Building Dignity and Belonging Into Local Services Starts With Listening
Posted by Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity on November 17, 2026
Local programs designed to help people escape poverty often measure success in tangible terms: jobs secured, training completed, children prepared for school. But those measures tell only part of the story. Whether people feel respected, have a voice in decisions and believe they belong in their communities can also shape their ability to achieve lasting economic mobility. That was a central message of a recent Urban Institute webinar, “Building Dignity and Belonging into Local Programs and Services,” which explored how local organizations can make those principles part of their everyday operations and is the focus of this Spotlight Exclusive. “Dignity is not something that people should have to earn through income, employment or participation in our programs,” said Myriam Hernandez Jennings, associate director at the Urban Institute’s Center for Equity and Community Impact. “It is inherent in being human and foundational to human rights.”
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