Our Issues.
Learn more about the core issues The Black Institute (TBI) continues to work on so that the lives of Black families and immigrants are infused with power and hope.
You’ll learn how we incorporate our three-step strategy to confront and influence policy.
Owning the Issues
Our three-step strategy is simple:
KNOWLEDGE: We find the facts and create new ideas for justice.
LEADERSHIP: We train people to be leaders within their own communities.
COMMUNITY: We organize communities to take collective action.
Our Three-Step Strategy
1. Head (Knowledge)
As an action-tank (A think-tank that takes action), we first research, gather data, poll, and build academic partnerships.
2. Heart (Leadership)
We provide civic education, training, and leadership development.
This leadership pipeline allows us to develop initiatives that build and deliver wealth, power, and justice to Black people and people of color.
3. Feet (Community)
Informed by the data we’ve gathered, we mobilize the community to confront injustice.
This allows us to build power and deliver justice to communities of color.
Our Three-Step Strategy Applied to Economic Fairness
TBI has research to present real evidence of the struggles faced by M/WBEs. Through these reports, TBI has been able to have more substantial discussions with lawmakers and other advocates in the quest to ensure they have access to better resources.
Not Good Enough: The Myth of ‘Good Faith’ and ‘Best Efforts’ / Report on Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
Access Denied: MWBE Capital and Credit Discrimination in New York
The One Percent Solution: Unlocking Access to Capital for New York’s Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
In 2015, TBI held a series of town hall meetings in partnership with elected officials and other advocates to discuss how to provide more resources to minority and women-owned business enterprises. TBI also held forums in Albany to educate state lawmakers on the issues affecting M/WBEs in 2016. These listening sessions helped educate both lawmakers and the public understand the importance of M/WBEs in the state and the challenges that they face.
TBI has been an important advocate for minority and women-owned business enterprises and has campaigned in New York City and State to provide better resources for M/WBEs. In 2015, a TBI campaign on the issue resulted in a commitment from the city to award $16 billion in contracts to M/WBEs over the next ten years. The campaign also resulted in the appointment of a senior advisor for M/WBEs and the establishment of the Emerging Developer Loan fund to provide low-interest loans on New York City-based development projects.
Economic Fairness
Economic fairness for people of color consists of the capacity of all people to earn a decent living and the health of discussing money, business, entrepreneurship, developing capital, running successful innovative businesses, and attaining leadership positions in various and numerous business industries. The health and wealth of Black communities depend on the attainment of education and understanding, and leveraging economic resources.
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