Ever wondered how much public policy truly impacts our daily lives? While we often focus on individual choices, Amy Hanauer’s talk sheds light on how the rules and regulations we live under shape everything—from the air we breathe to the opportunities available to our children. Imagine a tiny change in policy that increases financial aid for students or a slight increase in public transportation funding that makes commutes easier. These small shifts can have monumental impacts, changing lives and communities in ways we often overlook. Amy argues that while individual actions are valuable, it’s collective action—fueled by thoughtful policies—that creates lasting change. She shares powerful examples, like how a congestion fee in London reduced traffic by 30% and how different policies across countries make a poverty-wage job in one place a middle-class job in another. She also highlights the critical role policies play in areas like the environment, education, and criminal justice. In a world where we're encouraged to believe in the power of individual action, Amy’s insights remind us that real, sustainable change often requires a collective push—one that starts with understanding and influencing the policies that govern our lives. If you’re curious about how you can make a difference, start by asking the right questions: Why are things the way they are? And how can we, as a community, push for policies that lead to better outcomes for all? Check out this inspiring snippet from her talk and reflect on the power we have to shape our world through policy. #publicpolicy #collectiveaction #changemakers #policymatters You can watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/d_TzVq8m
African Economic Scholars Program (AESP)’s Post
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🔎 A Year of Impact at the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies 🔎 At the Lewis Center, we’re driven by a mission to improve the quality of life in Los Angeles through innovative research and policy solutions around the critical (and often overlapping) issues of #housingaffordability and #transportationequity. Over the past year, our work has played a larger role in influencing policy in the region. 🏘️ Fair Housing Land Use With our new Fair Housing Land Use Score (#FHLUS), we’re highlighting how cities can better affirmatively further fair housing, addressing segregation and inequality in their housing elements. 🚗 Transportation Equity By evaluating #BlueLA, we’ve explored how carsharing programs can improve mobility for low-income families, while also identifying key barriers such as vehicle availability and commute limitations. 🎙 Expanding Reach Our UCLA Housing Voice podcast has grown tremendously, with 78 new episodes to date. This year, we focused on critical issues like homelessness, bringing together experts to spark discussions on the most effective interventions. 🎓 Supporting Students Each year, we provide critical funding to #UCLALuskin graduate students, supporting their capstone projects tackling pressing local issues. For the second year in a row, a student fellow was recognized for the best transportation planning project in the country. #CUTC #NevilleParkerAward 📢 Join us as we continue to engage with policymakers, communities, and fellow researchers to make Los Angeles a more equitable and sustainable place to live. Let’s keep pushing forward together! Read the full Director’s Report: https://arcg.is/unWW8
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While I very much appreciate Stanford's Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) new report on Homelessness in California: Causes and Policy Considerations, these key takeaways seem obvious to anyone in this field. My question is how to make real progress in breaking down barriers and changing systems to bring more people safely indoors and thrive? Read the report: https://lnkd.in/dXJ8uuvE
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Creating policies alone does not necessarily lead to effective systems change. Hallie Vermette offers her insights and draws from her experience as a Policy Studies student, minoring in Social Innovation where she engages complex policy problems through policy theory, systems analysis, and systems change frameworks. What is the policy problem? Why can't we resolve complexity? Where is the community in the policy cycle? Embrace the 'Good Vibrations' Hallie's learnings offer as someone outside the policymaking regime. https://lnkd.in/gsUxurnQ
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From Social Security funding to the increasingly underutilized capacity of our nation's products and services, demographic shifts are creating serious problems that are disruptive in the sense that everything needs to steadily shrink its footprint as fewer and fewer clients, customers and workers is creating a seismic shift in the U.S. and other developed nations. o A smaller work force o Businesses face difficulties finding skilled workers, which could impact overall economic output o A shrinking tax base o Abandoned villages o An aging population o Negative implications for labor forces, economic growth, and social support systems https://lnkd.in/dkht2_fU
America Has Too Many Schools
wsj.com
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The Road to Equity: How Public Transit is Helping Youth in Lynnwood https://bit.ly/3YloUyq
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The Million Voters Project and Power California, grantee partners of Irvine’s #JustProsperity initiative, have just released “Narrative Power: Accelerating Narrative Change from the Ground Up,” the largest field study developed to assess the narrative power-building infrastructure! The report surveys the narrative infrastructure of 58 community-based power-building organizations and convenes focus groups from over 30 local, statewide, and national narrative change experts. It also provides recommendations on how to challenge dominant narratives that fuel inequality and advance new ones that center multiracial democracy, interdependence, and fairness for all. Check out the report at: https://lnkd.in/gRJGxeZz #NarrativeChange
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After years of working in political communications at both the provincial and federal levels, I’ve come to realize that a true passion lies in municipal politics. While my first love was federal politics—largely because I’m a big-picture thinker who likes to look at issues from a holistic, overarching perspective—I’ve discovered that when it comes to getting things done in a practical, hands-on way, municipal politics is where real impact happens. Unlike federal decisions, which can take time to trickle down and be felt in our day-to-day lives, municipal politics touches people directly in their communities. It’s the decisions made at this level that determine the quality of local services, infrastructure, and public spaces—the very things we interact with every day. Whether it’s improving a park, addressing economic development needs, or fixing a local road, municipal politics offers tangible, immediate results that make a difference. It’s exciting to be part of something that affects real change in people’s daily lives. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the impact of a decision take shape right in the heart of a community. This evening I have the privilege of chairing a community roundtable for Annapolis Royal’s business community to help energize the autumn and winter season! #MunicipalPolitics #CommunityImpact #PoliticalCommunications #LocalGovernment #MakingADifference #PublicService
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We have an incredible impact on communities in Orange and southeast Los Angeles Counties and we won't stop until we create a world where equity and justice are not a goal but a given. #MakingJusticeReal4SoCal Read more about our impact from our 2023 annual report. https://lnkd.in/gUSQmhu
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It's time for a new economic vision for the nation. Join us and Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute next Wednesday, April 17 for a virtual roundtable featuring two of the nation's foremost advocates for needed, just economy reforms: Natalie Foster of Economic Security Project and Solana Rice of Liberation in a Generation. This gathering will build on evolving efforts by progressive change agents in California and elsewhere to advance a Common Agenda focused on: ✔️promoting inclusive economy models; ✔️bolstering community organizing and advocacy efforts designed to address structural reform; ✔️supporting policy action and alignment across progressive communities at the state and regional levels and; ✔️meeting the growing imperative to lift up the vision and voices of young people and communities of color. Learn more and RSVP: https://bit.ly/43ttz2f #CAExplorations
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NEW on Wonkhe: A new London Higher report finds further evidence that the cost of living crisis is driving educational inequality, through its impact on access. For Richard Boffey, we need the political will of the new government to match the resolve of the sector. https://lnkd.in/eSSyWKWU
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