Equity

How we talk about equity can shift and change how people think about it. It can reveal the root causes of racial and social disparities. It can elevate equity-focused policy.

We can’t get to the society we want without talking about racial, social, and economic equity. But if communications aren’t framed carefully, they can backfire, and opportunities to build support for change can be missed.

FrameWorks’ research on issues ranging from justice reform, residential segregation, and health disparities highlights the need to explain how social issues work, lead with shared values, and spotlight solutions.

Explore these resources to find out what to emphasize, and what to avoid when talking about equity.

Featured Work

Young girl with hand raised in front of collage of education images

Report

Advancing Anti-Racist Education

How School Leaders Can Navigate the Moral Panic about “Critical Race Theory”

Report

Navigating Cultural Mindsets of Race and Place in the United States

The places where we live shape our lives. Structural racism has shaped and continues to shape where and how Americans live.

Framing Resource

Talking about Health Equity

Here are three sample definitions that use the phrases “fair and full” or “fair and just,” which can complement or replace the word equity.

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Cognitive Media Analysis of Disparities in the Education System

The way the media covers educational equity and the "achievement gap" shapes public thinking. How can we reframe?

Report

The Resilience Scale: Using Metaphor to Communicate a Developmental Perspective on Resilience

How can we talk about resilience in a way that disrupts people's assumption that it's all about inner strength and just a matter of "bouncing back?"

Report

Talking About Disparities: The Effect of Frame Choices on Support for Racial Equity Policies

How can we talk about disparities in ways that prompt people to rethink assumptions, acknowledge the root causes of racial disparities, and support equity-focused policies?

Frame Testing Recommendations

How to Talk About Rural Issues

This Message Brief distills strategies for talking about rural health, rural economic development, and other rural issues.

Frame Testing Recommendations

Talking Rural Issues

This MessageMemo distills insights from a set of inter-related studies about how people think about rural issues. It offers time-tested recommendations for communicating more effectively about...