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Friend,

A massive employment, wage and wealth divide between black and white Americans is not only persisting but also, in some cases, getting worse.

These are not accidents of history, but rather the result of historic and ongoing discrimination that have blocked African Americans ([link removed]) from fully sharing in the benefits of the U.S. economy. Black unemployment is consistently double the white jobless rate, in recessions and recoveries, while the homeownership gap between blacks and whites, which can be directly traced to violently racist policies in the 1940s and 50s and continues through subprime predatory lending, is a fundamental impediment to wealth accumulation for this large swath of Americans, and is widening further.

For over ten years, EPI has dedicated research and resources to understand and address the primary causes of the racial gap in employment, wages and wealth in this country—and importantly, develop solutions to actively address the problem.

EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE) is proud to have hired economist Jhacova Williams ([link removed]) in our effort to provide lawmakers and activists with the research and policy analysis needed to confront and actively address racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination in our economy.

At a time when we have racist policies and rhetoric coming out of the White House, it’s critical that we have a full, dedicated team at EPI prepared to respond with real facts and real solutions to our country’s growing problems.

Invest in EPI and the critical research that we’re bringing to our movement for progressive economic change that lifts up everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. ([link removed])

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Addressing the problems of persistent racial inequality in this country requires a clear understanding of history and its connection to present day realities. The ability to translate that understanding into sound and compelling research that helps others to see those connections is one of many valuable skills that Jhacova Williams brings to EPI.

Williams comes to EPI from Clemson University, where she was an assistant professor of economics. Her research, including groundbreaking work on the effect of historical lynchings on modern black voting behavior and the influence of racial animus, as measured by the number of streets named after Confederate generals, on local black-white labor market differentials, focuses on the impact of historical events on contemporary economic outcomes and political behavior of southern blacks.

Williams brings an interest in cultural economics and political economy to EPI to build on PREE’s foundation and ensure racial and ethnic minorities participate fully in the American economy and benefit equitably from gains in prosperity.

As a complement to the team’s expansion, PREE is co-hosting a monthly workshop series designed to cultivate more constructive and informed engagement on issues related to racial and economic justice among Washington, DC-based policy analysts, advocates and researchers.

Additionally, EPI board member, Julianne Malveaux, ([link removed]) president Emerita of the HBCU Bennett College, testified this summer before the House Judiciary Committee ([link removed]) on the prospect of reparations for African-Americans, alongside Senator Corey Booker, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and actor Danny Glover.

At EPI, our mission is to ensure that the voices of working people are always represented at the policy table. For too long, these policies and the economic gains of working families have largely excluded African Americans.

It’s up to us to fight for a just and equitable economy that includes everyone. Donate to EPI today. ([link removed])

Thank you,

Valerie Wilson
Director, Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy
DONATE TO PREE ([link removed])

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