We grieve the many lives that have been lost or painfully transformed in recent weeks through extreme violence. 

And we are appalled by the surge of divisive rhetoric that sows the seeds of more violence to come.

A dangerous time of hatred, violence, and suspicion is rising in America—whether aimed at Arab and Muslim Americans, women and the places we seek health care, Black people, immigrants and refugees, or people just going about their daily lives. This tide is made more dangerous by easy access to guns.

When has hate ever led to progress? Is this really what we want America to be?

WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.

Passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Threaten Core Democratic Principles

The formation, scale, and scope of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, the full text of which was finally released in November after years of top-secret negotiations, exemplify how corporate-driven and US-backed privatization of the world economy will continue to diminish the rights of the public sphere and threaten core democratic mechanisms. In a new statement published this week, the Haas Institute argues for upholding three key principles in analyzing the threat that the TPP poses: democratic participation, transparency, and public accountability. Through these channels, we can identify the best ways to challenge the trends of deregulation and extreme privatization. The Haas Institute calls upon advocates, scholars, and communities to swiftly organize and mobilize innovative and effective ways to investigate and challenge the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the possible harms that will be inflicted upon our society if it were to be passed by Congress.

Former Mayor of Oakland Jean Quan to Serve as Senior Fellow at the Haas Institute

The Haas Institute is pleased to announce that Jean Quan, former Mayor of Oakland, will be joining us as a Senior Fellow working with our Government Alliance on Race and Equity program. Jean will focus on initiatives such as developing a training on the use of data in police reform, and supporting the development of local government cohorts that are explicitly advancing racial equity across California. Jean also brings 12 years as a member of the Oakland School Board and has contributed to pioneering legislation on issues ranging from equal language access to green initiatives. Haas Institute Director john a. powell noted, “Jean's depth of experience as Oakland's first female mayor, and the first Chinese-American female mayor of a major US city, will add valuable perspective to our work engaging with government officials and staff on advancing racial equity.” Read the full statement here.

Exploring Policy Models to Make Community Benefits Work

On December 2, the Haas Institute hosted a workshop, “Making Community Benefits Work,” in Richmond. The workshop, which explored policy models for achieving community benefits, was attended by 30 community, city, non-profit, university and foundation leaders, and was designed to inform planning and policy related to the development of the Berkeley Global Campus at Richmond Bay. “Community benefits as a policy is a critical subject area because it creates an accountability system between the developers, lead agencies, and those communities directly affected by the project,” said Eli Moore program manager with the Haas Institute. Read more about this event.