Equity & Justice
The Public Leadership Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy and leadership center organized to explore and raise public awareness about key public policy issues of equity and justice and to develop public leaders who will improve the economic and social conditions of all Americans.
IdeaLog
Five really stupid laws enacted in 2021
Posted on July 28, 2021
This year, right wingers have been busy in conservative controlled legislatures, enacting an agenda that is so extreme that it often sidetracks to pure stupidity. It’s at least partly a reaction to Donald Trump’s...
Read MoreDon’t say nationalist, populist or authoritarian
Posted on July 14, 2021
Political labels tell a story about politicians or constituent groups. Unfortunately, the media and even progressive activists often use the wrong label. The audience, as a result, gets the story wrong. Let’s focus on...
Read MoreDon’t start with facts, engage emotions
Posted on June 30, 2021
The conservative movement has abandoned virtually all public policy direction and is, instead, spending its energy feeding grievance and outrage. The question is, how do we respond? Unfortunately, our usual refutation of facts won’t...
Read MorePLI Bulletin
Agency Diversity, Anti-Vaxxers, Stupid Laws and More
Posted on July 28, 2021
Public Agency Diversity Act: Due to many factors, employees in public agencies tend to be disproportionately white and male. The Public Agency Diversity Act requires government offices, when hiring, to reach out to underrepresented...
Read MoreNationalists and Populists, Ransomware, Racial Impacts and More
Posted on July 14, 2021
Racial Impact Statements Act: Nine states have developed methods for lawmakers to consider the impact of pending legislation on historically disadvantaged populations. The Racial Impact Statements Act creates such a procedure for state or...
Read MoreEngaging Emotion, Justice in Travel, Banning Yoga and More
Posted on June 30, 2021
Justice in Government-Funded Travel Act: A number of states are now overtly engaged in discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Justice in Government-Funded Travel Act prohibits or limits government-financed travel to...
Read MoreIn the News
Network Director Dave Woodward featured in Politico
Posted on June 21, 2021
“The Man Who Remade Oakland” (Part II) In 1998, when Dave Woodward was elected to the state House at age 22, one of the things that immediately separated him from other young win-it-now political...
Read MoreGloria Totten on The Great Battlefield podcast
Posted on March 16, 2020
Developing Progressive Leaders with Gloria Totten of Public Leadership Institute The Great Battlefield podcast interviews Gloria to talk about her career in politics from Political Director at NARAL to founding Public Leadership Institute where...
Read MorePLI in new book, “All Politics Is Local”
Posted on November 20, 2019
A new book, All Politics Is Local: Why Progressives Must Fight for the States, discusses the challenges and opportunities for progressives in state legislatures across the nation. It’s a great book and the Public Leadership...
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