2022 Exemplary Program Development: RAIL CDC

RAIL CDC’s underlying community-centered economic inclusion strategy addresses barriers through a combination of equity-focused structural changes – shifting policies, practices, and resource flows, and relational changes – shifting power dynamics at a distinct scale, scope, and intentional integration of the community.

RAIL has built long term, trusted relationships with business owners and neighbors in West Mesa and Tempe’s Apache Boulevard light rail corridor. The businesses in these areas serve neighborhoods that have been disrupted by development and gentrification for generations. These business owners are BIPOC, women-owned, and mostly sole-proprietors or micro-businesses whose passion and grit to launch and grow a business is recognized by RAIL and the focus of their work every day. 

Material assets, including capital, infrastructure, professional services and technical advice, are elements of sustainable businesses. Historic inequities in the ability to access assets have stacked the deck against these important neighborhood businesses. RAIL partners with these entrepreneurs to surmount systemic barriers—and ultimately, to dismantle them. RAIL’s deep local roots and the trust of the community is evident in their understanding of conditions on the ground. Their innovative and community-informed strategies sets them apart in the Valley of the Sun. 

Through the success of ensuring that businesses are connected to consultants that are of similar backgrounds, speak the languages they speak, and understand cultural preferences, RAIL realized the need to build capacity amongst BIPOC business consultants. These subject matter experts are building a more equitable technical assistance ecosystem. Their Consults of Color Collective builds capacity, power, and competencies to expand the delivery system that supports BIPOC business owners.

Outside of the well-documented inequities faced by these entrepreneurs, development patterns have begun to shift along the commercial transit corridor and the adjacent neighborhoods. New growth and dramatic investment to the previously neglected communities however, has nowraised concerns of displacement and exclusion among business owners and residents.

RAIL’s unique approach to support the community in preventing displacement are Pláticas—community conversations that meet residents where they already are. The purpose and format of the Pláticas is simple—to bring people together in their neighborhood in places where they already gather and have conversations about the existing opportunities and challenges they face. These gatherings are an opportunity to build relationships with businesses and identify existing leaders in neighborhoods. They work together to help build buy-in and engage neighbors for anti-displacement strategies.

RAIL is building the power of neighborhoods by bringing folks together to tackle problems and celebrate their culture – a fundamental shift that asserts the value of people over property.

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