Black Woman Heads Product Inclusion and Equity Team For Google
Major companies have been expanding their efforts with teams focusing on inclusion and equity.
Annie Jean-Baptiste, head of product inclusion and equity at Google, works at the tech company to ensure underrepresented or marginalized users are being considered when building products for the mass market. With a focus on internal culture and representation, Jean-Baptiste reportedly started her role in product inclusion and equity around six years ago with 20% ownership of the project.
According to an interview with McKinsey & Co., the tech giant’s product inclusion and equity leader explains that the team focuses on a mixture of business, product, diversity, equity, and inclusion. After kicking off a few projects, the ideas expanded to a full team committed to including billions of users worldwide from various races, genders, socioeconomic statuses, and languages.
“At the core of it, product inclusion and equity are about making people feel seen.”
“When they pick up a product or use a service or piece of technology, they feel like they were thought of when it was created. They feel like the different things that make them them were part of the design and development process. This leads to tech doing what it’s intended to do: amplify people’s lives and make them richer.”
Jean-Baptiste believes outcomes for everyone are more productive when involving historically marginalized groups. She shares the importance for individuals who’ve historically been excluded from the center of development and design to become involved in the process. She recalls a teammate who once told her, “If you’re talking about ‘them,’ there had better be some ‘theys’ in the room.”
“At Google, we use OKRs [objectives and key results], and we have OKRs around product inclusion and equity up to the company level.”
“Our team has human-centric metrics around aspects like customer satisfaction, sentiment, and daily active users,” Jean-Baptiste says.
She shares her view on the significance of receiving different perspectives, and how even being a Black woman, she still does not represent all Black women.
“I don’t represent everyone around the world,” says Jean-Baptise. “So how do I get those different perspectives in?”
“I identify as a Black woman, but I don’t represent all Black women.”
“So how do we make sure that 1) we’re not pegging communities as a monolith and 2) we’re getting those potentially historically marginalized perspectives into our product design and development process?”
Recognition is an important mechanism for the tech giant’s commitment to furthering product inclusion and equity.
“At Google, we have what we call “inclusion champions”: thousands of Googlers from historically marginalized backgrounds who are testing our products and providing feedback all the time,” she informs.
“Here, it’s about one, making sure that this work is genuinely optional and two, recognizing these people and rewarding them for those lived experiences and perspectives that they’re bringing to the table,” Jean-Baptiste adds.
Atty. Ben Crump Is Fired Up About Black Farmers — Speaks at Black Men Xcel About Launching a Lawsuit Against Biden Administration Close to Midterms
Journalist Ed Gordon sat down with civil rights Attorney Benjamin Crump for a conversation Thursday at the BLACK ENTERPRISEBlack Men Xcel Summit in National Harbor, Maryland.
Crump, who was fresh off of receiving his Black Men Xcel Award Wednesday night, discussed environmental racism, Black farmers, and more.
The conversation started with Crump, coined as “Black America’s attorney general,” discussing the class action lawsuit Black farmers have filed against the Biden administration, which unveiled a $4 billion program for them in 2021 that was part of the American Rescue Plan. However, Black farmers were left on the hook for months before the program was reworked and broadened after white farmers halted the program in court, claiming racial discrimination.
“You may all remember there was a big celebration at the Rose Garden, during the American Rescue Plan ct where they said they were going to give $5 billion to Black farmers for relief for the discrimination they’ve faced and the fact that the Trump administration gave out $16 billion to farmers of which less than 1% went to Black farmers,” Crump told the audience.
According to Crump, the Biden administration expanded the program to allow white farmers, which led to the lawsuit. The suit has upset some in the Biden administration. Crump responded to those politicians who believe the class-action suit is coming at the wrong time.
“Now a lot of people are saying this is an inconvenient time to be doing this so close to the midterms, and I’m here saying, ‘Y’all understand that the USDA is foreclosing on Black farmers. Is it not inconvenient for them?” Crump added.
“So y’all want us to wait until after the midterms when we have no leverage at all and think you’re going to do right by us?”
