Video: Building Bridges & Belonging Through Communications

On October 8, 2021, OBI Director john a. powell sat down with Dr. Carmen Rojas from the Marguerite Casey Foundation for a conversation for the ComNetworkV21 Conference. They discussed how nonprofit leaders, communicators, and storytellers can...

Strengthening the protection of minority groups

On Oct. 4, 2021 OBI director john a. powell gave an overview of the mechanism of othering and belonging and the concept of targeted universalism. Professor powell defines ‘othering’ and ‘belonging’ as well as the mechanism to each as it relates to...

Stephen Menendian Speaks at SHA 7th Annual Summit Day 1

Stephen Menendian was the keynote speaker at the 7th annual Sacramento Housing Alliance conference on September 29th, 2021, and presented on fair housing, racial inequality, and land use reform.

INET Climate Justice Conference: Just Transition and the Transition to Justice

On September 28 2021, OBI director john a. powell moderated a discussion with Johanna Chao Kreilick, who is the president of the Union of Concerned Scientists and Ashindi Maxton, the co-founder and executive director of Donors of Color Network, on...

john a. powell addresses California task force on reparations

On September 24, 2021, Director john a. powell presented testimony on reparations and political participation to the state of California’s Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African-Americans ( his presentation begins at 1:04...

New Research on Patterns in Racial Residential Segregation and the Roots of Structural Racism

On Sept 23rd, OBI Assistant Director Stephen Menendian presented to the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH) in a special workshop on why segregation persists and the relation of race and affordable housing in California.

Video: Building Belonging in a Time of Othering

The Monterey Public Library (California's first public library founded in 1849) is one of 36 libraries to receive a grant to participate in Book to Action - an opportunity to read, discuss, and act on a select book that's relevant to their community...

Reimagine Education for All: Equity and Targeted Universalism

Children, family, and situation differ not just at the individual level but also at the group level similarly to race, class, ability and other important indicators.

Video: Making Urbanism Antiracist

On April 15, 2021, Assistant Director Stephen Menendian was interviewed by YIMBY Action Board Chair, Ernest Brown, as part of a series on "Making Urbanism Antiracist." They discussed the nature of opportunity, mobility versus place-based strategies, and the race versus class debate.

Polarization and Preconditions: Bridging Across Identities for a Society of Belonging

In Professor john a. powell's keynote, he emphasizes how polarization has led to significant upheaval in our democracy and how pledging, rather than simple monetary generosity, will begin bridging towards solutions.

Racial Residential Segregation and Racial Gerrymandering: An Overlooked Nexus

On April 3, 2021, Assistant Director Stephen Menendian presented on the relationship between fair housing and voting rights on a panel at a fair housing conference organized by the Fair Housing Council of San Diego.

Stephen Menendian presents at the 2021 MLI Symposium Housing and Land Use Equity

On March 5th, 2021, Assistant Director Stephen Menendian presented on the topic of structural racism and its expressions in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Berkeley Law school's Municipal Law Institute's 2021 symposium "Converging Emergencies."

Video: Stephen Menendian presentation at the California League of Cities

Assistant Director Stephen Menendian presented the Institute's research on racial demographic change and land use in the San Francisco Bay Area for the North Bay Division of the California League of Cities.

Interfaith Leadership Council: Divine Belonging in a Divided World

On February 22, Dr. powell gave a keynote talk at the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit.

Video: Land Use Policy and Structural Racism

On February 18, 2021, Assistant Director Stephen Menendian presented the Institute's latest research findings on the exclusionary effects of restrictive zoning, a summary of prior research, and it's relationship to structural racism to the Sacramento Council of Governments.

Explore Othering and Belonging

Targeted Universalism Case Study: Vision for Baltimore

Vision for Baltimore (V4B) is a successful program at Baltimore City Schools (BCS) designed to provide annual vision screenings for all students and, when necessary, to provide follow-up eye exams and eyeglasses at no cost to families. Download PDF...
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Depolarization Day

Want a chance to hear from experts studying the root of what’s driving us apart and how we come back together? Eager to build the skills to listen empathetically, elicit narratives of connection, and interview professionally? Looking for a chance...

The Power of Bridging

A research-backed guide for building bridges across difference in any area of our lives, from esteemed civil rights scholar john a. powell. We don't want to live in a society in turmoil. In the US, 93 percent of people want to reduce divisiveness...