From Vision to Action — What’s Needed for St. Louis to Achieve Racial Equity?
Local leaders reflect on how to be better catalysts for Racial Equity five years after the Ferguson Uprising.
Meaningful self-reflection in a time of uncertainty is arguably the most critical practice for transformational work. So, here we are. As St. Louisians of all walks of life struggle to figure out “what’s next, and where do we go from here,” we shouldn’t miss the opportunity to ask ourselves “how did we get here?” As we navigate changemaking during this challenging year thus far, we also cannot forget to ask, “who benefits, and who is leading?”
The challenges of intersectionality — the systemically negative and compounding outcomes of marginalized people based on their proximity to privilege — only increase the urgency of changemaking as we navigate the global public health crisis of COVID-19. The disparate outcomes that People of Color have experienced perpetually in the St. Louis region — emphasized by the COVID-19 crisis — are quite enough to be a gut-wrenching reminder that we have to redefine leadership, reframe preparedness, and re-consider the nature of accountability.
What We Heard from Local Leaders
On February 18th & 19th, over 80 attendees from the Saint Louis region joined us at Forward Through Ferguson for our Racial Equity Capacity Kickoff Sessions. Supporters of the Ferguson Commission, early partners of FTF, and newly interested community stakeholders gathered to learn more about the expansion of FTF’s strategy to catalyze the 189 calls to action identified within the Ferguson Commission report.
I had the honor and privilege of introducing myself to the community as the Director of Racial Equity Capacity — a role that will lead the expansion of FTF’s Racial Equity Capacity initiatives and new offerings to the community. You can check out those (virtual) offerings here! We also introduced Sarah Murphy, FTF’s 2020 Racial Equity Fellow, who will work closely with me as well as our Executive Director and Lead Strategy Catalyst, David Dwight IV.
Our time together included reflections from attendees about their vision for racial equity by the year 2039 — twenty-five years after the killing of Michael Brown, Jr. Participants were asked: “what would a future where St. Louis is racially equitable look like, feel like? What systems and structures would be in place, and how does your work within your institutions fit into that?” As attendees reflected on their #STL2039 visions for Racial Equity and lasting change, we also invited the community to share the additional skills that they want to build and the supports that they need to become more accountable and equipped partners in change.
Sarah and I collected their responses and immediately noticed the parallels, and in some instances, deep continuity between the reflections of the community and the #STL2039 Action Plan. I want to share some of the powerful reflections from the community, as aligned with the priority areas identified in the Ferguson Commission Report.
Youth At the Center
The community prioritized urgent shifts within schools and the schooling experience as a key indicator of success and palpable change. They also uplifted the sentiment that disparities in outcomes between Black children and other children in the region will no longer exist when all children are at the center of our work.
A racially equitable Saint Louis will be achieved when…
- schools are no longer racially segregated
- all families have access to high-quality early childhood experiences
- all school choices are good choices; families could live where they want, and not have to make tough decisions about where to send the kids to school
- children are safe in their homes, and every young person feels (and knows) they are safe wherever they are.
- every baby has an equitable chance at being born healthy, and parents are empowered to raise them well
Justice For All
When asked to reflect on what Racial Equity “feels like,” the community’s response echoed the call to define and practice accountability. We discussed the conditions for accountable leadership where both pressure and support- as expressed by Rebecca Bennet, is the foundation upon which we define what Justice for All can mean.
A racially equitable Saint Louis will be achieved when…
- there are more politicians who are held accountable for racial equity efforts & outcomes.
- people are no longer profiled because of their race or how they may present
- we uphold a justice system instead of a criminal punishment system.
Opportunity To Thrive
The community raised thought-provoking reflections about a shared vision for a thriving region. When asked “what systems are in place,” they honed in on the need for People of Color to be fully represented in leadership, and for their interests to be equitably institutionalized.
A racially equitable Saint Louis will be achieved when…
- there is a scaled commitment to eliminate the racial wealth gap from government, non-profits, and for-profits.
- equitable investment in our ‘human capital’ is recognized as our most valuable and indispensable resource.
- the focus on the role of anchor institutions (schools, hospitals) plays a new role in thriving local economies.
- People of Color can make a living and have pride for their own identities; they won’t have to choose between success and self-love.
- people are able to financially afford to think about more than just survival, and can self-define what a good life means for them and their families.
Racial Equity Capacity
The community sat with the question about capacity. What does it take to “build the muscle to achieve Racial Equity?” Willingness and courage, infrastructure to facilitate change, and the shared agreement that the work is a collaborative effort presented a profound closing message.
A racially equitable Saint Louis will be achieved when there is …
- partnership — sharing our lessons from wins and failures; learning together
- collaboration — opportunities to work with other leaders committed to Racial Equity
- courage to challenge conventional St. Louis — dismantling the status quo
- space/infrastructure/partnership for narrative change with systems leaders & policy change agents
- intergenerational spaces for children and families to practice
- visible commitment from large institutions that are all-in on advancing Racial Equity. When big, powerful entities shift, others notice.
These candid and radical visions shed light on the fact that Racial Equity — a state in which our life outcomes will no longer be determined by race or racialized identity — requires a fundamental shift in power, systems, and collective culture.
The visions continue to inspire me, giving me confidence that Racial Equity in the Saint Louis region is a reality that we can achieve. It will take time, money, emotional labor, and infrastructure to sustain. It is imperative that we continue to catalyze an urgent, regional effort — cultivating a culture of trying, resting on a strong foundation of radically collaborative, antiracist thought partners and champions of systems change.
I sincerely hope you will join us at one of our upcoming offerings and become a part of FTF’s community-sourced vision for #STL2039 — a St. Louis where Racial Equity is the reality.
Faybra Hemphill serves Forward Through Ferguson as Director of Racial Equity Capacity. Connect with Faybra via email at faybra@forwardthroughferguson.org. To learn more about FTF’s Racial Equity Capacity offerings click here.
FTF acts as a wayfinder, not a replacement for diversity, equity, and inclusion trainers. We help people find their starting point, strategize the journey forward, create next practices, and discover how to be a radically accountable partner in systems change.
Part of our mission is to capture learnings and outcomes into tools for catalysts across the region, of all kinds, who want to advance Racial Equity. Here are some of the tools we’ve produced or partnered to produce:
- The Path to Racial Equity Worksheet
- Advancing Positive Change Toolkit
- State of the Report: Tracking Implementation on the Ferguson Commission Report
- St. Louis Region Equity Indicators Dashboard
- State of Police Reform — It is FTF’s latest community accountability tool in the State of St. Louis Series.
Lastly, please follow Forward Through Ferguson on our Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter!
