Economic Security
Strengthening the economic security of families and communities across the nation
America should be a place where every child, no matter their unique circumstances, can grow up to be what they dream. And yet our nation continues to create discriminatory barriers that unfairly limit or deny educational opportunity.
At The Leadership Conference, we work to transform public education so that all young people can attend safe, inclusive, and resourced schools that prepare them for successful futures. We also aim to transform education decision-making at the local, state, and federal levels so that diverse and intersectional voices drive reform.
Educational equity is a civil and human right. That’s why our coalition is leading a coordinated effort to protect the rights and safety of students with disabilities, survivors of sexual assault on campuses, students of color, and other vulnerable communities to ensure every student in America can forge the best path to their future.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
– Nelson Mandela
Recent Resources
Published by The Leadership Conference Education Fund in collaboration with member organizations of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
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Celebrating 50 Years of Lau v. Nichols
The work continues to ensure an equitable education system for all.
The Leadership Conference Applauds Department of Education Toolkit on Voter Registration
WASHINGTON — Leslie Proll, senior director of the voting rights program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Yterenickia 'YT' Bell, senior director of the And Still I Vote program, released the following statement celebrating the U.S. Department of Education’s toolkit for promoting civic engagement and voter registration activities for students.
90+ Civil Rights Groups Call for Robust Funding for Education Civil Rights Office to Protect Students
WASHINGTON — The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 91 national and local advocacy organizations, called on President Biden and congressional appropriators to double the funding for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR cannot fulfill its responsibility to protect the civil rights of all students without adequate resources.
Economic justice and civil rights are inextricably bound. We work to promote shared prosperity in the 21st century so that every person in America can invest in their future, choose the right school for their children, pursue their dream home without fear of discrimination, and achieve the American Dream.
But in too many places across America, people are denied opportunities because of who they are or where they live. And often they have no way to know they are being treated differently ─ that they are turned down and turned away from economic advancement for biased and illegal reasons. In fact, largely due to nefarious lending practices, the rate of African Americans who own homes today is 41.6 percent, about the same as the rate in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act was passed.
At The Leadership Conference, we fight for policy solutions that will help close gaps and increase opportunities for communities facing persistent disadvantage. Together with our coalition members, elected leaders, and the business community, we are addressing the wage gap, fighting for a federal minimum wage, expanding access to paid sick leave and longer term family and medical leave, increasing access to economic mobility, and demanding workplace safety for all.
Key Reports
Resources from The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund that promote policies and strategies to build opportunity and achieve economic justice.
A Call for Legislative Action to Eliminate Workplace Harassment
Along with the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Women’s Law Center, and more than 50 other organizations, we released a series of principles and recommendations to Congress to strengthen and expand protections against workplace harassment for working people in the private and public sectors, as well as the military.
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Factsheets
Prepared by The Leadership Conference Education Fund and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, these factsheets define minimum wage issues as civil rights issues.