Our 2025

It is critical that all progress made on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from the federal government perspective is maintained and advanced. DEI initiatives are essential in creating a fair and just society where every individual has equal opportunities regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. These initiatives help to address systemic inequalities and ensure that marginalized communities are represented and included in all facets of society.

Currently, there are attempts in federal and state legislatures to dismantle DEI programs. Alarmingly, many federal appropriations measures include provisions that would roll back any progress that has been made in critical areas and functions of the federal government. It is imperative that we remain vigilant and proactive in defending these programs and advocating for policies that promote equity and inclusion for all. Maintaining and strengthening DEIB initiatives is not only a moral imperative but also essential for the social and economic health of our nation.

The NAACP opposes efforts to ban the teaching of Black history, including Critical Race Theory (CRT), in schools. Black history is an integral part of American history, and understanding the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of Black Americans is essential for fostering a comprehensive and accurate understanding of our nation's past. Legislation that seeks to prohibit or limit the teaching of CRT and Black history undermines educational equity and perpetuates systemic racism. We must ensure that all students have access to a truthful and inclusive curriculum that reflects the diversity of our society and promotes analytical thinking.

Expanding financial aid resources and prioritizing debt-free solutions for African-American students attending HBCUs, Minority Serving Institutions, colleges, universities, junior colleges, and technical/trade schools is essential for increasing educational opportunities and closing the achievement gap. We support doubling the federal Pell Grant award and indexing the maximum award for inflation as the cost of education continues to rise. Pell Grant eligibility needs to be expanded to allow more students access to this program as they navigate the cost and challenges of higher education.

The shift away from fossil fuels must be systemic and equitable, ensuring communities of color are central to designing the new energy economy. The Environmental Justice Interagency Directive should be expanded to ensure racial justice includes equitable resource distribution.

Nearly two years ago, the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights via the Dobbs decision. Since then, many states have restricted abortion access, with more leaving the issue to ballots in November. Access to comprehensive reproductive health services, including contraception, family planning, and safe abortion services, is a fundamental right. Policies should ensure that all individuals, regardless of socio-economic status, have access to affordable and quality reproductive health care. Efforts must be made to dismantle barriers to reproductive health services, which disproportionately affect women of color, ensuring equitable health outcomes for all.

Food insecurity was exacerbated by the pandemic, particularly among communities of color, and the disparities persist. Federal assistance should be increased, and eligibility requirements streamlined to ensure access to nutritious, affordable food in households, schools, and institutional facilities. Alarmingly, current appropriations proposals threaten to strip funding from essential programs such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and other critical food assistance programs. These cuts would disproportionately affect marginalized populations, making it harder for them to access the food they need to thrive. The Executive branch must remain committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable populations have access to sustenance. 

Expanding Medicaid is crucial to achieving health equity and ensuring that all Americans, particularly those in historically excluded communities, have access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare. Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has already provided millions of low-income individuals with vital health coverage, improving health outcomes and financial stability for some of the most vulnerable populations. However, many states have yet to adopt expansion or are dis-enrolling individuals, leaving significant gaps in coverage that disproportionately affect Black and other historically excluded communities.

Medicaid expansion would extend coverage to millions more who are currently uninsured, reducing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. It would provide essential health services, including preventive care, mental health treatment, and chronic disease management, leading to healthier communities and reducing long-term healthcare costs. Furthermore, expanding Medicaid strengthens the healthcare system by providing more consistent funding to hospitals and clinics serving low-income populations, ensuring they can continue to offer critical services. The NAACP advocates for nationwide Medicaid expansion to close the coverage gap and advance health equity, opposing any efforts to roll back this progress. Access to healthcare is a fundamental right, and expanding Medicaid is a necessary step in ensuring that right is realized for all.

The NAACP calls for a universal healthcare system that ensures affordable, accessible, safe, high-quality, and social and culturally fluent care for all, regardless of coverage, employment, financial, or immigration status. The U.S. needs a unified healthcare system that prioritizes and assures optimal health for all people. 

The NAACP recognizes that the high cost of housing, both for renting and buying, is a significant barrier to economic stability for many Americans, particularly in communities of color. Policies must be implemented to make housing more affordable and accessible and hold accountable discriminatory practices. This includes increasing the availability of affordable housing units, providing rental assistance, and ensuring fair housing practices. Homeownership should be more attainable through down-payment assistance programs and affordable mortgage options. Addressing high housing costs will help reduce economic disparities and provide a pathway to financial security for more families.

Capital is the lifeblood of revitalization, infrastructure, business, and the economy's stability. Historically, based on racist financial practices, Black communities have not gained the fiscal support to achieve an inclusive economy. As we look towards the 2024 election year, there is hope in the potential of inclusive economic policies to bring about positive change. However, this hope is threatened by the possibility of federal funding being cut based on political agendas. The NAACP believes that economic equity is crucial to racial equity. An inclusive economy means everyone can contribute and earn with fair access to resources and opportunities for Black people. The NAACP advocates for federal oversight of how monies are distributed to Black communities, fights to make federal, state, and municipal dollars available to Black communities, and advocates for more funding to MDIs, CDFIs, and HUD for programs that increase economic revitalization in Black communities.

Access to reliable and affordable broadband internet is essential in today's digital age, yet significant disparities persist, disproportionately affecting Black and historically excluded communities. Expanding broadband connectivity is crucial for equitable access to education, healthcare, and employment. The digital divide exacerbates existing inequalities, leaving marginalized communities at a disadvantage. With the lapse of the Affordable Connectivity Program funding, it is imperative to reinstate and expand these programs to ensure low-income families can access high-speed internet.

Efforts must focus on providing high-speed internet to underserved areas and making broadband financially accessible for all. Investing in digital literacy programs will also help bridge the digital divide. The NAACP supports policies that promote universal broadband access and affordability, fostering economic growth, educational advancement, and better healthcare delivery through telehealth services. Expanding broadband connectivity is essential for achieving digital equity and social inclusion.

A federal minimum wage starting at $20.00/hour, indexed for inflation, is essential for lifting millions out of poverty and advancing wage equity. The minimum wage for all federal contractor staff should also be increased to $20.00/hour immediately, without a phase-in period, ensuring that no federal contract workers are left behind.

2025 presents an opportunity to correct key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that ushered in tax cuts for wealthy Americans and corporations. The goal of tax reform should be to produce an economy that works for and benefits all Americans. Corporate America has begun lobbying Congress in favor of extending these tax cuts which are set to expire at the end of 2025. It is essential that tax reform be structured so that large corporations and wealthy Americans pay their fair share of taxes which means a higher tax rate than the one enacted with the TCJA rate. 

Ensuring robust voting rights protection and improved election administration is vital for empowering the Black community and fostering full participation in democracy. Measures such as reinstating federal preclearance for states with histories of discriminatory practices are essential to protect against voter suppression. Comprehensive reforms like automatic and same-day voter registration, making Election Day a federal holiday, and enhancing election security would significantly increase voter participation among Black communities. Additionally, preventing partisan gerrymandering, protecting against voter intimidation and suppression, and establishing national standards for mail-in and early voting ensure equitable access to the ballot for Black voters.

These efforts address systemic barriers that have historically disenfranchised Black voters and promote fair, transparent, and accessible elections. By advocating for these changes, we can ensure that Black voters can exercise their right to vote freely and fairly, thereby strengthening the democratic process and ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard and represented in the political arena. The NAACP is committed to pushing for these essential reforms and resisting any efforts to undermine the progress made in voting rights protection.