(Washington, DC, July 6, 2023)—The National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) believes that equity is a condition whereby all people have access to a thriving reality and belonging regardless of race, culture, gender, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, or social location. This requires the root causes of inequities be dismantled, including policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages.
This work is not easy but remains Community Action’s North Star.
Last week’s decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, and 303 Creative L.L.C. v. Elenis were disappointing and call on us to stay vigilant.
Given the rulings’ proximity to Independence Day, we are struck by a quote from Sargent Shriver, the founder of Community Action, from June 1, 1961, “When the Declaration of Independence was written these words were used: ‘All men are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.’ Ever since, the greatest hesitation of American democracy has been to apply that word ‘all’ regardless of race, religion, or region. It is a disturbing little word, and it has irritated our souls for 200 years. It will not let us go and we cannot let it go. It has given us no rest, nor will it until we can say ‘all’ … with complete abandon.”
We stand with all.
“Community Action was born out of a collection of legislative priorities within President Lyndon Johnson’s vision of a “Great Society” which aimed at dismantling structural racial, economic, and social inequalities. President Johnson’s legislative programs were critical at that time and more relevant today to level the playing field and to ensure equity within our society. These included, but were not limited to, the Economic Opportunity Act, Civil Rights Act, Medicare, Medicaid, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Housing and Urban Development Act and Title III of the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, Special Programs to Combat Rural Poverty. Our movement is inextricably linked to that vision of equity”, stated Dalitso Sulamoyo, NCAP’s Board Chair.
“Community Action’s foundation was grounded in equity, and our values today direct us to carry that forth in all that we do,” stated Denise Harlow, NCAP’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe that all people should be treated with dignity and recognize that structural race, gender, and other inequities remain barriers that must be addressed. We as a country must continue to be intentional and take care to ensure policies move us toward a more equitable society, rather than enable exclusivity and exclusion to deepen.”
Community Action Promise: Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of home, 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.
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The National Community Action Partnership is the hub for the nation’s 1,000+ local Community Action Agencies that provide life changing services to individuals and families in 99% of America’s counties. NCAP’s mission is to ensure the causes and conditions of poverty are effectively addressed and to strengthen, promote, represent, and serve the Community Action Network.
