We are excited to present our first EPU Update of 2023. This could easily be called the “Data Issue,” but in reality, data is what drives the work of EPU. We are always on the quest to figure out how EPU can best serve the cause of change. Change that creates equity, celebrates and empowers diversity, and breaks down the purposefully constructed and reenforced systems that have kept us divided.
In our 2022 annual report, Progress with Purpose, you will learn about the incredible work our Unum Fellows are doing, you will read about communities directly addressing inequity, you will see the results of our work around a deep dive into memorialized spaces, and you will hear how personal stories can change divisive narratives.
In our 2022 Survey of the South, we present data that shows important shifts in the willingness of Southerners to discuss reparations and the desire for accurate history in the classroom. The real takeaway with this year’s survey is how thoughtful framing of issues directly impacts the reactions of our different audiences. EPU will take these learnings and incorporate them into our narrative work in new and impactful ways.
There is also a lot to follow in our inaugural EPU Legislative Update, which is tracking bills, in real time, that effect equity across all our 13 states. We hope you will join us in keeping up with the legislative sessions in your state through our new interactive map.
2023 has started with a lot of energy for EPU and we hope you will join us in this important work.
Scott Hutcheson
Executive Director, E Pluribus Unum
Five years since our founding, E Pluribus Unum’s commitment to breaking down the barriers that divide us to build a new, more equitable South grows stronger each day. Initial connections from our earliest years have begun to ripple across the south. The relationships forged over our foundational journey in 2018 have led to new partnerships and initiatives on leadership acceleration, policy change, and narrative change.
See all of what EPU accomplished in 2022 by checking out this year's Progress with Purpose, linked below.
Lasting sustainable change takes time and EPU is dedicated to this work for the long-haul. While sweeping change at the federal level happens only every so often, we see everyday through our work the positive change happening across the South towards equity. Nothing illustrates this and our overall commitment to equity work more than our annual Progress with Purpose report. Through Progress with Purpose, we reflect on the partnerships, initiatives, and programs that are helping us move day by day towards a more equitable future for us all.
In December, EPU conducted its annual Survey of the South which reveals a growing openness by Southerners on issues such as reparations for African Americans and accurate education on slavery and racism is schools. The survey included 1,800 participants and tracked attitudes on race, class, and equity, as well as pertinent national issues and policies in the South.
Top findings from the survey include:
- 74% of Southerners believe that the United States should offer African Americans some form of reparations (preservation of Black sacred sites and monuments, educational grants and/or scholarships, investments in predominately Black infrastructure, etc.) to address the lasting harm caused by slavery and other forms of racial discrimination.
- 96% of respondents believe that it’s important that their community’s education system tells the most accurate history of slavery, violence and discrimination against racial minorities in the United States, with 40% of respondents saying this is extremely important to them.
- 46% of Southerners think that race relations in the United States today are worse than five years ago, while nearly one-third feel that there’s been no progress (32%).
- 38% of respondents think they would be treated poorly by members of their local community if they chose to express beliefs that were different than theirs.
- 47% of Southerners feel that people like them are being left behind in the United States.
Click on the button below for the full Survey Analysis.
We know that hearts, minds, attitudes, and behaviors are ever changing. Our work to disrupt and shift narratives and behaviors that further interpersonal and systemic racism is reliant on research and data that provides valuable insight to Southerner’s views. Survey of the South gives us a yearly pulse on these perspectives.
In 2023, EPU’s Policy Team will be actively monitoring the progress of equity-related legislation throughout the South during legislative sessions and will be providing bi-monthly updates that will seek to inform our partners and stakeholders about the policy issues emerging and trending in the region.
Check out this month’s update which provides an overview of what we learned in 2022, highlights of bills from some of our Unum Fellows, and access to more detailed reports of the bills that we’re monitoring in each of our 13 Southern States.
Policy change continues to be an essential pillar of EPU's work to build a more just and equitable South. Our policy team will keep a close eye on what is happening at the state level across our region to better understand the priorities of the communities we serve, and to provide support and resources where necessary.
Using the power of Southern storytelling, E Pluribus Unum (EPU) and the International Storytelling Center (ISC) have partnered together to produce a high-impact narrative project illustrating how storytelling is a proven tool that can be used to unite people and create positive social change around issues of racial equity.
We know that sharing stories and personal narratives can impact behaviors and change people's perspective. That is why we are asking you to share the power of your story! Click the button below to learn more.
We're watching The 1619 Project, a six-part docu-series about a New York Times initiative that views the fundamental contributions of Black people through the lenses of democracy, race, music, capitalism, fear, and justice.
Originally pitched by Pulitzer-prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones in 2019, The 1619 Project was developed into a special issue of the New York Times Magazine, a special section of the newspaper, and a multi-episode podcast series all in honor of the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans arriving in the United States.
Check it out here.
Questions? Contact us at info@unumfund.org.
