Angela Glover Blackwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Angela Glover Blackwell
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| Born | 1944/1945 (age 79–80) |
| Education | Howard University (BA) University of California, Berkeley (JD) |
| Occupation | Founder in Residence, PolicyLink Lecturer, Goldman School of Public Policy |
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Notable work
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"The Curb-Cut Effect" in the Stanford Social Innovation Review |
Angela Glover Blackwell (born 1944/1945) is an American lawyer, civil rights champion, and writer. She is known for starting PolicyLink, a group that works for fairness and equality. After leading PolicyLink for 20 years, she became its Founder in Residence. Angela Glover Blackwell also shares her ideas on her podcast, Radical Imagination.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Angela Glover Blackwell grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents, Philmore and Rose Glover, were both teachers. She was one of three children.
She grew up during a time when people were kept apart because of their race. This was called racial segregation.
In 2005, she shared how important her community was. She said, "For African-American families such as my own, community was the scaffolding that allowed us to achieve our visions in a society where we were locked out of the mainstream." This means strong communities helped people succeed even when society made it hard.
Angela Glover Blackwell earned her first degree from Howard University in 1967. Later, she studied law and got her law degree from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law in 1977.
Making a Difference
From 1977 to 1987, Angela Glover Blackwell worked as a lawyer at Public Advocates. This law firm helped people who needed it most. She worked on big lawsuits that aimed to help many people at once.
In 1979, she tried to get a grocery store built in a neighborhood that didn't have one. This problem, where people can't easily buy healthy food, is called a food desert. Even though it didn't happen right away, her work led to a special group being formed to fix the issue.
In 1987, she started the Urban Strategies Council in Oakland, California. This group focused on helping children and families. They used facts and information to push for better public policies.
After that, Angela Glover Blackwell worked at the Rockefeller Foundation. She helped create programs that focused on fairness and including everyone, no matter their background.
Starting PolicyLink
In 1999, Angela Glover Blackwell founded PolicyLink. This is a non-profit group that works for economic and social fairness. They help low-income people and communities of color. PolicyLink has experts in law and public policy working in different cities.
In 2011, she was asked to join the President's Advisory Council. This council helps the President with ideas about faith-based and neighborhood groups.
In 2014, she was also appointed to a commission about improving education for African Americans. That same year, she gave a speech where she talked about how much your neighborhood affects your life. She famously said, "Tell me your zip code and I'll tell you your expiration date." This means where you live can impact your health and how long you might live.
In 2018, Angela Glover Blackwell changed her role at PolicyLink. She became the Founder in Residence. She also started teaching at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.
Radical Imagination Podcast
In 2019, she launched her podcast called Radical Imagination. On the podcast, she talks with experts about big ideas. These ideas include things like housing being a basic human right and making sure everyone has a fair income.
In 2020, she was asked to join a special group in California. This group worked on helping businesses and jobs recover. In 2023, her name was mentioned as a possible choice to become a U.S. Senator for California.
Family Life
Angela Glover Blackwell is married to Dr. Fred Blackwell, who is a surgeon. She has two children and several grandchildren. She has lived in Oakland, California, since the early 1970s. Her brother, David E. Glover, also worked to improve communities in Oakland.
Awards and Recognition
Angela Glover Blackwell has received many honors for her work:
- 1994 Honorary Degree, Mills College
- 2014 Richman Fellowship in Public Life, Brandeis University
- 2017 Peter E. Haas Public Service Award, University of California, Berkeley
- Nominee, 2017 Visionary of the Year award, San Francisco Chronicle
- 2018 John W. Gardner Leadership Award, Independent Sector
Selected Works
- Blackwell, A.G., Kwoh, S., Pastor, M. Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America’s Future, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. ISBN: 9780393336856.
See also
- PolicyLink
- Curb cut effect
