Leaders sought for WSU's Equity Action Lab

Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights is inviting leaders from local organizations to apply to join its second yearlong cohort group for the Detroit Equity Action Lab.

In July, WSU was awarded a three-year, $1.3 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to launch the equity lab at the Keith Center to bring together organizations to address issues of structural racism in Detroit.

The first cohort group of 27 members has been meeting regularly for skills building workshops led by local and national experts. In addition, participants are initiating group projects to integrate the skills they learn to address racial disparities in metro Detroit.

Annually, the equity lab will convene a group of leaders from about 20 organizations working in the many dimensions of racial equity, including arts and media, community development, education, environment, food security, health care and housing.

Deadline to apply for the 2015-16 cohort is Monday, June 15. Apply online at keithcenter.wayne.edu/deal.

The website provides details about the benefits of participation to cohort members and commitments required of members.
For additional information, call 313.577.3620.

The equity lab seeks diverse community leaders from all of Detroit’s ethnic and racial groups, genders, sexual orientations, ages and backgrounds.

The lab seeks applications from organizations working in a wide variety of sectors and various levels of budgets and experience.

“Diversity of expertise and perspectives within each cohort is critical to our success,” said Wayne Law Professor Peter Hammer, director of the Keith Center and leader of the equity lab initiative.

Lab participants will learn how to build capacity for their organizations. Through trainings and discussions, they will identify long-standing structural racism and create action plans to promote change. They will create policy recommendations and improve awareness about racial equity issues in the community.