Economic Justice

catherine lizette gonzalez  Jun 7, 2018 3:19PM EDT

REPORT: Ben Carson's Plan to Raise Rent Hurts Poor Families of Color

Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson says he wants to raise rents for people living in poverty to push them into jobs. But a new report says his plan would force millions into homelessness.
A person rests their head on their cross arms with San Juan and the water in the background.
catherine lizette gonzalez  May 31, 2018 5:48PM EDT

Author Q&A: Understanding Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis Through Marx, Monsters and a Queer Decolonial Lens

Colorlines talks to Philadelphia poet laureate Raquel Salas Rivera about their new book, “lo terciario/the tertiary,” which revisits Karl Marx’s “Capital” to examine Puerto Rico’s debt crisis from a queer decolonial lens.
Sign reads "Employment Services"
Kenrya Rankin  May 17, 2018 4:26PM EDT

STUDY: Black Unemployment Rate is Double White Rate in 14 States, D.C.

A new study from the Economic Policy Institute makes it clear that while unemployment rates may be trending downward, they are still indicative of a wide gulf between the unemployment rates for Black and White workers.
People outside, standing in grass, holding white, black and red sign that reads, "Somebody's hurting our people, we won't be silent anymore."
Kenrya Rankin  May 14, 2018 4:36PM EDT

Poor People's Campaign Launches With March on Capitol Hill

The campaign’s list of demands directly address the issues of systemic racism and economic inequality.
A black incarcerated person makes a phone call at a reintegration center as he faces a wall painted in monochrome blue and white with the American flag at the top
catherine lizette gonzalez  May 11, 2018 2:10PM EDT

Why Reentry Is Incredibly Hard for Formerly Incarcerated Black and Latinx People

Colorlines talks to Bruce Western, author of  “Homeward: Life in the Year After Incarceration,” which follows the journeys of 100+ formerly incarcerated people as they navigate the challenges of racial, health and socioeconomic inequity.
Kenrya Rankin  May 7, 2018 4:35PM EDT

National Black Mama's Bail Out Seeks to Reunite Families for Mother's Day

“We are committed to building a community-based movement to end pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration.”
Dallas, Texas, skyline
Kenrya Rankin  Apr 26, 2018 5:23PM EDT

STUDY: The Most—and Least—Inclusive Cities in the Nation

See how your city stacks up.
Someone holds sign on back of their head that reads, "WWW not $$$"
Erin Shields, Lucia Martinez  Apr 11, 2018 4:41PM EDT

Broadcasting Hate: How Trump Used the FCC to Punish the Poor [OP-ED]

Erin Shields of Center for Media Justice and Lucia Martinez of Free Press break down what they call the Trump administration’s “war on the poor.”
Police officer in uniform walks down street wtih boarded up house.
Kenrya Rankin  Apr 11, 2018 10:30AM EDT

READ: How America Criminalizes Impoverished People of Color

The New Republic breaks down how policy and practice punish the least resourced among us.
Two police officers walking towards a public housing apartment complex
catherine lizette gonzalez  Apr 9, 2018 2:13PM EDT

STUDY: Women of Color Living in Poverty Face Highest Risk of Eviction

A new report from Eviction Lab explores who is experiencing housing insecurity in the United States.
Walmart store sign; white font on beige concrete with a yellow asterik
catherine lizette gonzalez  Mar 27, 2018 3:30PM EDT

Dozens of Hate-Fueled Attacks Against People of Color Reported at Walmart Stores Nationwide

Univision tracks several racist incidents at the country’s largest private sector employer of African-American and Latinx workers.
Black and white photo of a young Black boy
Kenrya Rankin  Mar 19, 2018 5:59PM EDT

5 Key Takeaways From That New Report on the Wealth of Black Men

“Black boys fare worse than White boys in 99 percent of America.”
Protesters in clean rain ponchos. Shirts say, "I believe that we will win."
Kenrya Rankin  Mar 5, 2018 5:17PM EST

Do We Need An Economic Bill of Rights?

The American Prospect says yes: “Today, we must transcend the racial, ethnic and regional divisions by building universal policies that are cognizant of identities and intersectionality, and inclusive of race, gender, nationality, sexuality and ability.”
A cyclist passes the El Segundo Power Plant on November 29, 2006 in El Segundo, California.
Ayana Byrd  Feb 23, 2018 12:17PM EST

EPA Report Proves That Black Communities More Likely to Breathe Toxic Air

People of color have a 35 percent higher chance of living near emission polluting facilities than their White counterparts—and the number is higher for Black residents.
Civil debt imprisonment
Alfonso Serrano  Feb 22, 2018 1:12PM EST

U.S. Courts Imprison Thousands For Unpaid Debts

A new report says the practice—which violates due process laws—disproportionately impacts communities of color.
White semi truck with orange lettering that reads, "New York Food Bank" on city street
Kenrya Rankin  Feb 20, 2018 5:39PM EST

New Journal Reimagines Approach to Eradicating Poverty

The proposed policies could help lift 23.3 million people of color out of poverty.
Wide angle shot of colorful produce stocked in a grocery store.
catherine lizette gonzalez  Feb 14, 2018 5:58PM EST

Trump Administration Wants to Replace SNAP Benefits With Boxes of Canned Goods

The proposed 2019 budget would cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by $213 billion over the next 10 years.
Black man in brown suit and white shirt sits in front of green grass
Sameer Rao  Feb 5, 2018 12:30PM EST

Dodge Faces Backlash for Using Anti-Capitalist Martin Luther King Jr. Sermon in Super Bowl Ad

The truck commercial uses part of King’s “The Drum Major Instinct” sermon—conveniently omitting the part where he denounces advertising as part of an oppressive economic system.
Cannabis arrests
Alfonso Serrano  Jan 23, 2018 1:18PM EST

REPORT: Racial Disparities Persist Despite Marijuana Legalization Measures

Despite widespread succes of state-level legalization laws, Black and Latinx people remain disproportionate victims of racial profiling and over policing.
Pencils
Kenrya Rankin  Jan 11, 2018 5:36PM EST

REPORT: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Challenges Congress to Tackle Inequity in America's Schools

“School finance inequity is a standard feature of American public schooling and low-income students and students of color disproportionately live its consequences.”