Crump has represented families of victims of police brutality, including the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. Graves and Crump also talked about standing up and fighting for the rights of Black people, who have pushed Democrats into control of the government but are still not seeing the fruits of that labor.
“Everybody watched them change the water supply to the Flint River, it wasn’t a secret, it was written about in newspapers and everything,” Crump said. “The federal government kept saying this water is safe while scientists said this water is bad. We went out, and we delivered for the party in power the House, the Senate, and the White House, and you would think that the first thing they would do is say, let’s really look at Flint, Michigan, or Jackson, Mississippi, these enclaves of African Americans that are so loyal to us and we can always count on them, let’s give something back to them, but they didn’t do that.”
Crump did credit the Obama administration, which according to him, was sued more than 40 times for saying the agency can’t make it legal to build toxic chemical plants in Black and Latino neighborhoods that pollute the groundwater and harm residents.
“It’s that type of stuff when we say environmental racism,” Crump told the audience. “It’s legalized genocide when you let these companies come, and you know it’s going to shorten our lifespan what else can we call it?”
Crump added that to create change, we need to start with the Black men and women in the room, who can help the vulnerable and disenfranchised Black people in this country.
“We’re the talented 10% that W.E.B. DuBois talked about,” Crump said. Ten percent of us are going to be fine, but 90% of our people are going to struggle, and if we don’t fight to help them, they’re not going to be saved, so we all have to make a commitment, and I’m not saying everyone has to be on the front lines, but you got to say I’m going to do something, I don’t care what it is.”
Alex Jones’ Mouth Wrote a Check His A** Can’t Cash After Jury Awards Nearly $1B to Sandy Hook Families
Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist who terrorized the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims with lies and conspiracy theories, is on the hook for an astounding $965 million.
After a trial in Texas, a Connecticut jury rendered a verdict that found the Infowars founder liable for his lies after the families of the shooting sued Jones over his poisonous perceptions of the incident.
Jones is ordered to pay nearly $1 billion. The far-right radio show host is being held responsible for $965 million for eight families according to CNN. On Wednesday the Connecticut jury awarded the families and a first responder for compensatory damages, meaning compensation for what the plaintiffs lost and a penalty for the defendant’s wrongful actions.
Caught in a web of lies, Jones must pay more than $1 billion in total for tormenting the families of other Sandy Hook victims. In August, a Texas jury decided the prominent conspiracy theorist would pay $45.2 million in punitive damages to the family of Jesse Lewis.
How far can you go down the rabbit hole, until you can’t find your way back?
Jones said that he didn’t have the money to pay all plaintiffs in a broadcast Wednesday, according to CNN. The 15 total plaintiffs include the family of a 27-year-old school teacher, a former FBI agent, the family of a 56-year-old school employee, the daughter of a school principal, and parents of the victims.
Jones claimed that the Sandy Hook shooting was a government hoax. Robert Parker, the father of six-year-old victim, Emilie, was accused of being one of many actors who participated in staging the tragic event, according to The Texas Tribune.
Jones’ Infowars website claims the billion dollar verdict is an indication of the end of free speech in the United States.
According to The Washington Post, former President Donald Trump supported Jones.
Jones is also under scrutiny for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Broken Heart: Kevin Hart Reveals Death of His Father, Henry Robert Witherspoon
Kevin Hart has made a career out of joking about his family — and especially his father, Henry Robert Witherspoon.
On Thursday, Oct. 13, the Philadelphia comedian, who has used his father and his antics as fodder for some of his jokes, announced his father’s death and posted a tribute to the man who helped give him life.
“RIP to one of the realest & rawest to ever do it…Love you dad. Gone but never forgotten….Give mom a hug for me…. y’all did good man. Thank you for everything…. I’m a better father because of you 😢💪🏾🙏🏾 We will all make you proud….”
Hart did not mention how his father passed but has given him high praise throughout the years after revealing his father wasn’t the best example growing up.
According to Entertainment Tonight Online, in a 2017 interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the comedian discussed how he made amends with his father and how the relationship was repaired. He stated that, although Witherspoon had been in and out of jail and had done drugs, it taught him what not to do as a parent.
