Still Dreaming

March 13, 2012, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

In March, the nation will once again commemorate the anniversaries of "Bloody Sunday" and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches as the civil rights movement reached its zenith in 1965. This iconic mass protest movement for racial equality represented a monumental shift in both the legal policies and social consciousness of America and resulted in the passage of landmark legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Yet almost half a century later, deep layers of oppression have yet to be uprooted—a reality that is starkly evident in our criminal justice system today. People of color are still disproportionately profiled, incarcerated, and sentenced to death at alarming rates, leaving Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of full racial equality and freedom yet unfulfilled.

These disparities have led many to believe that criminal justice reform should be the civil rights movement of the 21st century. If Dr. King were alive, would he prioritize criminal justice reform? Is mass incarceration the new Jim Crow of our time? And will this generation of civil rights and criminal justice advocates eradicate racial disparities in the criminal justice system in their lifetime? Please join us to consider these and other important questions with an outstanding panel of criminal justice and civil rights experts.

Why Black Gay and Transgender Americans Need More than Marriage Equality

January 19, 2012, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, Americans continue to experience stark social, economic, and health disparities despite significant gains in securing basic rights for LGBT people over the last decade. According to recent data families headed by black same-sex couples are more likely to raise their children in poverty, black lesbians are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases, and black LGBT youth are more likely to end up homeless and living on the streets.

These statistics suggests that some of the high-profile gay policy priorities that have garnered the most attention and advocacy—such as marriage equality—underserve this population even though they are important for overall progress. This also applies to racial and economic justice priorities that overlook gay and transgender people within their constituencies. How can we make progress in bridging these gaps?

Please join us for the launch of CAP’s FIRE Initiative, which works to eliminate the social, health, and economic disparities faced by gay and transgender people of color, for an engaging conversation about our new report, “Jumping Beyond the Broom: Why Black Gay and Transgender Americans Need More than Marriage Equality,” which sheds light on these issues and discusses why progressives committed to equality for all Americans should be engaged in the various policy and advocacy solutions that can address them.

The State of Young America

December 5, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Our nation’s youngest adults are at an historic disadvantage due to a generation of policy shifts away from the commitments that once built America’s strong middle class. Today's 20-somethings are the first Americans to face downward economic mobility compared to their parents' generation. Most young people today earn lower wages than their parents, yet pay more for education, health care, child care, and housing. In short, it has become significantly more difficult to work or educate one’s way into the middle class.

A new report entitled "The State of Young America," provides a comprehensive look at economic trends among young adults. An accompanying national poll of young adults reveals a population worried about their financial prospects and still reeling from the Great Recession. With the 2012 elections right around the corner, young adults identified key priorities for Congress and strong interest in making their voices heard at the ballot box.

Please join us for a conversation with policy experts and youth leaders about the economic challenges facing today’s young adults and the policy reforms that could help ensure our nation’s future middle class.

The Path to 270

November 22, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Two large forces will ultimately determine the outcome of the 2012 election: the shifting demographic balance of the American electorate and the objective reality and voter perception of the economy in key battleground states. Will the rising electorate of communities of color, the Millennial generation, professionals, single women, and seculars that pushed President Barack Obama to victory in 2008 be sufficient and mobilized enough to ensure his reelection in 2012? Or will the Republican Party and its presidential nominee capitalize on a struggling economy and greater mobilization from a conservative base that holds the president in deep disdain?

This panel will explore these and other issues surrounding the 2012 election as presented in an extensive new paper from Ruy Teixeira and John Halpin of the Center for American Progress.

The United States in 2050

October 18, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

The United States is undergoing a tremendous demographic shift. According to the 2010 Census it is projected that by the year 2050, if not sooner, there will be no ethnic majority in our nation. That future has already arrived in various communities and states across our nation. What are the implications of this demographic shift? How are the communities that have experienced this shift in the last decade managing this change? What are the opportunities and challenges of a more diverse society? And most importantly what is our collective vision for the year 2050 and what do we need to do today to make that vision a reality?

Please join the Center for American Progress to explore these questions and to launch an exciting new project — Progress 2050 which seeks to explore and analyze the policy implications of the demographic change and work towards a more inclusive progressive agenda.

Stronger Together: Community Integration of Newcomers

September 20, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

America’s new arrivals have always been one of our nation’s greatest sources of strength and, at times, challenge. When newcomers arrive to a community, they bring great assets, but their presence can also cause tension within the receiving communities, particularly those who do not have the institutional support to facilitate integration.‬

‪Though widely experienced, the challenges of integration are largely ignored and too little attention is given to how local communities can help facilitate, or impede, the process of integration of new arrivals.‬

Please join us for a fascinating two-part event that breaks new ground in a phenomenon as old as our nation—how communities sometimes cower, but more often conquer fears and grow stronger by embracing differences. First, an abridged screening of a soon-to-be-aired PBS documentary entitled “Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness” that gives a clear-eyed view how the town of Patchogue, New York, reacted and rebounded after an immigrant was killed in a hate crime attack by local teenagers.‬

Following the screening, experts from across the nation will discuss the importance of focusing on what receiving communities can do to help integrate new arrivals, and what others can learn from communities that have taken the lead in creating a dynamic process of integration. The discussion will draw heavily from a two-day gathering of experts on integration and a soon-to-be-released CAP report.

Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America

September 19, 2011, 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Jezebel's sexual lasciviousness, Mammy's devotion, and Sapphire's outspoken anger—these are among the most persistent stereotypes that black women encounter in contemporary American life. Such representations force African American women to navigate a virtual crooked room that shames them and shapes their experiences as citizens. Many respond by assuming a mantle of strength that may convince others, and even themselves, that they do not need help. But as a result, the unique political issues of black women are often ignored and marginalized.

In this groundbreaking book, Melissa V. Harris-Perry explores black women's political and emotional responses to pervasive negative race and gender images. Not a traditional political science work concerned with office-seeking, voting, or ideology, Sister Citizen instead explores how African American women understand themselves as citizens and what they expect from political organizing. Harris-Perry shows that the shared struggle to preserve an authentic self and secure recognition as a citizen links together black women in America, from the anonymous survivors of Hurricane Katrina to the current First Lady of the United States.

Copies of Sister Citizen will be available for purchase at the event.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters in the Electorate

May 16, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

One of the bigger stories coming out of the 2010 Census release of ethnic data was the fact that the Asian population in the United States has grown by nearly 50 percent over the past 10 years. Its growth has even outpaced the Latino community in a number of states including Texas, New Jersey, and Missouri. Moreover, projections indicate that this population will increase 150 percent by the year 2050. Yet in spite of their growing numbers and influence, the APIA community is often overlooked in the political and policy landscape.

To centralize the importance of APIA voters, please join us for a dynamic conversation with leaders from the APIA community.

Prosperity 2050: Is Equity a Superior Growth Model?

April 22, 2011, 10:00am – 12:00pm

As America inches its way out of the Great Recession and looks forward into the future, the need for a new policy framework to guide our economic growth is clear.

Join the Center for American Progress and PolicyLink as we bring together some of the nation’s top economists, policy analysts, and thought leaders to discuss the relationship between economic inclusion, long-term economic growth and competitiveness, and policy changes that can create an economy that works for all Americans.

Everyone Isn’t Obama: Black Men and Social Policy

March 15, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

EVENT FULL: This event is now full and we can no longer accept RSVPs. Please watch the live webcast here.

Imminent threats to federal and state budgets have the potential to severely harm a broad range of groups, including African-American men who have long faced barriers to accessing adequate social services. Those living in poverty disproportionately experience negative outcomes related to such areas as employment, education, incarceration, and mental and physical health. Despite the economic and social progress by significant numbers of black men and the symbolism of having an African-American male in the White House, far too many continue to face difficult barriers on the road to well-being and success for themselves and their families. Systems and policies that could help often don't account for their varying needs or completely fail to reach the population.

This discussion will be led by well-respected scholars and social workers, including contributors to the book, Social Work with African American Males: Health, Mental Health, and Social Policy (Oxford University Press, 2010). Panelists will highlight quality research on black males and suggest necessary system and policy reforms.

Copies of Social Work with African American Males: Health, Mental Health, and Social Policy will be available for purchase at the event.

Spanish-Language Media and the Issues that Move Latino Voters

February 28, 2011, 12:00pm – 1:30pm

EVENT FULL: This event is now full and we can no longer accept RSVPs. Please watch the live webcast here.

Latinos constitute the second-largest group in the United States today and it is expected that by the year 2050 they will make up one-third of the U.S. population. Spanish-dominant voters, traditionally swing voters, have played a pivotal role in increasing the political participation of Latinos and were a key segment to drive up turnout in the 2008 and 2010 elections.

Spanish-language media has an unprecedented reach and influence into this segment of the population and as such will keep this community informed as Congress considers legislation that deeply affects the Latino community. Whether it is job creation, education and health care reform, or immigration-related legislation, Spanish-language media holds a front seat to the political and policy debate and through them the Latino community will be privy to the optics, discourse, and substance of the issues.

Please join us to discuss the role of Spanish-language press in reaching out to the growing Latino community and the issues that are moving this community in 2011 and beyond.

Separate and Unequal

December 6, 2010, 4:30pm – 6:00pm

Abortion policy in this country does not treat all women equally. The Hyde Amendment prohibits Medicaid, the federal health care program for the poor and indigent, from covering abortion care in almost all circumstances. Most people think of abortion as a “woman’s issue,” which of course it is. But the Hyde Amendment intentionally discriminates against poor women, who are disproportionately women of color. In this way, it is also an issue of basic civil rights and economic justice. Anyone who cares about fighting racism and poverty must realize that attacks on abortion, and especially on abortion funding, are first and foremost attacks on poor and low-income women of color.

Please join CAP’s Women’s Health & Rights and Progress 2050 programs for an engaging conversation about the impacts of the Hyde Amendment on women of color and a discussion of why progressives committed to economic and racial justice should be part of the fight to repeal it, as we release a new report on this topic.

The Presumption of Guilt

September 16, 2010, 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Please watch the live webcast here.

