The economic fallout as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the failures of our economy and social systems, further highlighting inequities ingrained into the fabric of our society. While many are focused on a return to “normal,” this should serve as a time where we dismantle the policies and systems that do not serve us and pursue a new “normal” beyond COVID-19. This is the time to reflect and name how we got here, and rebuild and adopt new policies grounded in racial and gender justice. In order to build a resilient and equitable economy, we are working to put racial and gender justice front and center by:
- Researching the cascading effects of job loss on wealth and its multigenerational impact in communities of color;
- Examining how new narratives about deservedness, particularly ones built on addressing anti-blackness, should influence proposed solutions to rebuild the economy;
- Lifting up and advocating for strategies that increase worker power and dignity and broaden the definition of job quality; and
- Engaging in policy advocacy and research to end unjust government sponsored debt such as criminal legal debt and public child support system debt.
COVID-19 Fact Sheet III: Black Workers in New Orleans Face Higher Obstacles Than White Workers | August 2020
This fact sheet shows how New Orleans, a majority-Black city that was already grappling with deep-seated racial inequality, is being dramatically impacted by the global pandemic. Not only have Black people in New Orleans accounted for two-thirds of the residents who have died from the coronavirus, but, as workers, they also comprise the lion’s share of the occupations most impacted by COVID-19.
Click here to view the full fact sheet.
If Black Lives Matter, the ‘Welfare Queen’ Myth Must Go | June 2020
The “welfare queen” myth has shifted the way we see Black women, shifting perception and dehumanizing them to the point where their lives are not valued. Rather than look at the root causes of issues such as racial wealth inequality and dismal maternal mortality rates, the welfare queen stereotype shifts blame to Black women and keeps us from adopting policies that would benefit us all.
Click here to read the full piece on The Nation.
COVID-19 Fact Sheet II: Black and Brown Owned Businesses Hit Hardest By COVID-19 Pandemic | June 2020
This fact sheet shows that across the United States, businesses owned by Black, Latinx, and Asian people have closed down at an alarming rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between February and April of 2020 alone, more than 3 million small businesses closed down across the county. Businesses owned by people of color, women, and immigrants have been most severely harmed, closing down faster than the national average.
Click here to view the full fact sheet.
This fact sheet provides an analysis of a selection of jobs most likely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in California. We find that the jobs most at risk are overwhelmingly low-wage jobs held primarily by people of color, women and immigrants. As California grapples with the necessary disruption to everyday life, communities with the least amount of power are dealing with the worst economic consequences.
Click here to view the full fact sheet.
“Normal Is What Got Us Here” | May 2020
The COVID-19 crisis has exposed how racial inequities are baked into our economic and health systems, in large part due to anti-blackness. One thing is for sure, we didn’t end up here by accident. What we are witnessing today is the result of pervasive structural racism, and a worldview professing that profits are a higher priority than the actual needs of people and that government should protect markets at the expense of investment in public goods.
Click here to read the full piece on Medium.
Build Black Women’s Wealth, Heal America | April 2020
In this current moment, in which we are looking to enact near-term and sustainable solutions to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can learn how to climb out of economic catastrophe by looking at the experiences of Black women in America. The experiences of Black women provide us a birds-eye view, not only for how racial wealth inequality will widen post-pandemic, but also how difficult it will be for women and their families to recover in the months and years ahead.
Click here to read the full piece on Inkstick.
The US’s Failed Response to the Pandemic Is Rooted in Anti-Blackness | April 2020
With businesses closed and people sheltering at home, there is little doubt that we are heading for a recession — and in a worst-case scenario, a steep recession followed by a sustained depression. The good news is we don’t need to wait for Washington to make moves to protect Black and Brown communities and women who are facing higher levels of economic insecurity due to COVID-19. A lot can be done at the local and state levels, and many are stepping up to fill gaps to ensure racial and gender justice stays front and center in our response to the pandemic.
Click here to read the full piece on Truthout.
Finding Hope in Local Power: Advancing Racial, Gender, and Economic Justice in this Moment of Crisis | March 2020
With businesses closed and people sheltering at home, there is little doubt that we are heading for a recession — and in a worst-case scenario, a steep recession followed by a sustained depression. The good news is we don’t need to wait for Washington to make moves to protect Black and Brown communities and women who are facing higher levels of economic insecurity due to COVID-19. A lot can be done at the local and state levels, and many are stepping up to fill gaps to ensure racial and gender justice stays front and center in our response to the pandemic.
Click here to read the full piece on Medium.
Coronavirus Pandemic Gives Rise to Another Contagion — Xenophobia | March 2020
While issuing a proclamation of national emergency to help curb the spread of one virus, the President and other American leaders have actively promoted another contagion. Nationwide surges in anti-Asian violence are again a norm, buttressed by harmful misinformation and further legitimized by institutions and communities. Far from isolated, this new era of “yellow peril” is the latest chapter in a deep American history marked by racism and xenophobia.
Click here to read the full piece on Medium.