“My kids think I’m dope! And that’s what makes me happy, like, my kids actually think I’m the coolest dad on the planet. … I know why I am the way that I am, my dad has a lot to do with that — the mistakes that my dad made, you know, the decisions to do drugs, being in and out of jail, in and out of our lives. I saw firsthand what not being present did and because of that, I now know what being present means. I know what that can do, I know what effect it can have on your child coming up.”
The strength of his renewed relationship with his father many years ago has allowed Hart to have the proper mindset to keep a great relationship with his father.
“Now, I was strong enough to deal with it coming up because I have a different attitude, I’m a positive guy. I choose to go positive instead of negative a lot and because of that, my relationship with my dad is amazing now! And my dad understands how I feel and how I look at things, and now my dad is focusing on being the best grandparent that he possibly can.”
Black Men Rewarded: Ben Crump, Grant Hill & More Honored at Black Enterprise’s Black Men Xcel Summit
The Black Men XCEL Summit Awards honored five Black men whose achievements, influence, impact, and leadership have helped to open doors of opportunity and present an inspiring example of success for others, especially men of color.
On Wednesday, the XCEL Summit Award show, hosted by FedEx, honored attorney Benjamin Crump; NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill; Citizens Bancshares Corporation Chairman Ray Robinson; GroupM North America CEO Kirk McDonald and Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald.
BLACK ENTERPRISE President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. began the night with an introductory speech that perfectly explained the Xcel Awards.
“That is what tonight’s Black Men Xcel awards are about and what our honorees represent, an undeniable, indomitable and unconditional celebration of excellence and leadership as Black men.”
The show started with a video tribute celebrating the life and legacy of Earl G. Graves Sr. and BLACK ENTERPRISE before the master of ceremonies Ed Gordon took the stage.
The first award recipient of the night was Citizens Bancshares Corporation ChairmanRay M. Robinson.
Ray M. Robinson, Chairman, Citizens Bancshares Corporation (Image: Black Enterprise)
A seasoned business executive, Robinson is the living embodiment of the purpose of the Black Men XCEL Summit. Having led seven different companies, his current position at Citizens Bancshares Corporation is a reflection of his determination as he steadily climbed the success ladder. He joined the parent company of Citizens Trust Bank in 1999 and has served as chairman since May 2003.
Robinson previously served as the president of AT&T’s Southern Region where he was charged with marketing, sales, and promotions responsibilities for AT&T’s Business and Consumer Services. He also held management positions in operations, corporate relations, and regulatory affairs in Albuquerque, Portland, Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Colorado Springs, and New Jersey.
“This award means a lot to me because of the founder of Black Enterprise Magazine,” Robinson said after receiving the award. “Earl Graves started the magazine in 1970, I got my undergraduate degree in 1970. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would meet Earl Graves, little did I know that Earl and I would become a good friend and for that this award means more to me than any other award I’ve received.”
Kirk McDonald, CEO GroupM North America (NA) (Image: Black Enterprise)
McDonald leads more than 6,000 people dedicated to the next era of media where advertising better serves people. The City College of New York graduate is a key player in GroupM’s strategy to provide more powerful and effective solutions for clients through technology-enabled solutions.
The CEO has received numerous awards due to his notable career including Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 list in 2018, Adweek’s 2014 “12 Stars of Ad Tech Who are Building the Future of the Industry Right Now” list and Business Insider’s 2014 “The 46 Most Important African-Americans in Technology” list.
McDonald was appreciative of the award and thanked Black Enterprise not only for its work but for taking the time to celebrate Black men and Black people.
“This is a moment where I think my imposter syndrome is real because among this audience this doesn’t feel like I’ve done enough to deserve this,” McDonald said. “I am humbled by this recognition and honor to be part of this magnificent celebration tonight.
“Thank you Black Enterprise, thank you for what you do, thank you for This Xcel Award, this recognition of Black excellence. Thank you for taking and setting the time aside to connect, re-energize And recharge ourselves but also strengthen the network that is formed through our connections
Arnold W. Donald, who served as President & CEO at Carnival from 2013 to 2022 was the third award recipient.
