We encourage all funders who care about communities and fair representation to attend this forward-looking program, presented by the New York State Census Equity Fund. We will examine the major issues surrounding redistricting nationwide, with a special focus on New York State’s special challenges. And we will consider what community-based organizations and advocacy groups can do – with support from philanthropy – to ensure that districts are not gerrymandered and lines are drawn to create equitable and fair political representation.
This program will provide an overview of the national redistricting environment, including efforts in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and other states to take on gerrymandering. The conversation will continue with basic information on the specific challenges in New York, where voters in 2014 approved the creation of a bipartisan commission to oversee congressional and state legislative redistricting. That process has yet to be tested.
There are tradeoffs involved when pursuing competing redistricting objectives: balancing party registration and voting trends vs. maximizing majority-minority districts vs. achieving districts that are compact and cohesive, etc. To better understand these tensions, we recommend visiting the redistricting options maps developed by FiveThirtyEight. Attendees may also want to consider reading two recent reports: “Extreme Maps” by Brennan Center for Justice and Toolbox for Redrawing Maps the Right Way from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Lunch and Networking will begin at 11:30 a.m. The program will start promptly at Noon with a fifteen-minute update on the status of get-out-the-count efforts from Joli Golden of the Regional Census Office.
**For members and guests unable to make it in-person please email Jordan Joseph at jjoseph@philanthropynewyork.org. Remote log-in credentials for to this conversation will be sent out two days prior to the program.**
Explore:
- When and how can different types of funders legally support projects related to redistricting
- How 2020 Census Get-Out-The-Count organizing efforts segue-way into keeping communities engaged in this essential element of our democracy
- Differences in state models for redistricting reform: legislative vs. litigation vs. voter referendum
- Discussion about what we can do to prepare in New York State
- Implications of recent SCOTUS and state court rulings
Presenters
- Gary Bass, Executive Director, Bauman Foundation
- Juan Cartegena, President and General Counsel, Latino Justice
- Joli R. Golden, Partnership Specialist, NY Regional Census Center, U.S. Census Bureau
- Yurij Rudensky, Counsel, Democracy Program, Brennan Center for Justice
- Esmeralda Simmons, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Law and Social Justice, Medgar Evers College
- Jerry Vattamala, Director, Democracy Program, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Patricia Swann (Moderator), Senior Program Officer, New York Community Trust
Designed for
All interested funders.
Registration
11:15 - 11:30 AM Check-in
11:30 AM - 2:00 PM Lunch & Program
Lunch and Networking will begin at 11:30 a.m., and the program will start promptly at 12:00 p.m. for those participating remotely.
Registration is required by November 5th.
Members: To register yourself and/or a colleague at your organization, please log in and click the Register Now link above. (no fee)
NYFA Members, Non-Member Funders and Invited Nonprofits: Please email Jordan Joseph jjoseph@philanthropynewyork.org with your name, title, organizational affiliation, business mailing address, and phone number. Please indicate by which organizer you were invited. (no fee)
Non-Member Funders: Please email register@philanthropynewyork.org. ($150 fee)
Resources
This program on redistricting will cover extensive ground. Attendees may also want to consider the following readings:
- “Extreme Maps” report by Brennan Center for Justice
- Toolbox for Redrawing Maps the Right Way from the National Conference of State Legislatures