There will be four focused sessions on changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) at NCRC's April 3-4 2024 Just Economy Conference.

 

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) will be hosting four focused sessions on changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) at its 2024 Just Economy Conference. The CRA requires banks to lend in the communities where they do business. The federal regulators overseeing CRA announced late in 2023 a much-needed overhaul of this important economic justice law. These sessions will treat the changes as well as the implications for community development and equity.

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The sessions are:   The New CRA 101 (ROUND 1) This session covers the updated CRA, which encourages financial institutions to meet the credit needs of low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods and requires federal banking agencies to assess the record of meeting these standards and evaluate their efforts. We will explore how CRA can be used to increase affordable housing and small business reinvestment in your communities, including crucial updates to the rule announced in late 2023.    The New CRA 101 (ROUND 2) Addressing the Climate Crisis through CRA and federal funding Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of storms, heat waves, fires and other weather-related disasters, with communities of color and low-income households the most affected. CRA’s definition of community development was recently updated to encourage banks to finance weather resiliency. This session will cover climate/weather resiliency projects and priorities, including how best to work with communities to prevent bluelining, a trend where financial institutions withdraw services or increase costs due to climate change.    What's Next With The CRA Final Rule This session will focus on what's coming next with CRA reform and upcoming opportunities to further shape the development of the new CRA rule. Speakers will be covering topics including: developing a statistical model that identifies markets where all banks are underperforming, best practices for reviewing the impact of community development on neighborhoods, and how the regulators can be proactive in preventing a decline in critical investments.   State CRA And Non-Banks Community advocates, along with state and local elected officials, are increasingly pushing for state CRA laws that bring in more resources and fix gaps in the federal CRA rules, especially since more and more lending is done by institutions not covered by federal CRA. This session will explore how state CRA laws include a review of credit unions and mortgage companies' loans and investments in underserved people and neighborhoods, in addition to banks.    Register now.

Free Census Webinar on Income, Poverty, & Educational Data by Race is January 25th

Entitled The Exploration of Income, Poverty and Educational Census Data, the free 60-minute webinar presented by the Census Bureau will be on January 25, 2024 beginning at 2:00 p.m. EST. In this webinar, the Census staff will provide and explore current data to understand select income, poverty, education statistics, & tables organized by race (black and white), age, and sex.

This webinar is 60-minutes, and begins at 2:00 PM EST. Registration in advance is required. Request ASL at (ask.data@census.gov) and allow a minimum of 72 hours notice. For a refresher on Census tools or topics, please refer to the Census' previous webinar series It’s All in the Tools or Back to Data Basics.

The webinar is part of the U.S. Census Academy's 2024 webinar series, “Exploring the Diversity of Census Bureau Data.” It is a great way to learn about how to access and use current data trends in race, income, etc., as well as how to use helpful data analysis tools. "This webinar series uses real-life scenarios to help the attendee to learn how to locate and use data tools to access Census Bureau data.  “Exploring the Diversity of Census Bureau Data” is broken down into four mini-series topics which provide an expanded look at our (the Census Bureau) data on these topics:

• Race.
• Geography.
• Business and economy.
• Population and housing.

Each is 60 minutes with prior registration required.

Here are some upcoming Census webinars on diversity issues that sound interesting:

On February 8, 2024. the Census will present its An Overview of Hispanics in America webinar. This webinar provides an overview of the Hispanic population in the U.S.

The February 22, 2024, webinar will be Exploring the Diversity and Growth of the Asian American Population. "Build your knowledge to paint a local portrait of Asian Americans using Census Bureau data."

There are a number of free Census webinars after February that concern Using CBP Non-Employer Statistics (NES) to Evaluate Change, the TIGERweb, Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs), among several others.

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Source: Go to the Census Bureau's series website.

Anthony Wann Williams, Homeless Advocate dies

Williams died May 8, 2023, in Baltimore. Born in East Baltimore, he grew up in the foster system and later in Baltimore, was a fierce advocate for the rights of the poor and unhoused. He focused on identifying the barriers people experiencing homelessness faced, what were the solutions, and how they could be implemented, while making certain that the conversation was led by those affected. “His impact was  immeasurable,” said Rachel Kutler of Housing Our Neighbors (HON), a collective of people experiencing homelessness and their allies and advocates that Williams co-founded in 2012 and helped lead.

A writer, photographer and poet, Williams documented his early life on the streets and in the abandoned buildings in a play, “The King of Howard Street" based on the portraits he wrote of the people with whom he once lived. He also wrote of his journey of survival in composition notebooks, emphasizing the bonds and struggles of the homeless communities.

While living at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter in New York, he met Lewis Haggins Jr., and the two co-founded Picture the Homeless in 1999. The group aims to promote the voices and stories of unhoused people into mainstream media and policy discussions via collective organizing and sharing the stories of people experiencing homelessness.

In Baltimore, Williams regularly fought to include those who were or had been homeless in the decision-making processes of programs that affected unhoused people. He was co-chair of the city’s Lived Experience Advisory Committee. Williams also was an early participant in the New York City Continuum of Care and the Baltimore City Continuum of Care, a program set up by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to guide housing and homelessness spending. 

During the coronavirus epidemic, Williams advocated for Baltimore’s unhoused, criticizing the homeless services’ office for he felt was not able to develop a comprehensive plan to use American Rescue Plan Act funds to move away from its system of congregate living facilities.

His longtime friend and fellow Picture the Homeless organizer, Lynn Lewis recorded hours of interviews with him for an oral history project. 

Williams was honored at an August 22, 2023 celebration of life at St. Vincent de Paul in Baltimore.

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Read the January 15, 2024 Baltimore Sun obituary.

