Just Opportunity

Economic Inclusion

Many low-wealth and communities of color are still reeling from the impacts of Great Recession which have been compounded by the historic economic injustices. The American South’s economic competitiveness will be dependent on its ability to strengthen and engage these communities.

The Partnership for Southern Equity works with its partners to advance an economic inclusion agenda that promotes and increases equity in the distribution of income, wealth building, employment and entrepreneurship among vulnerable populations.

6 Principles of Economic Inclusion

6 Principles of Economic Inclusion
Just Opportunity Circle

The Just Opportunity Circle (JOC) represents an organized group of key regional economic development leaders from the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. This committed group is exploring sustainable strategies and solutions for equitable economic opportunities for individuals and their families and adheres to PSE's six Principles of Economic Inclusion.

In addition, PSE partnered with PolicyLink to produce the Employment Equity Report that examines the economic and social impacts that could be realized if full employment – where everyone who wants a job is able to have a job – is reached throughout Georgia.

We are also happy to report our that our inaugural Just Opportunity Summit was a resounding success. It was an energetic gathering of more than 360 community leaders, organizational representatives, decision makers and concerned residents from Georgia, Birmingham, Memphis, Durham, Savannah, Chattanooga and jurisdictions outside of the American South. We convened at Morehouse College for one and a half days of robust, intersectional dialogue, centered on solving for racial inequities in the expansionof our regional economy. More specifically, we discussed ways to increase access to opportunities for under-resourced blackand brown communities in the region’s economic boom, and explored alternative economic development strategies to balance racially and geographically lopsided growth. We provided a platform for more than 30 subject matter experts, decision makers, service providers and advocates to share their work in 11 sessions. Find out more in Reflections on the Just Opportunity Summit and through the recap video below.

 

DEED

Demanding Equitable Economic Development (DEED) is a research project exploring the use of property tax incentives across the City of Atlanta and Fulton County to get an understanding of how they have contributed to displacement and other racial economic disparities.

PSE believes that property tax incentives should be used exclusively to improve Atlanta's vast racial economic disparities. The DEED project is arming communities  most harmed by Atlanta's use of property tax incentives with information to take action.

View the DEED Infographic here.

Scale Accelerator ATL Homepage link box (1)

Interise, a Boston-based national nonprofit, and The Partnership for Southern Equity launched Scale Accelerator ATL, an innovative business education program designed to grow established black and brown owned small businesses within the city of Atlanta. The program is made possible with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s initiative for commitment to drive equitable access to opportunity through advancements in racial equity and is part of a larger strategy to build out programming for minority-owned small businesses in the metro Atlanta area and in urban communities throughout the Southeast. The program is part of PSE's Just Opportunity “equity agenda” which promotes the freedom and liberation of Black, Brown and other historically disinvested communities of color through economic inclusion.

Click here to learn more about Scale Accelerator ATL.