Why We Changed Our Name in 2014
The Community Forum for Economic Development has changed its name to the Community Forum for Economic Justice. The change of name was undertaken in order to better represent the concerns of the membership and the activities of the organization. After our founding in 2006, we focused on what might be called “traditional economic development topics,” such as tax abatements and tax-increment financing (TIF) areas. Our objective in addressing these issues, though, was always to ensure that everyone benefitted from tax incentives, in particular that workers were paid well and not discriminated against, and that distressed areas like LaSalle Square received help from TIF financing. Indeed, we made it a point to define economic development as “the process of increasing living standards and opportunities for all.”
Today we still maintain our interest in traditional economic development topics. However, in recent years we have increasingly focused on issues more directly identified with economic justice. For example, we have been involved with efforts to preserve the integrity of neighborhoods, end disproportionality in school discipline, bring nutritious food to “food deserts” in underserved areas, combat predatory lending, and support workers left unemployed by companies leaving town. We also have participated in the Indiana Moral Mondays Movement, a coalition concerned with a number of issues of economic justice.
We are enthusiastic about what the future holds and hope to maintain relationships with you and with our other friends and allies. We will continue to hold our monthly public forums and other activities. And, to minimize confusion and to emphasize continuity with our past efforts, we will continue to be known as the “Community Forum.”