In 1883, author Emma Lazarus pronounced, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” Throughout the past century and a half, that phrase has been repeated by activists, theologians, and changemakers alike as we walk toward the path of justice and true civil rights for all Americans. Nearly 140 years later, the statement made by Lazarus still rings true. In fact, it’s more important than ever as the United States once again confronts the roots of systemic racism.
Within the Community Action movement to end poverty, we’ve been here before—after all, our work was borne of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s—but recent events throughout our country make it clear we still have a lot to do right here in Missouri. For example, our state ranks the worst in the entire nation for healthcare disparities. Kansas City is infamous for its history of redlining. Approximately one quarter of all Black Missourians live in poverty, nearly double the state average. Sadly, there are countless other examples of racism and inequality across our state. For those of us involved with Community Action, it’s time to re-commit ourselves to the anti-racism work from which our movement originated and ensure that our Promise extends to our Black, Brown, and Indigenous neighbors:
Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
At Missouri Community Action Network (CAN), we have spent time reflecting upon this statement and wonder if we’ve done enough to truly live out this promise. Have we been making good on this promise for some, but not for others? Have we truly cared about the entire community, or just some of the community? What does it look like when we care for the whole community? Does this mean equal treatment for everyone, or equitable access to program services?
Among all the questions we’ve raised, we know one thing for certain—poverty and racism are inextricably connected, and we can’t talk about poverty without talking about systemic racism. Just a few minutes spent reviewing the 2020 Missouri Poverty Report makes this fact abundantly clear.
Missouri CAN is known for raising awareness of poverty-related issues, advocating for changes in policies and systems that create disparities, and equipping Community Action staff across Missouri with training and tools to serve their communities well. At the same time, we admit we don’t have all the answers. We humbly seek help from those who’ve been doing racial justice work and those who’ve been active in this movement for a very long time. Above all, we realize that it’s time to return to our Community Action roots and to listen, learn, and act.
With that, Missouri CAN has committed to taking the following actions to address racism in our organization, our Network, and our state:
- Inside Our Organization
- We will initiate an internal education process to recognize our own implicit biases and privileges as we hold ourselves and each other accountable for becoming or growing as anti-racist allies.
- We will review all internal policies, processes, and the current MCAN strategic plan, then make necessary modifications or additions to ensure our strategic priorities are reflective of our activity and commitment to anti-racism.
- Throughout Our Community Action Network
- We will provide opportunities for members of our statewide network to learn about how to incorporate anti-racist practices into organizational systems and program design.
- We will take the lead on bringing educators, thought leaders, and experts together for hard conversations and new learning opportunities for our network members.
- Within Our External Initiatives
- We will ensure that our public education and advocacy initiatives make clear that poverty and racism are inextricably linked, and work toward dismantling both as we envision a just and equitable future in which all Missourians thrive.
For all of us to be free—including our Black, Brown, and Indigenous neighbors—we must intentionally fight racism as hard as we work to create economic opportunity for all. It is our responsibility. We make that promise when we become a member of the Community Action Network. We owe it to the entire community to serve the entire community, to advocate for the entire community, and to help the entire community live more equitable, just, and prosperous lives.