Blog

January 22, 2021 – New Profit and America Forward celebrate the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris. President Biden not only brings with him more than four decades of experience serving the country in the Senate and White House, he also enters office with the most diverse Cabinet in American history. Vice President Harris also makes history as the first woman, as well as the first Black woman and first person of South Asian heritage, to reach the White House.

Thanks not only to the diversity of this new administration, but also to the unprecedented civic engagement of organizers, activists, and social and democracy entrepreneurs across the country over the past year, we are hopeful that, together, we will uplift new voices and new policy approaches that unflinchingly address and uproot systemic inequities that have afflicted far too many communities for far too long.

New Profit and America Forward remain committed to amplifying the work of our partners and Coalition organizations. We look forward to working closely with the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional leaders to advance a public policy agenda that champions innovative and effective solutions to address the systemic inequities and structural failures that have been laid bare and exacerbated by the current public health and economic crises — failures that have disproportionately impacted Black, Latina/o/x, and Indigenous people.

Bold action, cross-sector collaboration, and a fundamental commitment to unity and humanity in policymaking will be the cornerstones of our success.

We are inspired by the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to centering equity in policymaking, including the Executive Order signed by President Biden on January 20th requiring all federal agencies to develop a proposal examining and addressing systemic discrimination in the first 200 days. In support of this, we aim to work with the administration to advance the following priorities:

• Engage proximate leaders and innovators to identify evidence-based practices that promote racial justice and equitable outcomes in communities across America, including through the establishment of a White House Office of Inclusive Impact and Innovation to coordinate related cross-agency work.
• Advance education policies that address the needs of all learners – from early childhood through post-secondary opportunities – and that help build a more resilient education system, as laid out in our Education Preparedness and Advancing Whole-Learner Education
• Introduce an Equitable Employment Outcomes Fund and a Higher Education Innovation Fund to build evidence for workforce and post-secondary approaches that increase economic opportunity, pay for improved wage outcomes, and scale proven approaches to put Americans back to work.
• Promote policies to strengthen our democracy, our civic infrastructure, and address the deep division and fragmentation in our society.
• Expand equity in National Service to respond to urgent community needs and develop the leadership skills of those who serve.

As we endeavor to help our communities recover from these crises, we have an unprecedented opportunity to pursue policies that will make our education system, our economy, and our democracy more equitable and resilient. We look forward to working with President Biden, Vice President Harris, their administration, and the 117th Congress to achieve these important goals, while also working to confront the disconnection, polarization, and lack of trust that has diminished our ability to come together as a nation.

At New Profit and America Forward, we will continue to center the voices of marginalized communities; invest in social entrepreneurs who represent the diversity of America, and support effective policies that improve outcomes for all students, create greater economic opportunity, and strengthen our democracy for generations to come.