WSCO's Executive Director Monica Bravo represented WSCO in Selma, Alabama last week for the launch of a national three-year initiative, the Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities (PERC). Local partner Rondo Community Land Trust was selected as the lead convener and backbone organization for this effort, and WSCO, along with Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc and Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, are engaged as core partners to advance our collected work grounded in community-driven strategies. Saint Paul, MN was selected among three other cities nationally to serve as backbone organization for PERC. Saint Paul is joined by Cleveland, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina and Selma, Alabama.

What is PERC?

“The Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities (PERC) is a results-driven partnership between community, philanthropy and government that advances racial equity and justice by shifting power and resources to Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x people living in low-wealth, under-resourced communities. Utilizing a culturally competent approach, PERC seeks to engage impacted communities in decision making by creating comprehensive community plans, layering funding streams across programs, and creating pathways between community and government where they haven’t previously existed. Our North Star is that ALL Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x, people living in low-wealth, under-resourced communities in the United States have the resources they need to live fulfilled lives.”

Each city will work to develop community plans between now and July 2023 and subsequently work to activate those plans over the next three years.

The Saint Paul delegation traveling to Selma included: City of Saint Paul, Mayor Melvin Carter, Rondo Community Land Trust Executive Director, Mikeya Griffin and Deputy Director, E. Coco; Monica Bravo, Executive Director of WSCO; Elena Gaarder, Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers; Muneer Karcher-Ramos, Director of the Office of Financial Empowerment and Thomas Redd; Urban Strategies (Saint Paul).

Read more about our time in Selma from local coverage via the Selma Sun: Selma in line for $5M over next three years from new philanthropic effort to advance equity