ABOUT THE EQUITY SCORING INITIATIVE
A partnership of PolicyLink and the Urban Institute

Federal legislation is fundamental to building a nation in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Since our nation’s founding, in many ways, federal legislation has created and exacerbated racial inequities, leaving one-third of the population experiencing material poverty and preventing our democracy from realizing the promise of equity.

To ensure the federal government serves us all, we must accurately understand and assess whether every policy advances or impedes equity.

The Equity Scoring Initiative (ESI) exists to establish the foundation for a new legislative scoring regime. By scoring for equity, we can begin to create an accountable, responsive democracy.

Already known as the refugee capital of the United States, Lancaster is steadily becoming more diverse as people of color increasingly move into the county for school and work. Over the next few decades, a larger share of the area’s residents will be people of color from a rich variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. As a result, the success and prosperity of the county rely on dismantling unjust barriers and ensuring that everyone can participate in and enjoy the benefits of a thriving economy. This profile — developed by a coalition of the county’s civic organizations in partnership with the National Equity Atlas (a partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute) — is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. It illustrates how ongoing inequities in Lancaster have fueled racial disparities in income, housing, educational attainment, and many other areas. These growing gaps are costing the county billions of dollars in potential economic growth each year. In addition, the accompanying summary offers several policy solutions to bolster existing local efforts aimed at advancing racial equity and creating prosperity for generations to come. Read the profile and summary. To delve deeper into the state of equity and equitable growth in Lancaster County, explore equityprofilelancaster.com.

South Florida’s economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has been turbulent, driven by persistent barriers to quality employment prospects for residents of color and an elevated risk of automation-driven job displacement. This report—produced in partnership with Florida International University and Lightcast, with support from JPMorgan Chase—examines the economic costs of these upheavals and ongoing racial economic exclusion in the Miami metropolitan region. Our in-depth analysis of disaggregated equity indicators and labor market dynamics found that Black workers and Hispanic women have the lowest median wages at $16 per hour, while white men earn the highest median wages at $27 per hour—a 69 percent pay gap. The research also indicates that eliminating racial gaps in wages and employment for working-age people could boost the region's economy by $122 billion a year. The report concludes with several strategies to advance workforce equity in South Florida and to ensure that all workers, including those who face the additional burdens of systemic racism, are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow with the skills, supports, and access they need to fully participate and thrive in the economy. Download the report.