Read the December 31, 2023 Baltimore Brew article.

Read the September 5, 2023 Baltimore Beat article.

Annapolis Human Rights Day is February 5, 2024

 

The Maryland Association of Human Rights Agencies (MAHRA) invites you to attend their 2024 Human Rights Day in Annapolis on Monday, February 5, 2024. The event will take place from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library (1410 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401).  Held annually, Human Rights Day in Annapolis serves as an opportunity for human rights agencies, elected officials, community stakeholders, and residents to discuss critical human rights topics, review important bills pertaining to human rights in the upcoming legislative cycle, and strategize how to address human rights concerns in our respective regions in the State of Maryland.   THIS IS A FREE EVENT & LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED To register for this year's Human Rights Day in Annapolis, please visit bit.ly/2024-MAHRA.  Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships HOME      ABOUT MCCR      SERVICES      PUBLICATIONS      EVENTS      PRESS      CONTACT US

MD Stop the Hare is January 18th

 

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Join MCCR Join MCCR January 18, 2024 for the #StopTheHate #ReportHateBias #SpreadHopeNotHate Social Media Storm!!! All Day, All Social Media Platforms Hashtags #StopTheHate #ReportHateBias #SpreadHopeNotHate #MCCRUnitedAgainstHate Social Media Handles                     LinkedIn: Maryland Commission on Civil Rights                    X/Twitter: @MDCivilRights                        Facebook: Maryland Commission on Civil Rights               Instagram: @MDCivilRights   Sample Posts Bias or hate crimes are crimes motivated by the perpetrator's bias or attitude against an individual victim or group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics, such as their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.    Call 911 immediately. Hate crimes that aren't reported can't be investigated or         prosecuted. mccr.maryland.gov                         #StopTheHate #ReportHateBias #SpreadHopeNotHate                      #MCCRUnitedAgainstHate                  ______________________________________________________________ A hate/bias incident is any act or expression of hostility or aggression that is motivated by bias against a protected class but does not constitute a crime under State or federal law. mccr.maryland.gov        #StopTheHate  #ReportHateBias  #SpreadHopeNotHate   #MCCRUnitedAgainstHate  ______________________________________________________________ Finding help for victims is important. The Justice Department-funded Victim Connect Resource Center provides information and assistance to victims of crimes, including hate crimes. Trained victim assistance specialists are available at no cost to help victims find local support services at 1-855-484-2846 or by chat at the website linked below. mccr.maryland.gov #StopTheHate #ReportHateBias #SpreadHopeNotHate #MCCRUnitedAgainstHate  ______________________________________________________________ 11,288 single-bias incidents involved 13,278 victims  In 346 incidents, a total of 433 victims were targeted because of more than one bias. mccr.maryland.gov #StopTheHate #ReportHateBias #SpreadHopeNotHate #MCCRUnitedAgainstHate Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships HOME      ABOUT MCCR      SERVICES      PUBLICATIONS      EVENTS      PRESS      CONTACT US

MD Insurance Administration Opens Virtual Disaster Center

 

Were you affected by recent severe weather events in Maryland? The Maryland Insurance Administration is hosting a Virtual Disaster Center, Tuesday, January 16th from 12-2 PM and 5-7 PM, to answer your questions and help you navigate the insurance process -- in a general session and in one-on-one breakout rooms. Registration is not needed. Please join us by Zoom or Dial-In: Tuesday, January 16th 12-2 PM or 5-7 PM Join us on Zoom or Dial-In, registration is not needed: Zoom: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1603802898 Dial-in number: (646) 828-7666 Meeting ID: 160 380 2898

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Hate Crimes Against Jewish and Muslim Americans Continue to Surge

Reports of hate crimes and bias incidents targeting Jews, Muslims and Arabs continue to surge across the U. S. New data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) indicate a marked rise in reported incidents of both antisemitism and anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias.

The ADL said it recorded 2,031 antisemitic incidents in the two months after the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, including reports of physical assault, vandalism, and “anti-Israel rallies that included classically antisemitic, anti-Zionist and/or terror-supportive rhetoric.” The organization said it received reports of 465 antisemitic incidents during the same two-month period in 2022. The new data constitutes an over 330% increase in reported incidents of antisemitism from the 2022 time period. “This is historic but can be directly linked back to the Israel-Hamas war as a majority of the incidents referenced the conflict in one form or another,” said Jake Hyman, a spokesperson for the ADL.

CAIR said it has tracked a similarly serious rise in requests for help and reports of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias. After recording an “unprecedented” spike in bias incidents during the first month of the war, the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group said 2,171 requests for help and reports of bias have been made to its  U. S. national headquarters and chapters since October 7. Those reports include incidents of hate crimes and hate speech, as well as workplace discrimination and incidents described as “violations of an individual’s right to free speech and expression." 

Attorney General Merrick Garland instructed law enforcement officials across the country to “remain vigilant in the face of risks of terrorism and hate-fueled violence” at the recent National Violent Crime Reduction Summit in Indianapolis. Garland discussed how the U. S. Department of Justice is “closely monitoring” the impact of the Israel-Hamas war, and how the conflict in the Middle East is inspiring extremists both at home and abroad. He also noted the spike in hate-fueled violence “comes at a time when law enforcement agencies and communities across the country have already been facing significant challenges regarding violent crime.”

The increase in reported hate and bias motivated incidents has produced a climate of fear for many Jewish, Muslim, and Arab people living in America. Jews across the country told CNN they are changing the way they celebrate Hanukkah this year. Some have broken with yearslong traditions and removed the menorah from their windows. Others have grown more defiant and have chosen to boldly declare their Jewish identity despite the rise in antisemitism.

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Read the December 11, 2023 CNN article.