Natural Hazards Center Presentation:

Advancing Racial and Social Equity Through Natural Hazards Mitigation

Alan Kwok
Director of Disaster Resilience, Philanthropy California and Northern California Grantmakers

Webinar Description:
The convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, social uprisings for racial justice, and other hazard events has revealed deep-seated racial and economic inequities in the United States, with communities of color disproportionately at risk of and impacted by these crises. As climate change alters the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, individuals and institutions need to center racial equity in policy development and resource allocation so the disparities caused by such events can be reduced.

Using a racial equity lens, this webinar will examine the following:

• How disasters and disaster aid programs exacerbate racial and economic inequities
• Why changing the narrative around disasters to emphasize the need for mitigation and preparedness is essential to advancing racial equity
• The importance of multi-sector partnerships to unlock financial, political, and relational resources for the benefit of communities of color
• The types of investment required to support both racial equity and disaster resilience

The speaker will share lessons learned in California, which is experiencing the most destructive wildfire season in the state’s history.