This document summarizes discussions from a roundtable on race, class, and the environment held at the University of Chicago in January 2010. The roundtable included speakers from universities, environmental justice organizations, and research groups. Key topics discussed were the exploitative practices that deprived Black Americans of wealth through discriminatory real estate contracts in the 1950s, the history of urban renewal policies that displaced Black communities, and the need to address issues of racial and social inequities when promoting environmental and economic agendas. The roundtable aimed to advance discussions around integrating considerations of equity into efforts to improve communities and the environment.

1. 1 Bart Schultz, Director ‐ Civic Knowledge Project Director and U of C sponsor 2 Linda Luk (r), Manager ‐ OMSA and U of C sponsor 3 Tracye
Matthews (r), Associate Director ‐ Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture and U of C sponsor 4 Chef Tsadakeeyah (r) BIG’s official caterer
5 Roundtable Speakers: l to r Terry Keleher/Applied Research Center, Dr. Howard Ehrman/University of Illinois, Naomi Davis/Blacks in Green, Kim
Wasserman/LVEJO, William Michael Cunningham/Creative Investment Research (not shown: Claude Robinson/UCAN, sponsor)
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Blacks in Green™
Event Report
University of Chicago I January 27, 2010
RaceClassEnvironment2010

2. Roundtable Recommendations
Race Class Environment Curriculum
Bill Cunningham
Creative Investment Research, Inc.
PO Box 21561, Washington, DC 20009-9998
Phone 866-867-3795 Fax 866-867-3795
info@creativeinvest.com www.creativeinvest.com
Family Properties: Race, Real Estate, and the Exploitation of Black Urban
America by Beryl Satter
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/books/review/Arsenault-t.html
www.mbecapitalcall.com
www.minoritybank.com
www.diversityfund.com
Naomi Davis, JD
BIG: Blacks in Green™
PO Box 490078, Chicago, IL 60649
Phone 773-569-4464 773-678-9541
naomi@blacksingreen.org www.blacksingreen.org
Race: The Power of An Illusion
http://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm
17 Principles of EJ http://www.j net.org/ej/principles.html10p
Working Together www.ejnet.org/ej/workingtogether.pdf
Green Group Alliances www.ejnet.org/ej/greengroups.pdf
Climate Justice www.ejnet.org/ej/climatejustice.pdf
Building Community www.northernsun.com/n/s/4193.html
Howard Ehrman, MD
University of Illinois Chicago
MD1919 W Taylor St # 145AHP, Chicago, IL 60612-7246
Phone 312-996-1103 hehrman@uic.edu
Unnatural Causes http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/
Terry Keleher
Applied Research Center Midwest Office
28 E. Jackson Bldg #10-A924, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone 312-376-8234 Fax 312-922-6964 tkeleher@arc.org
Green Equity Toolkit
http://www.arc.org/downloads/Green_Toolkit_112009.pdf
“Facing Race” Conference, September 23-25 at the McCormick Hyatt
Kim Wasserman
Little Village Environmental Justice Oreganization
2856 S.Millard Avenue,Chicago , IL60623
Phone 773-762-6991 Fax 773-762-6993 coordinator@lvejo.org,
Civil Disobedience http://www.gazettechicago.com/index/2010/01/
environmental-protest-groups-shut-down-chicagos-financial-district/
Visit Azizi Books, BIG’s Green Reading Partner, www.azizibooks.com
TEN THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT RACE
1. Race is a modern idea. Ancient societies, like the Greeks, did not
divide people according to physical distinctions, but according to religion,
status, class, even language. The English language didn't even have the
word 'race' until it turns up in a 1508 poem by William Dunbar referring to a
line of kings.
2. Race has no genetic basis. Not one characteristic, trait or even gene
distinguishes all the members of one so-called race from all the members
of another so-called race.
3. Human subspecies don't exist. Unlike many animals, modern humans
simply haven't been around long enough or isolated enough to evolve into
separate subspecies or races. Despite surface appearances, we are one
of the most genetically similar of all species.
4. Skin color really is only skin deep. Most traits are inherited
independently from one another. The genes influencing skin color have
nothing to do with the genes influencing hair form, eye shape, blood type,
musical talent, athletic ability or forms of intelligence. Knowing someone's
skin color doesn't necessarily tell you anything else about him or her.
5. Most variation is within, not between, "races." Of the small amount
of total human variation, 85% exists within any local population, be they
Italians, Kurds, Koreans or Cherokees. About 94% can be found within any
continent. That means two random Koreans may be as genetically different
as a Korean and an Italian.
6. Slavery predates race. Throughout much of human history, societies
have enslaved others, often as a result of conquest or war, even debt, but
not because of physical characteristics or a belief in natural inferiority. Due
to a unique set of historical circumstances, ours was the first slave system
where all the slaves shared similar physical characteristics.
7. Race and freedom evolved together. The U.S. was founded on the
radical new principle that "All men are created equal." But our early
economy was based largely on slavery. How could this anomaly be
rationalized? The new idea of race helped explain why some people could
be denied the rights and freedoms that others took for granted.
8. Race justified social inequalities as natural. As the race idea
evolved, white superiority became "common sense" in America. It justified
not only slavery but also the extermination of Indians, exclusion of Asian
immigrants, and the taking of Mexican lands by a nation that professed a
belief in democracy. Racial practices were institutionalized within American
government, laws, and society.
9. Race isn't biological, but racism is still real. Race is a powerful social
idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our
government and social institutions have created advantages that
disproportionately channel wealth, power, and resources to white people.
This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it or not.
10. Colorblindness will not end racism. Pretending race doesn't exist is
not the same as creating equality. Race is more than stereotypes and
individual prejudice. To combat racism, we need to identify and remedy
social policies and institutional practices that advantage some groups at
the expense of others.
RCE Continues To Advance Equity
Contact Naomi Davis at naomi@blacksingreen.org or
773-678-9541 for information and to lead/participate. 2/10
RCE 2010 Inquiry
Is Race For Real?
Is Class A State of Mind?
Are Environmentalists Segregated?
Urban Renewal: A Brief History
1) Illinois Blighted Area Redevelopment Act passed in 1947.
Creates Land Clearance Commission. Buys land, demolishes
houses, sells land to developers at a discount. 2) Illinois Blighted
Area Redevelopment Act model for federal legislation: The Housing
Act of 1949. Federal funding for « rehabilitation.» Followed by the
Housing Act of 1954. 3) First area chosen for renewal: long
established, well kept black working class area with a lakefront view
that bordered the southern edge of downtown Chicago. 4) Cost of
purchasing and clearing the land: $16 million. $12.6 million paid for
by the government. Why Wealth Matters According to Beryl Satter
(Family Properties), « In the 1950’s, 85% of properties sold to
blacks in Chicago were sold on contract (on explotative
terms)...speculators were robbing blacks of $1 million dollars per
day. » At 5% interest over 60 years, the loss of future value or
community wealth is a staggering $136 billion dollars
($135,875,959,870). (Creative Investment Research Powerpoint)
RCE 2009 INAUGURAL TEAM ~ In gratitude for the foundation laid by this team’s work: Martha Boyd, Naomi Davis,
Lucy Gomez, Adolpho Hernandez, Jenny Hirsch, Pam & Lan Richart, Byron Johns-Facilitator, David Lear-Administrator.