On President Biden‘s first day in office, he signed Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, which charged the Federal Government with advancing equity for all, including communities that have long been underserved, and addressing systemic racism in our Nation’s policies and programs. The term “underserved communities” refers to populations as well as geographic communities that have been systematically denied the opportunity to participate fully in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

Planners can help advance equity by supporting and empowering all residents of the United States, including the many communities in America that have been underserved, discriminated against, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

Start every project with a thorough stakeholder analysis. In what ways might there be disadvantaged or underserved residents in the community you are working with? For example, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission performed an Equity Analysis for the Greater Philadelphia region that looked at Indicators of Potential Disadvantage, such as youth, older adults, female, racial minority, ethnic minority, foreign-born, limited English proficiency, disabled, and low-income populations. Don’t forget to think about intersectionality, the term coined by scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how many systems of oppression—like racism, classism, ableism, sexism, and ageism—are intertwined and interact. 

Next, craft a strategy to reach the underserved. The Orton Family Foundation offers a free Community Network Analysis tool that I think is helpful for identifying neighborhood connections for each underserved group you identified in your stakeholder analysis. The American Planning Association’s Planners Advisory Service (PAS) Report 592, Planning with Diverse Communities, is also valuable. If you need additional engagement strategy ideas, consider resources like the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority’s Engage! Toolkit or PennDOT’s Public Participation Plan. Don’t forget to ask community members how they think you can reach others.

Engaging underserved communities takes trust, extra time, and often additional resources. Be willing to iterate, adjust, and be flexible. Finally, consider advocating for policies that support equity in all aspects of planning at local, state, and federal levels, as described in APA’s Planning for Equity Policy Guide.