All-In Nation is a book and blog released by PolicyLink and the Center for American Progress that promotes local policies that use government power to equalize interethnic socioeconomic disparities. PolicyLink and Center for American Progress co-produced a book to promote the ideology that both groups have in common and have released a number of reports regarding race disparities in the United States, proposing left-of-center legislative change to equalize them.

Book Release

The All-In Nation book was released in 2013 when Center for American Progress and PolicyLink hosted a panel discussion regarding race, economics, and more issues that are covered in the book and the online publication. The discussion saw a number of participants from multiple left-of-center and liberal organizations as well as elected officials. Some of these participants include Maya Harris, an official at the Ford Foundation who previously served in leadership positions at Center for American Progress and ACLU of California; Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ); Mary Kay Henry, the President of the SEIU labor union; and multiple employees and fellows of PolicyLink and Center for American Progress. ¹

Center for American Progress

The majority of the research covered in All-In Nation is based on a projection released by the U.S. Census Bureau that “people of color” (ethnic groups other than non-Hispanic whites) will, when considered together, make up the majority of the population of the United States by the early 2040s. The Center for American Progress has since released a number of reports and proposed solutions for what the organization claims will be irreparable wage and economic disparities that will exist by 2050. ²

PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a left-wing liberal advocacy group that focuses on ethnic-interest politics and pushing such beliefs at the state and municipal levels. The organization played a key role in the publishing All-In Nation. In a report published by PolicyLink titled, “Equity Is the Superior Growth Model for an All-In Nation,” the organization endorsed reserved jobs for minorities. ³

Angela Glover Blackwell

The All-In Nation book and website were founded in part by Angela Glover Blackwell. Blackwell is the founder of PolicyLink and has served in multiple leadership positions at the organization. Blackwell is an active author and political commentator having written many articles in a number of left-of-center publications including the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN, HuffPost, and Salon. The majority of her work focuses on race politics and other liberal talking points. ⁴

Authors

All-In Nation contains a number of essays written by civil rights activists, celebrities, politicians, and other left-of-center figures. The essays cover topics such as incarceration rates and economic equality in predominantly minority communities. ⁵

Michelle Alexander wrote a featured essay for the organization titled “What will America be: Mass Incarceration and the Threat to the American Experiment.” Alexander is the author of multiple books covering hot-topic political issues and generally writes about race relations in the United States. ⁶

America Ferrera, a television and film actress, wrote a featured essay titled, “Engaged and Plugged In: Strengthening Civic Participation in America”. In the essay, Ferrera speaks on her concerns about minority voting patterns and youth participation in elections. She also covers her work with Voto Latino, a left-leaning organization which pushes race politics with the goal of encouraging Hispanic voters to participate in elections. ⁷

Marian Wright Edelman wrote a featured essay titled, “Dismantle the Cradle to Prison Pipeline—Our Future Depends on It”. The essay critiques a supposed bias toward minorities that Wright Edelman claims exists in the United States. Wright Edelman is the founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund, a left-of-center organization which focuses on issues such as poverty, prison reform, and gun control. ⁸

1. “All-In Nation: An America that Works for All.” Center for American Progress. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://www.americanprogress.org/events/2013/07/15/69636/all-in-nation-an-america-that-works-for-all/.
2. “Progress 2050: New Ideas for a Diverse America.” Vanessa Cárdenas, Julie Ajinkya, and Daniella Gibbs Léger. Center for American Progress. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/reports/2011/10/18/10477/progress-2050/.
3. “Equity Is the Superior Growth Model for an All-In Nation.” PolicyLink. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://www.policylink.org/sites/default/files/Equity-Primer.pdf.
4. “Staff Profiles: Angela Glover Blackwell, founder in residence.” Policy Link. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://www.policylink.org/aboutUs/staff/angela-glover-blackwell.
5. “Featured Essays.” All-In Nation. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://allinnation.org/book/.
6. “Featured Essays.” All-In Nation. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://allinnation.org/book/.
7. “Featured Essays.” All-In Nation. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://allinnation.org/book/.
8. “Featured Essays.” All-In Nation. Accessed December 24, 2019. https://allinnation.org/book/.