Incubating Systemic Approaches to Achieve Racial Equity

Our Story

The Creative Corridor Center for Equity (C3E) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that incubates community-based projects to advance racial equity across the country. We exist to make equity work visible, actionable, and sustainable. We support work that is often under-resourced or operating without formal infrastructure. By promoting community-led initiatives, we work to achieve racial equity through systems change.

Through projects like Still We Lead, we amplify the lived experiences of people of color while translating their insights into tools, frameworks, and community-driven solutions.

We believe equity is not a program, but a practice, one that requires clarity, courage, and collective responsibility.

Equity In Effect

(Our Initiatives & Projects)

  • Recruitment & Retention

    Our program, Focus, strengthens the recruitment and retention of staff of color in K-12 school districts.

    Through original research, mentoring, grow-your-own strategies, systems coaching, and community partnerships, our design builds pathways to attract, support, and sustain educators of color.

    Together, we can ensure workforce parity and enjoy the benefits of diversity.

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  • Still We Lead

    Still We Lead is a practitioner-focused toolkit developed by Ken Morris, Jr., in partnership with C3E, as a doctoral capstone project for the School of Education at Drake University.

    Ken’s project draws on research and lived experience to support equity-oriented leaders navigating complex systems. Ken generously developed a toolkit for equity-oriented leaders, available here.

    Lead With Dr. Ken Morris, Jr.

  • Boards & Commissions

    We crafted and tested a training program to increase diversity across public boards and commissions. We further support individuals and nonprofits as they exercise power in presence during the public comment periods in meetings of local officials.

    We are committed to increasing the representation and voice of historically underrepresented communities, with a special focus on engaging youth and elders together.

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  • Linn County Activism

    We support activists in Linn County, Iowa, offering fiscal sponsorship, leadership, intern mentorship, and research-based information to promote efforts to achieve justice and liberation.

    We partner with Advocates for Social Justice and the Marion Alliance for Racial Equity; help facilitate the Justice and Liberation Coalition and Coalition for Positive Change; offer policy leadership to the Together! Healthy Linn Policy Workgroup; and sponsor Thrive Cohort participants.

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  • 20 Under Twenty

    The 20 Under Twenty: Emerging Leader Awards is an annual event held in Eastern Iowa that celebrates the outstanding achievements of 20 exceptional students twenty years old or younger for their contributions to Leadership, Innovation, Academic Excellence, Arts & Culture, or Service & Advocacy.

    C3E is fiscal sponsor to this program, offering an infrastructure to support a high quality event.

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