Listen to Angela Hanks, Janelle Jones, Anne Price, and Jhumpa Bhattacharya break down dominant economic myths and narratives while discussing pathways to a more equitable, inclusive economy.

To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on Apple Podcasts. 

Read the transcript here or download as PDF. 

To learn more about the work of Angela Hanks and Janelle Jones, visit groundworkcollaborative.org.

“We’ve been living through this lie and seeing how it has not delivered for the majority of people in this country.”

Free markets. Meritocracy. Personal responsibility. These prevailing conservative economic narratives have influenced public policy and perceptions for decades, with profound outcomes for our economy—now marked by record income inequality—and society.

How can we push back against dominant economic narratives and practices that leave so many people out? And how can we chart a path toward a more inclusive economy that works for everyone?

Angela Hanks and Janelle Jones, both of the Groundwork Collaborative, joined Anne Price and Jhumpa Bhattacharya on the podcast to dig in on these questions and more.

Angela Hanks is the Deputy Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative and a regular contributor to Forbes.com. She previously held roles at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the Center for American Progress (CAP), and she served as a counsel on Congressman Elijah E. Cummings’ (D-MD) legislative staff.

Janelle Jones is the Managing Director for Policy and Research at the Groundwork Collaborative. Previously, Janelle was a researcher at the Economic Policy Institute, the Center for Economic Policy Research, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Her research has been cited in The New Yorker, The Economist, Harper’s, The Washington Post, The Review of Black Political Economy, and other publications.

Angela and Janelle joined Anne and Jhumpa to discuss their efforts to advance a cross-cutting economic narrative for the progressive movement, centered around the idea that “We are the economy.”

Breaking down the faults and falsehoods of mainstream economic narratives, Angela and Janelle discuss the work and value of seeding a new economic vision that puts people over profits, centers women of color and other historically marginalized groups, and integrates more diverse voices as experts, agents, and stakeholders.