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Fall 2021: Volume 110, Number 3

National Civic Review

Promoting civic engagement and effective local governance for over 100 years

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Introduction—Healing through Policy: Creating Pathways to Racial Justice

Gail C. Christopher

This is a moment of unprecedented momentum for racial healing and change. Working together, local jurisdictions, activists, public officials, community and civic leaders are boldly paving the way forward, creating pathways to overcome barriers erected by structural and systemic racism.

Narratives of Racial Healing and Change

Achieving racial equity and healing from the trauma of centuries of legal, institutional, and structured racial hierarchy requires transforming our experiences, stories, and understandings about the equal and inherent value of all humanity.

Racial Healing and Relationship-Building

Racial healing is about building relationships, connecting people, and expanding the circles of engagement needed for overcoming racial hierarchy and building political will. It is a precursor to meaningful and sustainable policy change.

Ending Separation through Zoning, Housing, Transportation, and School Integration

Segregation has been deemed a form of “opportunity hoarding,” conferring benefits of homeownership, high-quality schools, and access to political power and other resources to white people. The effects are immense.

Strategies to Address Barriers Created by the Legal System

The false belief in racial and ethnic hierarchy has been infused throughout the U.S. legal system and operates through laws, public policies, and accompanying practices and norms. Whether deliberately or unintentionally, laws and policies have enabled, sustained, and exacerbated unequal treatment of people of color.

Overcoming Economic Barriers to Racial Healing and Equity

Reducing gaps in income and wealth requires acknowledging and honoring the equal value of all people, investing in communities that have been historically disenfranchised, and rectifying past wrongdoings to ensure such disparities in economic opportunity and access are not passed along to future generations.

The mission of the National Civic League is to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities.

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National Civic Review (Print ISSN 0027-9013, Online ISSN1542-7811) is published quarterly by the National Civic League, Copyright © 2021 National Civic League.

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