Arnold W. Donald, former President and CEO of Carnival Corp (Image: Black Enterprise)
Donald spearheaded the operation of the largest leisure and travel company in the world. The corporate executive was paramount in keeping the Carnival afloat during the COVID-19 Pandemic when the cruising and travel industry was shut down for more than a year.
The Carnival CEO thanked everyone he’s worked with over the years for their hard work in helping him make Carnival great and to receive the Xcel Award.
“I have to thank the hundreds of thousands of employees I’ve worked with over the year from 145+ different countries in the world,” Donald said. “The investment, the dedication, the commitment, the ingenuity I had the opportunity to lead them but really by listening to them, to free them so they could create incredible results.”
Grant Hill is known across the world for his NBA talent, but he received an Xcel Award for his business acumen and dedication to Black men.
Grant Hill (Image: Black Enterprise)
In addition to raising awareness for Black men getting tested for prostate cancer, the former Duke University guard runs Hill Ventures, which is responsible for managing and maintaining Hill’s marketing and promotional activities, community investment and foundation initiatives, website content and design, real estate portfolio, personal art collection tour, and other off-the-court activities and initiatives.
Hill said he was truly honored to receive the award thanking BLACK ENTERPRISE for honoring him, but it was his story about how he got into basketball that drew the crowd.
“My father played in the NFL for 13 years and I grew up always loving ball. When my dad retired he wanted to reconnect with his school, Yale University,” Hill told the crowd. “I remember in 1981 and 1982 going to Payne Whitney gym, at the time I had never been to a real basketball game but we watched and there was this guy out there who was about 6’3 and was just unstoppable. I went a couple times that year and later that year I got to watch Georgetown and Patrick Ewing, and so between Patrick Ewing and Butch Graves I converted From being a football guy to a basketball guy.”
The last award of the night was saved for AttorneyBenjamin Crump, whose speech set the crowd on fire with his impassioned words.
Ben Crump, (Image: Black Enterprise)
“It is truly an honor to be recognized with these great Black men, brother Robinson, brother McDonald, brother Donald and brother Hill,” Crump said. “I think about you all when I think about Trayvon Martin what could have been, I think about Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Botham Jean, so many young black men taken from this Earth far too soon and too many young black sisters as well.
“What Black Enterprise does and we can never take it for granted, every day they remind the world that Black people are just as brilliant and intellectually capable as anybody else in the world and we have to continue to do that for our children because For every one of the gentlemen up here tonight they will try to point out dozens of other Black people who fell short nap because they were not capable but because society did not have expectations of them. So that’s what Black Enterprise does, it tells us that we are capable and we can be of corporate America.”
Oprah Winfrey Reveals She Had Double Knee Surjery, ‘I Literally Could Not Lift My Leg’
Oprah Winfrey is opening up about the grueling healing process she endured after having double knee surgery last year.
The media mogul was hosting a discussion focused on gratitude as part of The Life You Want Class for Oprah Daily when she felt compelled to share her own personal story after one guest expressed their appreciation for every limb of their body.
“I had double knee surgery last year,” Winfrey shared via Zoom. “I had knee surgery in August, and then I had another knee surgery in November.”
The 68-year-old OWN founder detailed how painful her recovery was and how it changed her outlook on life.
“When I came home the first time, I literally could not lift my leg,” Winfrey explained. “I couldn’t lift my heel off of the bed, and I vowed if I was ever able to get up, walk around, and move again — that I would take advantage of movement, exercise, and of being able to be fully in my body.”
It was during Winfrey’s healing process that she acquired a passion for hiking.
“As I was rehabilitating, I started hiking,” she shared. “Every day, I tried to hike more and do more.”
Going back to her guest who kicked off the discussion, Winfrey credited them for reminding her about the importance of appreciating our limbs.
My appreciation for every organ and every limb has expanded exponentially,” Winfrey said. “So, you mentioning that really brought that home to me.”
The Wrinkle in Time star has been an advocate for health throughout her decades-long career. Back in April, she opened up about her experience with racial bias in the American healthcare system when a doctor misdiagnosed her thyroid issue that caused heart papilations.
