Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland presenting Understanding Race Equity and Homelessness event January 8

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Tags: Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland , Foundations

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The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland is presenting a day-long forum titled Understanding Race Equity and Homelessness at the Jerry Sue Thornton Center (2500 E. 22nd St. in Cleveland) January 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The purpose of the event is to deepen understanding of equity and homelessness, including historical context, systemic racism and white privilege.

More information is below or available here, where you can also register for the event.

Understanding race equity and homelessness

People of color are disproportionately more likely than White people to experience homelessness in the U.S. Systemic discrimination and racism have resulted in disparities in the ways in which homeless and housing services and programs impact diverse populations.

SPARC: Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities is a collaboration with partners and communities to understand and respond to racial inequities and to jump start implementation of racial equity strategies in homeless services, programs, policies, and systems.

A SPARC report documented high rates of homelessness among people of color in eight partner communities: approximately 65% of people experiencing homelessness were Black, while 28% were White. In Cleveland, those numbers are even more severe: In 2018, 74.8% of people experiencing homelessness in Cuyahoga County were Black, and 25.1% were White. This trend of disproportionality is being seen all over the nation. Homelessness among American Indian/Alaskan Natives in the SPARC communities was 3 to 8 times higher than their proportion of the general population. Read SPARC's report to see findings and recommendations for organizational leaders, researchers, policymakers, and community members.

The one-day session covers national issues of equity and homelessness, including historical context, systemic racism, white privilege and understanding equity-based strategies.

Breakfast & networking: 8:30 - 9 a.m.

Program & training: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Register here.

Training provided by SPARC leader Regina Cannon of C4 Innovations.

Presented with support from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services. The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.