Policy is often touted as the great equalizer, creating opportunities for all, regardless of their race. Yet evaluating a policy’s capacity to address racial equity is not easy. The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future hosted a webinar on July 13, 2022 to discuss two examples of how to assess and evaluate policy to promote racial equity. Dr. Keshia Porter Pollack, Chair for Department of Health, Policy and Management at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shared her experience working with a group of students to assess the Maryland Farms and Families Fund. Moriah Bell, Willow Cozzens, and Hallie Nelson from the Jefferson County (CO) Food Policy Council shared a tool that their council created to evaluate policies for racial equity.

While this presentation is geared towards policy in the legislative sphere, it’s advice around how to analyze decisions before they are enacted is often applicable to organization-level policy as well. This webinar offers resources on how to assess your organizations choices for their impacts on marginalized communities and communities of color.