All Resources

As I watch what's unfolding in Los Angeles and across our nation, I'm reminded of something Gandhi understood deeply: the path we choose in moments of crisis shapes not just our immediate response, but the kind of society we become. Today, we face a...

On June 2, As part of the UC Office of the President's Systemwide Academic Freedom Congress, OBI Director john powell participated in a panel that explored the dynamics between diversity, equity and inclusion-related programs and academic freedom."...

On May 21st, Stephen Menendian presented the book Belonging Without Othering to the Berkeley Rotary Club. Download a copy of his slides here. Note: This page is archived. It is kept only for reference purposes, so it is no longer being updated, and...

Equity-centered data is the foundation for creating a more inclusive and just society, ensuring that data collection, analysis, and decision-making processes include the needs of historically marginalized groups when setting goals for strong and inclusive communities.

President Donald Trump on April 23 issued an executive order misleadingly entitled “ Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy .” This order announces that it is now “the policy of the United States to eliminate the use of disparate-impact...

Co-founder of Conscious Community Connectors, Fatima Elkott shares how OBI's recent North American Equity Data convening has impacted them. This is an excerpt of Elkott's first-person narrative which was initially published in full on May 7 here. I...

Bridging for Democracy (B4D) is a partnership among social justice movement organizations to develop practices and narratives for rehumanizing and rebuilding our mutual commitments to one another across deep “us-them” divides in US society.

Stephen Menendian presented at the Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California annual fair housing conference on April 23, 2024 as a keynote speaker. He presented on recent racial demographic data, patterns of racial residential segregation, and...

Why do some political leaders thrive on anti-corruption rhetoric, even when accused of corruption themselves? In her latest Connecting the Dots piece, Míriam Juan-Torres, Head of Research at the Democracy & Belonging Forum, explores how authoritarian...

On April 16, Director john a. powell joined the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism for a conversation on bridging and belonging. Drawing on themes from his recent book, powell discussed how the problem of othering has shaped the 21st century, the dangers of “breaking” narratives, and the role of journalism in telling bridging stories that foster empathy, nuance, and trust. powell highlighted how storytelling can either reinforce division or foster bridging and belonging.

On April 15, john powell and Stephen Menendian sat down with interim Dean of Social Work Susan Stone to discuss their book, Belonging Without Othering at the UC Berkeley School of Social Work. Transcript Susan Stone: As you might know, social work is...

On April 11th, Assistant Director Stephen Menendian sat on a panel at the Austin Housing Works Regional Affordable Housing conference. His presentation covered the problem of municipal fragmentation as undermining regionalism.

Stephen presented at the Housing Works Austin Summit on Housing and Regional Affordability on April 11th, 2025. Stephen was on a panel that discussed the need for regional approaches and the costs and problems of continued municipal fragmentation...

The calluses and scars on Shamichael Hallman’s hands serve as lasting reminders of the frigid Alabama winters he spent as a 20-year-old logger, cutting and bundling 20-foot cedar logs in a Birmingham lumber yard—timber destined to build homes. “I’d...

How can the contaminated lands that dot urban neighborhoods and rural lands across the country and the world, often for years or decades, be cleaned up and put to reuse in ways that ensure environmental health, social equity, and thriving local...