FPI prepares to launch the Florida Timeline by continuing the "Pursue Equity" series. The latest piece from the series examines historical racism in the TANF program.
In order to chart an equitable course forward for all Floridians, we must first understand the journey that brought us to where we are today. A long history of discriminatory policies at the federal, state, and local levels has built an uneven playing field and drives disparate outcomes for many Floridians from historically marginalized communities. Public policies and investments that intentionally reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health, economic well-being, taxation, civic participation, and justice involvement are paramount to building a more equitable, brighter Florida.
This is why one of FPI’s core values is to Pursue Equity by advancing policies that dismantle the systemic barriers to opportunity historically upheld by public officials, laws, and practices. We live out this value by publishing policy research that disaggregates data by race and ethnicity, promoting policy recommendations which reduce harmful racial and ethnic disparities, shining a light on how Florida’s historic discriminatory policies impact our state today, and by operating with a lens of equity and inclusion as an organization.
