Since our founding, we have sought to “think big” in pursuing solutions to entrenched segregation. We have convened academics and advocates to advance conversations on how we can substantially reduce intense segregation within a decade and have collaborated on big proposals based on those ideas discussed. Those proposals are outlined here, along with strategies that we will continue exploring as we broaden our partnerships. For those who may be interested in partnering with our program, please feel free to contact us.
Integration Moonshot Initiative
Since March 2019, an informal group of scholars and activists have been meeting and working on the development of comprehensive strategies aimed at reducing levels of metropolitan housing segregation.
We are united by the powerful evidence that shows very high levels of segregation are a key driver of racial inequality in the United States, and that segregation is closely linked to the concentration of poverty, limited opportunity, and diminished mobility. Many public policies address housing segregation indirectly, but we believe that addressing the phenomenon directly and comprehensively is a productive, efficient, and just path forward. We therefore call our effort the “Moonshot Initiative.” The Moonshot is not an organization, but a collaborative process; we do not have members, but partners and participants. It is an approach to thinking about how to make dramatic progress on some of our biggest and most persistent social problems.
Packets with background materials distributed at the Moonshot Initiatives first three meetings
- Philadelphia, October 2019
- Washington, DC, June 2019
- New York, March 2019
Proposals produced by the collaboration
- Gates Foundation “Voices for Economic Opportunity” (Submitted November 2019)
Proposal in collaboration with three other foundations in response to the Gates Foundation challenge call seeking creative, compelling ideas to elevate diverse voices and broaden the national conversation about poverty and economic mobility. - MacArthur Foundation “100&Change” (Submitted August 2019)
Proposal for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.
Move-Smart App
In the process of looking for housing, there are a series of preconceived notions that influence individuals’ choice of neighborhoods.
We are interested in prototyping a Move-Smart App that allows people to choose which factors are important to them, whether it is access to green space, quality schools, or transportation options and match them to a neighborhood that suits their needs.
We believe that a tool such as this can further the efficacy of local housing authorities by highlighting a neighborhoods unique quality and clearly identifying the breadth of services that they provide.