The Red Sweater Society aims to address opportunity gaps caused by gentrification in Austin, Texas by encouraging local businesses contributing to neighborhood changes to become partners, rather than displacers, of the existing community. The Society proposes five steps for businesses to take: 1) become informed on community challenges and needs through data resources, 2) be inclusive through diversity-focused practices, 3) give back to community needs, 4) inspire others by sharing social stories, and 5) be rewarded for achievements with a recognition sticker. The goal is to bring opportunity to existing residents by leveraging business resources for community benefit.

1. The Red Sweater Society:
Weaving Together Gaps
Caused By Gentrification
Deirdre Walsh
2015 White House LGBTQ Fellow

2. As a kid….
I loved Mr. Rodger’s
Neighborhood.
After school, I would turn on the
TV and hear:
“I've always wanted to have a neighbor
just like you. I've always wanted to live in a
neighborhood with you.
So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?”

3. Now that I’m an adult (sorta)…
• I realize that being a “good neighbor” is way more
complex than I once realized.
• As a society, we often create “opportunity gaps” that put
one neighbor ahead of another because they have
access to superior education, economic mobility,
housing, healthcare, etc.
• In order to understand these opportunity gaps in my
hometown, Austin, Texas, I leveraged open data
resources.

4. Opportunity Gap
The West-East Divide
Opportunity, in the context of this
map, “has many dimensions,
ranging from educational quality
to social status to access to
transportation.”
As you can see by the blue
dividing line, which represents
Interstate 35, west Austin has a
much higher opportunity score
than the east side of the city.
Source: Green Doors

5. Racial Gap
Austin also has racial segregation along this opportunity line. While the bulk of
the White and Asian populations live in high opportunity areas in the western
portion of the city and inner suburbs, the majority of the Hispanic and African
American populations inhabit the lower opportunity areas.
white hispanicblackasian
Source: Green Doors

6. Things Are
Changing…
On the map, the green dots just right
of I-35 have a high development
improvement score in the Change
Index, which compares opportunity
data in 2007 vs. today. The area
highlighted has decreasing vacancy
and poverty rates, while also having an
increase educational attainment and
median income.
This combination of indicators means
that the area is undergoing
revitalization and gentrification;
however, it also indicates that the cost
of living in this area is increasing and
original residents must find more
affordable housing.
Source: Green Doors

7. Austin Startup Map
Over the last several
years, East Austin, a
historically low
opportunity area, has
become a hotspot for
tech startups (and
hipsters), creating
massive development.
Source: atxup.com
So, what’s
causing this
change?

9. Is this change good or bad?
• That depends!
• Even though East Austin is offering greater opportunity,
the people who need access to those services will most
likely not benefit…..UNLESS we do something!
“It is not enough to bring people to
opportunity; the real solution is to bring
opportunity to people.”
–Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

10. Action: Create Red Sweater Society
Inspire and empower local business contributing to the
gentrification of low-opportunity neighborhoods to become
PART of (not displace) the existing community.
The concept of the Red Sweater Society was inspired by
Mr. Rodger’s desire to be and
have good neighbors. Plus, he
had an awesome red sweater.

11. Steps for Society Membership
Be inclusive.
Be informed.
Be giving.
Be inspiring.
Be rewarded.
Steps for Red Sweater Society Membership

12. 1. Be Informed.
In order for business decision makers to understand how to
best contribute to their community, they must first
understand the challenges and possibilities of the region.
For example, they might be wondering: what’s more
beneficial sponsoring a youth football league or providing
space for an blood drive?
Action: Working with St. Edward’s University, we will host
the ATX Hack for Change in June 2016. This initiative will
leverage top tech talent to create a real-time map of
opportunities that local business can utilize to make “good
neighbor” decisions based on open government data.

13. 2. Be Inclusive.
• Become part of the community by
meeting your neighbors and offering
services that highlight the diversity
and history of the neighborhood.
• Inspiration: Model behavior after
Austin establishment, the Skylark
Lounge. Johnny LaTouf, the owner
of this East Austin gem, had one
mission: create a place where all
people are welcome and history is
celebrated.
“The other bar people in town told me
‘Are you crazy? You cannot have a bar
that is going to have gay people,
African-American people, Hispanic
people and white people coming to it.
You need to figure out what your
demographic is and you need to go for
it,’” LaTouf said. But he was committed
to the diverse vision.
Source: Austin American Statesman

14. 3. Be giving.
• Once businesses are part of
and understand the greatest
needs of the community, the
next step is to take action.
• Inspiration: A great example of
this is the work Silicon Labs is
doing with STEM education
non-profit Changing
Expectations. Together, they
are hosting coding workshops
for teacher who work in low
opportunity areas starting in
January 2016.

15. 4. Be inspiring.
• During or after their corporate giving
events, we encourage all
businesses to share their story on
social media platforms.
• As of today, there is VERY little
social conversation around
#redsweater. If the program grows,
we could start doing spin off social
conversations (ie. #redsweateratx).
#redsweater

16. 5. Be Rewarded
• The final step is to proudly
show off your achievements
and let patrons know that
you’re a recognized corporate
citizen.
• Just like ratings like Zagat,
Michelin, Yelp, and others, we
will provide all organizations
that share their giving story
socially, a sticker to proudly
display and let people know
they are focused on being a
good neighbor.
o
2015

17. Questions?
Want to get involved?
Contact me!