About

In 2017, The Partnership for Southern Equity Leadership Development Program designed the Resident Leaders for Equity(RLE), an (8) eight-month leadership development program, led by the Partnership for Southern Equity (PSE) and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Atlanta Civic Site. RLE was created to strengthen community knowledge of racial-equity skills and strategies and create positive neighborhood change. As highlighted in the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Changing the Odds report, Atlanta has deep and enduring racial disparities that make it one of the most difficult places in the nation for children of color from low-income families to succeed. As the city’s economy and demographics continue to shift, Metro Atlanta neighborhoods are increasingly being impacted. To navigate these changes and ensure that all residents and their families have a chance to succeed, extensive leadership is needed at the community level. In 2020, we have started two new cohorts: the East Point Academy and the Youth Leaders for Equity.

The Partnership for Southern Equity developed the RLE curriculum to help support the growth of a diverse group of neighborhood leaders who will advocate for and help manage these processes and, in particular, the racial impacts of gentrification. The core competency areas include:

• Leadership

• Community Engagement

• Racial Equity

The training also includes information on the localized impacts of gentrification, methods to address racial equity and racial disparities, building leadership skills through establishing a clear understanding of racial equity principles, community engagement strategies, leadership development practicing community asset-mapping, and learning the basics of community organizing.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define racial equity and provide examples of racial equity through personal experiences or societal observations.

• Use storytelling as an advocacy tool

• Use leadership skills to organize and mobilize their community*

• Develop trusted relationships with peer groups as well as community advocates

• Equip with strategies and tools to help them navigate difficult conversation leading to conflict resolution

• Create a model community action plan

*Community can be broadly defined – i.e. peer group, family, school, neighborhood, online (Facebook or What’s app). We all have multiple communities.