Community-Driven Solutions to Economic Recovery
To respond to the growing impact of Covid-19, the city and county of Durham launched a Recovery and Renewal Task Force in May 2020. The task force has prioritized its work using a three-phased approach to the pandemic and its longer-term consequences, addressing public health, economic, and mental and behavioral... Read more
Strategic Communications to Support Vaccine Uptake and Health Equity Post-Pandemic
Atlanta is working diligently to increase the pace of its vaccine inoculations and rollout One Atlanta’s strategic initiatives to begin recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 Vaccine Equity Campaign and broader One Atlanta vision are designed to increase health equity post-pandemic, particularly for the Black and Brown communities hit... Read more
Increasing College Affordability to Ensure More Equitable Opportunities
Students in Birmingham often face a tough path to college and career. While roughly 80 percent of students graduate annually from Birmingham City Schools (BCS), many are experiencing poverty, and only 50 percent advance to post-secondary institutions. In response, the mayor has pledged that any BCS student who graduates will... Read more
Working to Reduce Racial Health Inequities
Birmingham recognizes that social determinants of health — including the built environment of neighborhoods, such as environmental hazards, access to green space, walkability, and more — are major factors in health inequities across the city. To address this, the Department of Planning, Engineering, and Permits developed a Health Community Assessment... Read more
Small Business Supports to Build Wealth in Atlanta’s Black and Brown Communities
In Atlanta, Black and historically underserved communities located south and west of the city have been economically stagnant despite growth in other parts of the city. The economic recession resulting from Covid-19 poses an additional threat to these communities, leaving them susceptible to even larger outcome gaps. Specifically, the pandemic... Read more
Addressing Health Inequities Related to Virus Prevention and Treatment
Atlanta is navigating a dual-pandemic, with city leaders focused on combating the spread of Covid-19 while also battling the continued spread of HIV/AIDS in pockets of communities. The HIV/AIDs pandemic has infected one out of every 51 Atlanta residents, and of those infected, 66 percent are Black. The Covid-19 health... Read more
Building Intergenerational Wealth in the Black Community
In 2020, New Orleans marks the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the 10th anniversary of the BP oil spill. From each disaster, the city has rebuilt, but Black residents have been largely left behind, with six times as many Black households living in poverty than white households. These economic... Read more
Targeting Health Inequities for Black Residents
The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) recently conducted a comprehensive community health assessment to gain an inclusive picture of the health status of residents. The assessment revealed five main social determinants of health — crime and violence, insufficient infrastructure, unhealthy environments, lack of jobs and fair wages, and low-quality and... Read more
Leveraging the Power of the Internet for Equal Access
Thomas supported the City of Richmond’s initiative to build an innovative culture in the Department of Social Services. By adopting civic technology and open data he was able to improve service delivery and access to services and information for employees, non-profit partners, and the city's residents. Thomas developed a regional... Read more
Designing a Strategy to Modernize the City’s Fleet
More than 2,000 vehicles that support the delivery of a wide range of public services fall under the purview of the City of New Orleans’ Equipment Maintenance Division (EMD). To support the agency with the management of the fleet system, FUSE executive fellow Monica Soileau worked with the EMD to... Read more