Angela Glover Blackwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Angela Glover Blackwell
Born	1944/1945 (age 80–81) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Education	Howard University (BA) University of California, Berkeley (JD)
Occupation	Founder in Residence, PolicyLink Lecturer, Goldman School of Public Policy
Notable work	"The Curb-Cut Effect" in the Stanford Social Innovation Review

Angela Glover Blackwell is an American lawyer, a champion for civil rights, and an author. She was born on September 8, 1988. In 1999, she started a group called PolicyLink. This group helps people and communities. After leading PolicyLink for twenty years, she became its Founder in Residence. Angela Glover Blackwell often shares her ideas on the news. She also hosts a podcast called Radical Imagination.

Early Life and Education

Angela Glover Blackwell grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She is one of three children. Her parents, Philmore and Rose Glover, were both teachers. Her father was a high school leader, and her mother was a teacher. Angela grew up during a time when there was racial segregation in the United States. This meant people were separated based on their race.

In 2005, she talked about her childhood in St. Louis with Yes! magazine. She said that for African-American families like hers, community was very important. It helped them achieve their dreams even when they were kept out of many parts of society. By building strong communities, they found ways to succeed.

Angela Glover Blackwell went to Howard University and earned her first degree in 1967. Later, she studied law at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. She finished her law degree in 1977.

Career Highlights

After law school, Angela Glover Blackwell worked at a public interest law firm called Public Advocates. She was a Managing Attorney there from 1977 to 1987. She worked on important legal cases that helped many people. In 1979, she tried to help a community in Bayview–Hunters Point, San Francisco get a grocery store. Even though it didn't happen right away, the governor at the time, Jerry Brown, later created a group to fix the problem of food deserts. A food desert is an area where it's hard to find fresh, healthy food.

In 1987, Blackwell started the Urban Strategies Council in Oakland, California. This group focused on helping children and families. They used information and facts to push for better public policies. They also helped communities organize themselves.

After this, Angela Glover Blackwell worked at the Rockefeller Foundation for three years. She was a senior vice president. She worked on issues about race and making sure everyone was included. She also created new programs.

Founding PolicyLink

In 1999, Angela Glover Blackwell founded PolicyLink. This is a non-profit organization that does research and speaks up for people. PolicyLink works to create economic and social fairness for people with low incomes and for communities of color. The group has lawyers and experts in public policy. They have offices in California, Washington, D.C., and New York.

In 2011, she was asked to join the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This council advises the president on how to work with community groups.

In 2014, she was also appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. A magazine called Social Policy wrote about her in 2014. They highlighted her speech at a meeting about fair development. She reminded everyone that where you live affects almost everything about your life. This includes how long you might live. She famously said, "Tell me your zip code and I'll tell you your expiration date." This means that the area you live in can greatly impact your health and future.

In 2018, Angela Glover Blackwell changed her role at PolicyLink. She stepped down as president and CEO and became the Founder in Residence. In the same year, she also started teaching at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

Radical Imagination Podcast

In 2019, Angela Glover Blackwell started her podcast called Radical Imagination. On this podcast, she talks with experts about big ideas. These ideas include things like housing being a human right and a basic income for everyone.

In April 2020, she was chosen to be part of the California Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery. This group helps California's businesses and jobs. In 2023, her name was mentioned as someone who might be chosen by California Governor Gavin Newsom to fill a U.S. Senate seat.

Personal Life

Angela Glover Blackwell is married to Dr. Fred Blackwell. He is a surgeon who works with bones and joints. She has two children and several grandchildren. She has lived in Oakland, California, since the early 1970s. Her brother, David E. Glover, was a long-time leader of a group called the Oakland Citizens Committee for Urban Renewal (OCCUR).

Awards and Recognition

Angela Glover Blackwell has received many honors for her work:

• 1994: An Honorary Degree from Mills College.
• 2014: The Richman Fellowship in Public Life from Brandeis University.
• 2017: The Peter E. Haas Public Service Award from the University of California, Berkeley.
• 2017: She was nominated for the Visionary of the Year award by the San Francisco Chronicle.
• 2018: The John W. Gardner Leadership Award from Independent Sector.

Selected Works

Angela Glover Blackwell has written books and articles. One of her books is:

• 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