Inclusion

Economic inclusion is generally regarded as a desirable goal for historically marginalized communities, but a critical reading of this goal raises important questions: who is included and/or excluded? And what are the power relations that structure decisions about the form of inclusivity in any economic development process? In this essay, I reflect on my community-engaged research with Just San Bernardino (Just SB), a coalition of nine community-based and union organizations that formed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic to redefine initiatives toward genuine forms of economic inclusion. This research documented long-standing community frustrations and mismatched understandings of priorities among communities, grant-making organizations, and governmental agencies. The research led Just SB to develop a People's Plan for an Inclusive Economy and a companion People's Dictionary to lay the groundwork for a shared understanding of key terms and their goals. Reflecting on this grassroots research process, I suggest that economic inclusion has no monolithic definition, but rather must be grounded in multiple social worldviews if we are to generate meaningful change.