The economic impact of COVID-19 has been devastating to the entire country, from individual households to neighborhoods, to the business community. There is reason to believe the economy will eventually recover. The question is, how? This question is more important than ever given that past economic recovery efforts have too often left behind communities of color.
In the Chicago region, nowhere are the pandemic’s effects felt worse than in Black and Latinx communities, where disparate financial and health outcomes were already the norm after decades of underinvestment, systemic racism, and structural inequities. Without adequate resources and a coordinated response, the damage to these individuals and neighborhoods—and therefore, to the region as a whole—could be irreversible
Chicago has been the birthplace for some of the most egregious discriminatory policies and practices, from redlining and contract buying to restrictive covenants and eminent domain. This panel will discuss the work of We Rise Together and how it can become a national model for cities to rise above their pasts and create a new paradigm for advancing equity, opportunity, and prosperity for all.