“I noticed that things change for you when you are a person who is known,” Winfrey told the LA Times. “You get the doctor’s appointment.”
“You don’t have to wait in line. You don’t have to deal with a lot of excess delays that other people have. And so I have lived this life of privilege and advantage, and then been exposed to the best of healthcare.”
Tufts University Criticized After Launching Diversity Event Separating White and BIPOC Colleagues
Tufts University is in a tough spot.
The Massachusetts university is being heavily criticized for the structure of its upcoming “Dialogue Series” that is reportedly set to commence on Oct. 17. Launched by the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, the event is supposedly aimed toward understanding a “cross-cultural dialogue.” Eyebrows were raised when the public learned that the sessions would be split based on the race of attendees.
The sessions are set to separate Black and ethnic minority staff from white colleagues and discussions are reportedly specifically structured for each group, according to Daily Mail. In one part of the series, labeled Radical Healing, Tufts faculty and staff who racially identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are encouraged to join.
Although white colleagues are not banned from attending, the free sessions are reportedly designed for BIPOC who’ve experienced being the “only or one of a few in predominately white spaces on campus.”
According to the university, Radical Healing attendees who meet the said criteria will assemble to discuss how marginalized and oppressed groups should live “free of discrimination, racism, and oppression.”
The other part of the series, called Unpacking Whiteness, is designed for Tufts colleagues who identify as white. They are invited to practice “anti-racism” and participate in discussions specifically for white people “holding spaces of privilege.”
According to Fox News, a description for the series states, “Anti-racism is an active and ongoing process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices, and attitudes in a way that redistributes power, policy, and structures to be more equitable while drawing attention to the lived experiences of Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.”
Since launching, the university has received harsh criticisms toward the upcoming dialogue series.
Daily Mail provides that one response exclaimed that the university was setting their students back by years, while another called the separated sessions discrimination.
A response from a person who claimed to be a Tufts alumni said, “As a once proud alumnus of Tufts, I am speechless that they are promoting SEGREGATION and RACE SHAMING.”
“I am cancelling my annual donation and urging fellow alumni to DEFUND Tufts University until they restore racial compassion and respect.”
Kandi Burruss Daughter Called ‘Unrecognizable’ After Showing Off Dramatic Weight Loss
Kandi Burruss’ daughter Riley Burruss sent social media for a loop after posting a video showing off her weight loss.
Riley took to Instagram on Monday to post a comical mommy-daughter video joking about being the “daughter who loves spending money.”
The camera first shows Kandi dancing outside their home. A caption over the video reads, “mom who makes all the money.” Once the camera shows Riley, the college student wines her hips and shows off her slim figure.
Fans who have watched Riley grow up on The Real Housewives of Atlanta expressed their shock at seeing the results of the 20-year-old’s weight loss journey.
“Riley looks almost unrecognizable. She’s always been a pretty young lady but she’s really growin up,” one onlooker said.
“Woah that’s Riley… I didn’t recognize her,” another user said.
“Wow Riley skinny skinny,” added someone else.
There were some who scolded others for commenting so much on Riley’s weight and appearance.
“Women should not comment on another woman’s weight. How do you know if she is insecure about her body? How about .. Riley you look good.. and leave it at that,” they quipped.
Last month, Kandi opened up about how upset she’s gotten at RHOA fans who have commented on her daughter’s physical appearance.
“I despise it. It bothers me so much,” Kandi toldPeople when addressing the harassment the children of reality stars often face.
“Everybody already knows that Riley dealt with her weight issues growing up in the public eye.”
“People would make comments on her body and say things about her personal look and it really boils my blood.”
“You can deal with anything for yourself, but you don’t want your kids to be bullied online,” she continued. “It’s just really terrible.”
Riley continues to come into her own. The NYU student is enjoying life in the Big Apple and spending her mama’s “worldwide” money.
Hit the Road Jack! Kanye West Told to Look For Another Bank as JP Morgan Chase Ends Relationship
The cancellation notice that was sent to Kanye Westyears ago has finally been opened and is being processed.
