The Center for Urban Renewal and Education is a conservative-leaning organization that advocates free-market policies and traditional values as the most effective ways to lift people out of poverty. ¹  

Right-of-center commentator Star Parker started the organization in 1995 at a time when she was consulting members of Congress and members of state legislators about the benefits of reforming welfare. ^{1 2}

Background

The Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE) is a conservative-leaning think tank founded in 1995 by conservative activist and commentator Star Parker to fight poverty. ¹

The organization characterizes itself as a “think-and-do tank” with a mission to address issues of culture, race, and poverty from a Judeo-Christian perspective. ³ The organization says it wants to restore dignity through faith, freedom, and personal responsibility. ⁴

On its 2019 filing with the IRS, CURE reported spending $494,808 on traditional and social media. It spent another $538,163 on the National CURE Clergy Network, which is a network of pastors across the United States to help advance the organization’s agenda. It reported spending $429,071 on public policy and “changing laws to change lives” by advocating policy solutions for low-income communities. ¹

Policy Advocacy

CURE promotes traditional values, a free-market economy and limited government. The organization pushes its agenda in the media and on Capitol Hill. ¹

The organization primarily focuses on market-based solutions for the issues of housing, education, health care, economics, as well as race and culture. ⁵

CURE opposes abortion. It also advocates market-based approaches rather than government welfare programs to transition poor Americans from government dependence to economic independence. ¹

Leadership

Star Parker

Star Parker, a syndicated columnist and frequent television commentator, is the founder and president of CURE. ¹ Parker, an African American who lived in poverty for seven years, said her life was changed by Christianity and by starting a business in Los Angeles. ⁶

Parker later consulted members of Congress and state legislators in the 1990s about welfare reform and market-based solutions to fight poverty that passed at the state level. Several state legislatures passed welfare reform. From here, she founded CURE in 1995. ⁷ In 1996, Congress passed a federal welfare reform law.

In 2020, President Donald Trump appointed Parker to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights California Advisory Committee. In 2018, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) appointed Parker to the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Commission. In 2017, Parker was part of the White House Opportunity Initiative advisory team. ⁶

Parker is the host of the weekly TV show “Cure America with Star Parker.” ⁸  

Other Senior Figures

Marc Little, a pastor in Los Angeles, California, is the chairman of the board of directors for CURE. ¹

Robert Borens is vice president for policy at CURE. He worked with Parker and CURE for more than 20 years. He previously worked for Getty Oil Company. He is a former vice president of development at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. ⁹

Diana Banister is the vice president of strategic initiatives for CURE. Before coming to CURE, she was a senior advisor at the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration.

She was also on the White House Domestic Policy Council during the Trump administration.

Before that, she was a managing partner of Shirley and Banister Public Affairs for almost 20 years. ⁹

1. Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Charity Navigator. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/311467594
2. “About.” Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Accessed January 13, 2022.  https://curepolicy.org/about/
3. “Center for Urban Renewal and Education.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-for-urban-renewal-and-education/about/
4. ^[1] Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Charity Navigator. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/311467594
5. “Policy.” Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Accessed January 13, 2022.  https://curepolicy.org/#policy
6. “Star Parker.” Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://curepolicy.org/star-parker/
7. ^[1] “About.” Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Accessed January 13, 2022.  https://curepolicy.org/about/
8. Parker, Star. “Will Republicans step up to challenge on Christian values?” Lewistown Sentinel. June 17, 2021. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://www.lewistownsentinel.com/opinion/local-columns/2021/06/will-republicans-step-up-to-challenge-on-christian-values/
9. “Staff and Board.” Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Accessed January 13, 2022. https://curepolicy.org/staff/