Join Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree as he discusses his new book, The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates and Race, Class and Crime in America, with Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Sam Fulwood III. The book highlights some of the perplexing issues that drew public scrutiny last year after Cambridge Police Officer James Crowley arrested Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. The arrest sparked countless private and public debates about the lingering impact of race on American society. The cacophony of conversations even engulfed President Obama, who felt compelled to invite the professor and the policeman to a highly publicized White House "beer summit."

In the immediate aftermath of the Crowley-Gates indicident, Ogletree provided counsel to Gates, his friend and colleague. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Ogletree was a senior advisor to his former law student and current president of the United States. Now, drawing upon an insider's knowledge of both men and vast experience as a criminal law and race law professor, Ogletree's new book places the Gates arrest and resulting fallout into a context framed by the nation's complicated racial and legal history. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing during the event.

Health Centers as Economic Engines for their Communities

August 9, 2010, 10:00am – 11:30am

The second week of August each year is dedicated to recognizing the service and contributions of community health centers, CHCs, around the nation. These health centers have a long history of providing quality health care in underserved communities, but what is less often discussed is the economic benefit and jobs these health centers create for their neighborhoods.

Please join us for a discussion on community health centers’ ongoing economic role in their communities. Panelists will discuss health centers’ experiences serving their communities and how the Recovery Act funding enabled them to expand and enhance services. In a paper to be released at the event, Ellen-Marie Whelan will discuss the impact the additional health center funding from the newly passed Affordable Care Act will have in targeted communities, including how much additional economic activity will be generated and how many new jobs will be created.

Selma and Stonewall: Setting the Agenda for Equal Rights in the 21st Century

June 22, 2010, 9:00am – 10:30am

Neither the mainstream LGBT community nor the mainstream African-American community has found a way to unite behind common issues of concern. While there has been some effort on the part of the organized LGBT community to support issues of importance to the African-American community and vice versa, it has not been sufficient.

This briefing will begin to reframe and broaden the current discourse on this topic, building on the Arcus Foundation’s work on messaging to the African-American community. We will discuss new polling data and other recent research to highlight issues common to black LGBT people and the broader black community, and discuss how more meaningful collaboration can occur to advance a broader equal rights agenda inclusive of LGBT equality.

When Federal Government Failure Leads to Local Upheaval

May 14, 2010, 9:30am – 11:00am

Arizona's enactment of the harshest immigration control measure in the country has re-ignited a national debate over comprehensive immigration reform. Opposition to the law has come from across the political and community spectrum—from faith leaders to immigration and civil rights advocates to the leaders of cities and states across the country.

Federal courts have previously found state and local laws similar to Arizona's to be unconstitutional, ruling that only the federal government has the power to regulate immigration. But Congress has not yet acted on comprehensive immigration reform.

What impact would a law similar to Arizona's have on cities, counties, and law enforcement, and how should immigration be addressed? These questions and others will be answered by Mayor Phil Gordon of Phoenix, Arizona, who is currently handling this crisis in his home state; Mayor John DeStefano of New Haven, Connecticut; and Arlington County Board Member Walter Tejada.

Patricia Sullivan and NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous Discuss Lift Every Voice

March 25, 2010, 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Patricia Sullivan's 2009 book, Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement, is the first major history of America's oldest civil rights organization and destined to be a classic in the field. Sullivan unearths the little-known early decades of the NAACP's activism, telling startling stories of personal bravery, legal brilliance, and political maneuvering.

The Center for American Progress and the Progressive Book Club are pleased to discuss the NAACP's historic achievements and its vision for future civil rights activism with author Patricia Sullivan and current NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous.

Click here to get the book at a discounted rate when you join the Progressive Book Club.

Copies of Lift Every Voice will be available for purchase at the event.

Homeownership Done Right

April 1, 2010, 9:30am – 11:00am

In the years before the capital markets fueled a subprime deluge and bad money chased out good, a range of policies and programs effectively created sustainable, affordable homeownership. Participants in these programs were much more likely to sustain homeownership than comparable borrowers in subprime loans, even as economic conditions worsened. Proven on the ground, these programs point to a way forward that provides access to affordable homeownership for those who are ready for it. Their record also helps put to rest the myth that lending to underserved communities--as opposed to poor lending practices--drove the crisis.

At this CAP forum, experts will examine evidence derived from close analysis by academics across the country, with research demonstrating that we know how to do affordable lending that works. Panelists will discuss how this research should inform the discussions of the system of housing finance for the future.

Moving Beyond Recession-Related Temporary Fixes

February 23, 2010, 12:00pm – 2:00pm

The Great Recession has brought new attention to the plight of low-income Americans and particularly those experiencing disparate hardships. This includes low-income men of color who were trying to overcome multiple challenges of employment, families, and mass incarceration well before our current economic times. While there is still a need to discuss immediate fixes, significant attention must be paid to long-term solutions and the government systems that most affect low-income men's lives—employment efforts, fatherhood programs, child support enforcement, and the criminal justice system.

Join American Progress for a two-panel event on low-income men. The first panel will consist of experts focused on the current state of policy and future opportunities for legislative reform. The second panel will feature representatives from model fatherhood and youth employment programs that provide comprehensive services to low-income men.