After years of people putting up with Ye’s antics, it appears that the world is finally sending the billionaire rapper a long-overdue message. A bank that Ye utilizes for his business informed the volatile fashion designer of their decision “to end its banking relation with Yeezy LLC and its affiliated entities.”
Ye’s current best friend, Candace Owens, revealed the letter that was sent to the controversial recording artist, via social media.
The letter stated, “Dear Ye, We are sending this letter to confirm our recent discussion with (name blocked) that JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (The Bank) has decided to end its banking relation with Yeezy LLC and its affiliated entities.”
The banking institution has given Ye until November 21, giving him less than 6 weeks to find a new bank.
“Earlier today I learned that @kanyewest was officially kicked out of JP Morgan Chase bank. I was told there was no official reason given, but they sent this letter as well to confirm that he has until late November to find another place for the Yeezy empire to bank.”
Earlier today I learned that @kanyewest was officially kicked out of JP Morgan Chase bank. I was told there was no official reason given, but they sent this letter as well to confirm that he has until late November to find another place for the Yeezy empire to bank. pic.twitter.com/FUskokb6fP
This is the latest brick to fall off the Kanye building after Variety reported that his Twitter and Instagram accounts had been locked for violating the policies of both social media platforms with a post released earlier this week.
The deleted posts have been labeled as antisemitic.
“I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death [sic] con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,” West wrote in the now-deleted post. “The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”
Ye did leave a post up that was directed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg after the action was taken against his account.
JPMorgan Chase Committing $15 Million to Increase the Supply of Climate Resilient Affordable Housing for Black, Hispanic and Latino Households
JPMorgan Chase announced five organizations will receive philanthropic commitments of $3 million each to scale innovative climate-resilient affordable housing models.
This work is part of the firm’s $400 million five-year commitment to improve housing affordability and stability for households of color, particularly in Black, Hispanic and Latino communities. The five organizations will work primarily in Inland Empire Calif., Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Buffalo, N.Y., Washington, D.C., and Miami-Dade County, Fla. with a goal to generate a broader impact on a national level.
As part of JPMorgan Chase’s strategy to combat the housing affordability crisis, the firm is supporting organizations advancing innovative housing models that can be successfully scaled throughout the country. Through testing new models and collecting lessons learned, these commitments aim to increase the supply of sustainable and affordable housing for households of color across the U.S., as well as influence key stakeholders in the housing industry, including the public and private sectors. This commitment also reflects how the firm is building on previous experience and insights gained through its unique set of business, data, policy and philanthropic resources to help close the housing affordability gap.
The challenge
Against the backdrop of historically high rents and persistent barriers to homeownership rates for communities of color, Americans are facing a housing supply crisis, with a shortage of nearly 3.8 million units nationwide. In addition, the climate crisis has adversely affected housing supply, with extreme weather affecting about one in every 10 homes in the United States in 2021. Low-income Black, Hispanic and Latino households are often concentrated in locations that are highly vulnerable to environmental disasters, subjecting them to effects of the climate crisis and economic uncertainty.
“In our efforts to advance an inclusive economy, we remain committed to addressing some of the barriers to affordable housing and homeownership to provide family stability and build generational wealth for households of color,” said Abigail Suarez, head of Neighborhood Development, JPMorgan Chase.
“More households deserve accessible options to homeownership and now more than ever we need equitable, sustainable solutions that better equip communities with affordable, climate resilient housing.”
Working with local partners to deliver impact
Today’s announcement will support organizations working to reverse racial inequities and climate risks embedded in the existing housing system. To address the shortage of energy-efficient and climate-resilient affordable housing, the following organizations will each receive $3 million in philanthropic capital to influence housing construction practices:
come dream. come build (cdcb) – Rio Grande Valley, Texas: cdcb will expand their MiCASiTA program, which offers affordable sustainable homeownership options for rural families of color. This includes constructing and selling modular homes, lowering the home base sales price to 15% less than a stick-built home, enhancing the model’s sustainable features by integrating solar, energy, and water efficiency systems, and expanding into six new locations in other rural Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities.
Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS) – Inland Empire, Calif.: is building Homes by NPHS, a scalable social enterprise that will increase the supply of affordable housing by building factory-built single-family homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on vacant lots, with anticipated savings of 20% in construction costs compared to site-built homes. NPHS will also increase the number of developers of color who can access factory-built housing and incorporate energy-efficient features and weatherization upgrades into factory-built homes in order to help lower pollutants, stay resilient and adaptive against weather, and lower utility costs.
“NPHS is grateful for JPMorgan Chase’s investment which will support the use of factory-built housing technology to increase the supply of affordable homeownership and mitigate the impacts of climate change on low-income homeowners,” stated NPHS CEO, Clemente Mojica.
“This grant will expand our reach throughout underserved markets and address the systemic obstacles that have historically impeded households of color from achieving and sustaining homeownership.”
To help decarbonize affordable housing, the following organizations will each receive $3 million in philanthropic capital to increase the technical knowledge and financing tools in the housing industry to reduce carbon emissions:
Solar and Energy Loan Fund of St. Lucie County (SELF) – Miami-Dade County, Fla.: SELF aims to increase the supply of resilient and sustainable affordable housing by scaling their climate resiliency and clean energy home improvement program to help homeowners, landlords, developers, and contractors of color access innovative funding to rehab homes, upgrade workforce housing and increase green sustainable, affordable housing supply and building expertise.
National Housing Trust (NHT) – Washington D.C. Metro Area: NHT aims to promote decarbonization efforts in the Washington DC metro area by involving residents in program and policy design, providing retrofit technical assistance to owners of buildings to improve resident health outcomes, and engaging decisionmakers and lenders to make public resources and mission-driven capital products more accessible and aligned for decarbonizing affordable housing. NHT also aims to have at least 50% of affordable housing rehabilitation projects in the Washington area incorporate yearly decarbonization measures by 2025.
PUSH Buffalo – Buffalo, N.Y.: PUSH Buffalo will advance sustainable affordable housing initiatives by building and rehabbing single-family affordable housing with net zero standards and decarbonizing vacant two-unit buildings with green technology for first time homeownership. PUSH Buffalo will also study the health and utility impact of replacing natural gas with electricity in different aspects of affordable homes to understand the resident experience, inform local residents and connect them to new technology and provide data to the wider ecosystem.
JPMorgan Chase will work with the Urban Institute to support grantees in the execution of their strategies and in the testing and scaling of their innovations, which will include measuring impact and sharing insights with the housing industry to advance housing stability and affordability for Black, Hispanic and Latino households.
“I am pleased that Urban has this great opportunity to help these innovative changemakers accelerate solutions. Together with JPMorgan Chase, we will support, collaborate with, and spread insights from this new group of field-leading grantees, who are working to expand and decarbonize the country’s housing supply, tackle housing affordability, and address the embedded inequities for households of color in our housing system,” said Urban Institute President Sarah Rosen Wartell.
A firmwide approach to supporting affordable housing
This philanthropic commitment complements the firm’s sustainability efforts to help advance the transition to a lower-carbon future and support community resilience to the climate crisis, as well as the JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter’s housing recommendations to increase equitable access to stable, affordable housing. Additional firmwide efforts to help close the housing affordability gap include:
Since 2021, the firm has committed more than $145 million of its $400 million philanthropic commitment to organizations across the country. This includes low-cost loans, equity and grants to advance housing stability and affordability strategies.
For example, the firm’s commitments to Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future and Housing Partnership Network helped support housing stability of low-income households affected by the pandemic. The program disbursed more than $1.7 million to 19 nonprofit housing providers to support services that helped more than 7,800 families remain housed through the pandemic.
To help address two of the biggest barriers to achieving homeownership, Chase expanded its Homebuyer Grant program to offer a $5,000 grant to help customers with closing costs and/or down payment assistance when buying a home in predominantly Black, Latino and Hispanic communities across the country.
These commitments are part of the firm’s $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and drive an inclusive economic recovery that was announced in October 2020. To learn more about how JPMorgan Chase is working to bridge the racial wealth gap, visit www.jpmorganchase.com/racialequity.
