This post was written by Milly Hawk Daniel, the PolicyLink VP of Communications. She just returned from Denver.

No, infrastructure is not sexy. But somehow, some way, the nation seems to be all abuzz about it.

And in Denver this week, alongside the Democratic National Convention, the Rockefeller Foundation brought together some of the top policy orgs, elected officials, labor reps and private sector leaders — including PolicyLink CEO Angela Glover Blackwell — to talk about how we reinvent our crumbling infrastructure to face 21st Century challenges.

Infrastructure is the backbone of our country — the bridges, tunnels, sewage systems, water supplies and transportation networks that move people and goods.  Our infrastructure is in serious danger of collapse as 100-year old structures and networks go un-repaired and the nation’s growing populations create the demand for new and sustainable ways to meet the needs of all communities. How can the United States be a truly competitive nation in the 21st century when its backbone is weakening and in danger of collapse?

Some municipalities are looking to public-private partnerships for solutions.  Leasing (or even outright selling) highways and toll bridges or farming out the management of public transportation systems can seem like a way to shore up collapsing infrastructure. But without clear protocols to ensure transparency and fairness about how such agreements are reached and maintained, the people in our cities and states will pay the price.  And all too often, the heaviest penalties will fall on those most vulnerable–people in low-income communities and people of color who are denied a voice in answering the classic infrastructure questions:  who benefits, who pays, who decides?

As Angela said - and her fellow panelists agreed - infrastructure is all about people. Addressing the nation’s infrastructure needs could be a way out of our economic woes.  Facing up to our infrastructure challenges could lead to new jobs and a new standing in the global economy.  And as jobs become available, poverty decreases and more families reach the middle class and live the American dream.

You can click here to listen to the full 76-minute panel discussion, featuring Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta, former Rep. Dick Gephardt, among others. And visit the PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity for some more idea on how to make infrastructure investments work for all communities.

Note: The photo above is of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis, which collapsed just over a year ago on Aug. 1, 2007. For more information on the disaster and links to organizations that are helping victims and their families, please visit Minnesotahelps.org. 

A recap of the week’s equity news

 ”Report: Road Home falls short,” - The Times-Picayune

Most storm-beleaguered Louisiana homeowners did not receive enough Road Home money to completely rebuild their homes, and limited recovery dollars will only help replace a portion of the state’s damaged rental units, according to a report to be released today.

The group PolicyLink produced the report, called “A Long Way Home: The State of Housing Recovery in Louisiana 2008,” after analyzing three major federally funded housing-recovery programs: the Road Home and the state’s small and large rental-repair programs. Researchers concluded that “enormous obstacles” blocked the recovery for homeowners, most of whom faced shortfalls to rebuild, and renters, who cannot find moderately priced places to rent.

“More families requesting free or reduced lunch,” - USA TODAY

The troubled economy may be prompting more families to turn to federal school nutrition programs that aid poor children, a survey suggests.

For the first time since 2004, a majority of cafeteria operators say the number of children getting free or reduced-price lunches has risen.

“Can NY infrastructure handle floods, intense heat?,”  - Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Flooded subways. Bridges deteriorating in the hot sun. Rising seas nipping at the edges of Manhattan. Those scenarios are up for review by a panel of scientists, government officials and private sector representatives studying how the city’s infrastructure will hold up to climate change.

The Climate Change Adaptation Task Force met Tuesday for the first time as part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to address global warming in New York City, which already includes orders to switch the city’s taxi fleet to hybrids by 2012 and to retrofit city buildings to meet greener standards.

A recap of the week’s equity news

 “Latino-vs.-black violence drives hate crimes in L.A. County to 5-year high,” - Los Angeles Times

Hate crimes in Los Angeles County rose to their highest level in five years last year, led by attacks between Latinos and blacks, officials said Thursday.

The annual report by the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission showed hate crimes rose by 28%, to 763, with vandalism and assault leading the way.

In what commission Executive Director Robin Toma called an alarming trend, hate crimes based on race, religion and sexual orientation all rose, increasing against nearly all groups — including blacks, gays, Jews, Mexicans, whites and Asians — even as crime in general declined.

 “Billions needed to shore up nation’s bridges ,” -  USA TODAY

The fatal collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis a year ago jolted states into better inspections of the nation’s 600,000 bridges, but they aren’t coming up with the billions of dollars needed to ensure that all of them are sound.

The plunge that killed 13 people when the span crumpled into the Mississippi River on Aug. 1 was “a wake-up call” to take care of aging bridges, says Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. “We can’t wait for another Minneapolis.”

“Looking for Equity in Arts Financing ,” - New York Times

In Harlem, Marline A. Martin, the executive director of the Children’s Art Carnival, figures that losing her financing from the city’s Cultural Affairs Department means she will have half the number of students this fall in her school-day program for children whose schools don’t offer art.
Downtown, near Stuyvesant Park, Diane Fraher Thornton, the director of American Indian Artists Inc., squeezes dollars from her budget for a project of readings by Indian playwrights.
Ms. Martin and Ms. Thornton are among the dozen or so leaders of a coalition of arts organizations in New York City called the Cultural Equity Group. In a proposal to city officials the group asked for $15 million in the city budget that would go to so-called culturally specific organizations, serving blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and American Indians. The money — to be used for things like programs and administrative support — would be separate from financing awarded by city agencies, like the Cultural Affairs Department.

America’s backbone is crumbling. Our schools, our transportation systems, even our water pipes are creaking and worn out. We must deal with this crisis now – and do it in a way that helps all people thrive in communities of true opportunity.

That is why PolicyLink is pleased to announce the creation of the “PolicyLink Center for Infrastructure Equity” to advocate for fair and inclusive public policies and provide community and grassroots leaders, advocates, and public officials with the tools, training, and consultation needed to ensure that public investments in infrastructure create economic opportunity and health in all communities.

The center was officially launched during the opening plenary session at this month’s Regional Equity ‘08 Summit in New Orleans. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), whose Minneapolis district includes the I-35 W Bridge that collapsed in August, helped unveil the center with the video introduction below: