Dismantling Systemic Racism
The Sabin CDC organization and community have been on a mission and course to dismantle systemic racism.
- Nurturing a Safe Culture and Community
- Becoming an Anti-Racist Organization and Community
- Moving beyond Equity to Justice
- Striving for Institutional Transformation
Adapted from Connecticut State Department of Children and Families Racial Justice Guiding Principles
As stewards of affordable housing, Sabin CDC strives to preserve economic and racial diversity in neighborhoods where housing costs have increased exponentially since 1990, while incomes have become more polarized. Our resident demographics mimic the overall neighborhood composition in 1990: incomes average 20-50% of median, resident age is above median, 27% of our residents identify as disabled, and 76% of our residents identify as African American or Multi-Racial. The neighborhoods that Sabin CDC serves had historically composed the heart of Portland’s African-American community, one that was redlined and suffered from subsequent disinvestment.
When Sabin CDC began in 1991, its role was as a revitalizer by investing in the renovation of abandoned buildings; now, its role is that of a preservationist to ensure that low-income and at-risk residents can remain in the neighborhoods. Because stable housing is a first step to economic and social stability, Sabin CDC’s role as a provider of affordable housing is one way to dismantle barriers and improve community conditions overall by consistently pursuing an agenda that places people first.
Collaboration with our amazing community partners, funders, volunteers and our incredible residents has opened doors to create pathways for dismantling system racism. From the built environment to public policy, from public systems to social norms, we strive to transform the world into a safe culture and community at every level. We intentionally promote representative leadership and sourcing, second-chance training and hiring, skills-building internships and community connections through culturally-responsive events bringing people together. Our activities advance education opportunities, equitable healthcare access, outdoor community gardening for healthy food, sustainability, microenterprise, arts, social justice, civic engagement, voter registration, and accessibility for people with disabilities. Celebrating and cultivating heritage, our collective efforts are paving the way forward.
For more information, contact us.
