Applying Our Research
We were thrilled when a university professor asked ARC's Research Department for permission to reprint figures from our recently published report, "The Color of Food," in a forthcoming textbook on the sociology of food and agriculture. A unique look at workers in the food industry, we surveyed wages by race/ethnicity across the four major stages: Production, Processing, Distribution, and Food Service and Retail.
Ideal for presentations that aim to highlight contemporary inequities in food and labor industries, "The Color of Food" includes full-color graphs and figures detailing disparities in the distribution of jobs and income.
ARC believes that "good food" movement discussions must move beyond a narrow focus on organic and access to healthy foods to include equitable wages and healthy-working conditions where people of color are over-represented. It is our hope that the data and arguments in this report will serve as a tool for you to positively impact these discussions and implement solutions.
Network News
Racial justice is becoming a hot topic in Minnesota, thanks to the Organizing Apprenticeship Project (OAP), a local organization and long-time ARC partner.
OAP recently released three reports: 2010 Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity, using a framework ARC developed; a policy brief titled "14 Solutions to Expand Job and Economic Opportunity, and Reduce Minnesota's Disparities;" and their fifth annual report including a Proactive Racial Justice Agenda developed with community groups and leaders.
The Star Tribune commented, stating that OAP "rightly argues that Minnesota's prosperity and productivity are directly tied to racial and gender equity… In its brief, the advocacy group highlights programs that have reduced disparities and built wealth and opportunities for under-served groups. Those same public or public/private investments have moderate price tags but very high returns for the state." OAP and many organizational allies plan to keep racial equity in the forefront.
Visit Oaproject.org to download reports.
Colorlines.com Spotlight
After a successful launch as a daily news and analysis site in mid-2010, Colorlines.com has won two Ippies Awards from IndyPress: First prize for Best Overall Design, and Second prize for Best Investigative or In-Depth Story, for Seth Freed Wessler's investigation into the shocking deportation of Shahed Hossain.
Colorlines.com has grown exponentially in recent months, expanding audience by ten-fold, building vibrant social media community, and playing an active role in mass media discussions. Additionally, three crucial voices have been added:
- Publisher Rinku Sen on 21st century racial justice and the ideas and solutions that drive it in Movement Notes.
- D.C. Correspondent Shani O. Hilton on the Beltway, from attacks on birthright citizenship to implementation of economic and health care reforms.
- Akiba Solomon on gender through the lens of race and culture in Gender Matters, recently covering the attacks on women's reproductive rights.
Visit Colorlines.com to read a press release detailing other projects and recent successes.
ARC Updates
Our New York office is hiring a Part-Time Communications Assistant for April-July 2011 to support the work of ARC's Marketing and Communications team. Please spread the word!
My spot here gives me a great opportunity to recognize the many contributions of Tammy Johnson, our Director of Strategic Partnerships. Tammy will be leaving the ARC staff on April 15 after 11 years to pursue a career in the arts. Before Tammy came to us, she was a student leader, an organizer with Wisconsin Citizen Action and then Director of Progressive Milwaukee. In her tenure here, Tammy has made three enormous contributions. She supported education reform groups across the country with trainings and research reports, including our early work to examine discrimination in student discipline. She then piloted and expanded the Racial Equity Legislative Report Cards, which now exist in 11 states. Most recently, she has led the Drop the I-Word campaign to rid the immigration debate of dehumanizing language. Tammy has done all of that with a gleam in her eye and a smile on her lips. As excited as we are for her future, we will sorely miss her daily presence. The entire ARC family thanks Tammy and wishes her much success.
