b'Equity: A word that has definedour work from the start. Rising out of the civil rights movement of theThats why MEDA was uniquely positioned to respond 1960s, its been adelante since 1973, as the Missionwhen a different crisis invaded the Mission in 2020. Economic Development Agency (MEDA) has beenCOVID-19 spread deeply among Latino residents, advancing toward a mission to create equity formany of whom live in overcrowded housing and/or are Latinos and immigrants seeking a better life.essential workers. These health challenges have further exacerbated the financial struggles that many have Our work is collaborative, being part of a trustedendured due to the pandemic. It was a perfect storm infrastructure of culturally relevant service providersfor a community to be under siege, so it was time for in the welcoming immigrant neighborhood ofquick action. We were built for this moment, ready to San Franciscos Mission District. We leverage ourbring urgently needed resources to our community, communitys inherent strengths to collectively buildand others similarly affected across the Bay Area. Latino prosperity, community ownership and civicThat translated to small business loans, disbursed by power; however, when a different brand of newcomerMEDAs Fondo Adelante CDFI. Additional testing sites. came to the neighborhood in the guise of six-figure- Public health information for our Spanish-speaking earners from the Bay Areas booming tech sector,residents. Even income replenishment for those who MEDA activated community members to audaciouslyfell ill. All wrapped up in a message of hope.push back to ensure that everyone could still live in their neighborhood of choice. The results have beenNo historically marginalized community of color should many. We have combatted displacement, with cranesever again be disproportionately affected by any dotting the neighborhood skyline as constructioncatastrophe or social injustice, from a pandemic to police commenced on 100% affordable-housingbrutality. MEDA looks for everyone to band together as developments providing homes for our most- thought leaders in defining and driving forth an agenda vulnerable community members, from transitional- for equitable recovery and a just society, whether you aged youth to seniors to the formerly homeless.are a policymaker, a community-based organization, We have created a Promise Neighborhood, oura funder, a community member or part of the federal community anti-poverty education initiative, andadministration that took office at the start of 2021.applied a two-generation approach so that families succeed and students achieve. We pledge to beSo, as you leaf through these pages that showcase proactive and adapt to challenges our communityour vision for a brighter future, I ask:will face, transforming our work to devise outside- ARE YOU READY TO JOIN MEDAS the-box strategies, and always gauging our impactMISSION TO ADVANCE A NATIONALvia six Results that are measurable. EQUITY MOVEMENT?In partnership,LUIS GRANADOSChief Executive OfficerSTRATEGIC PLAN 2021-241'