and experience gained through implementing successful fair housing campaigns in Portland, Oregon and New Orleans, Louisiana. Please join our speakers as they share the successes, challenges, and lessons learned in their efforts to use fair housing laws to ensure that residents facing displacement are afforded the right to remain in their neighborhoods.  

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Lisa K. Bates, Associate Professor, Portland State University
• Cashauna Hill, Executive Director, Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center

Future webinars will cover: the benefits of rent control; linking housing to employment opportunities; and ensuring housing opportunities for the formerly incarcerated. Stay tuned to learn more about these promising solutions!

In solidarity,
 
Tracey Ross
Associate Director
All-In Cities