About the Greenlining Institute

Mission Statement

The Greenlining Institute's mission is to empower communities of color and other disadvantaged groups through multi-ethnic economic and leadership development, civil rights, and anti-redlining activities.

Our Guiding Values Include....

Diversity, Equal Opportunity, Accountability, Democracy, Transparency, Integrity, Justice, Change, Service 

About Us

The Greenlining Institute is a national policy, organizing, and leadership institute working for racial and economic justice.   We ensure that grassroots leaders are participating in major policy debates by building diverse coalitions of grassroots leaders that work together to advance solutions to our nation's most pressing problems.   Our leadership Academy has become the "farm system" for tomorrow's social justice leaders, training the best and brightest from our community.  Our policy experts conduct research and coordinate multi-pronged strategies on major policy issues, including but not limited to the environment, wealth creation (asset building), philanthropy, health, energy, communications, and higher-education.  

History

Imagine if a diverse group of grassroots leaders came together to form an institute that would fight for systematic change?  They did.  The Greenlining Institute was established by members of the African American, Asian American, Latino, and disabled community in 1993 to fight redlining and institutionalized discrimination.  Rather than just fight redlining, the illegal practice of denying services to communities of color, greenlining would be the proactive effort of bringing investments to communities.   The Greenlining Institute was founded on the belief that diverse communities are a source of unrealized assets and strength, and that diversity that leads to greater effectiveness.  Our recently retired co-founders, Robert Gnaizda and John C. Gamboa, paved the way with their vision, tenacity and courage to fight for social change in unexplored policy areas.   

Our Research and Policy Issues

Our policy experts conduct research and coordinate multi-pronged strategies on major policy issues, including but not limited to the environment, wealth creation (asset building), philanthropy, health, energy, communications, government reform, and higher-education.  Central to our work is the big picture recognition of the interrelatedness of issues to our constituency...for example, the ways in which housing affects health, which affects educational outcomes, which in turn affects our wealth, and so forth.  Our research focuses on discovering the facts and shedding "sunlight" on unique issues facing communities of color.  Overall, we work to provide "shovel ready" ideas and solutions that will create opportunities for change.

Leadership Academy: Our "Farm System" for Social Change Leaders

Our acclaimed leadership Academy trains and nurtures the next generation of leaders. We train over 100 young leaders a year using a "hands-on" approach to learning and teaching.   Academy participants are assigned to major public policy issues and are directly involved in Greenlining's research and advocacy efforts.  In addition, Academy participants receive training in core leadership skills.  Most importantly they learn to work in coalitions across race and ethnic lines.  Greenlining firmly believes that those closest to the problems are best suited to advocate for solutions that address those problems.

The Greenlining Coalition

The Greenlining Institute remains connected to the grassroots via the Greenlining Coalition, a diverse group of nearly forty African American, Asian American, Latino community-based organizations that comprise one of the nation's most effective and longest lasting multi-ethnic coalitions.  Instead of competing against each other for the same small "piece of the pie", coalition members work across racial and ethnic lines to increase the "size of the pie" for all of our communities.  Greenlining works strengthen the local power of these groups by amplifying their voices.

Our Products 

1.      Public awareness and research on the issues facing communities of color.

2.      Increased civic participation of communities of color.

3.      New leaders from our community that are ready to take leadership and action.

4.      Outside stakeholders such as CEOs and top government leaders take action.

5.      Advocacy to advance policies for systematic change.

6.      Public and private policies that ensure racial equity.

Opportunities We Create

1.      Jobs

2.      Improved health outcomes

3.      Asset building opportunities through savings, homeownership, and other investments

4.      Fair and low cost services from corporations

5.      Business contracts for communities of color

6.      Educational opportunities

7.      Philanthropy

8.      Opportunities for community based leaders to succeed

"This isn't about helping communities of color for the sake of helping communities of color. This is about helping communities of color succeed for the sake of the United States."