The Urban & Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI) at Occidental College is a multifaceted, social change-oriented Institute consisting of centers, programs and a core staff. UEPI provides a place for faculty, students, organizers, community partners, researchers, and policy analysts to collaborate. Their mission – to help create a more just, livable, and democratic region – provides the backdrop for a wide range of activities and relationships. UEPI functions both as an academic center with strong community ties and a community-based organization with a strong research and policy development capacity.