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John,
It’s clear we live in a time of heightened racism when people are experiencing trauma and hurt from both the past and present. At Prosperity Now, we know racial healing is at the heart of racial equity. Black History Month is a time to stand together as a community to heal the hurts of yesterday and today, and to make progress toward a future that is equitable for all.
As we look ahead, we want to hear from you. How does Black History Month motivate you to fight for a future that is just, fair, and free from structural racism?
Are you motivated by an event that sparked a movement? Or an inspiring historic figure who opened doors for others … like A. Philip Randolph, a Labor Unionist and Civil Rights Activist who organized the brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first successful Black led labor union ... or Maggie Lena Walker, the first Black woman in the United States to charter a bank, whose leadership offered tangible improvements in the way of life for people of color and women?
Or perhaps you’re motivated by the progress that made it possible for your family to buy the home they dreamed of or that paved the way for your parents to get into the university of their choosing? Tell us what Black History Month evokes for you.
For Black History Month, I’m reflecting on how the bravery of Black activists and community groups demanding justice today mirrors the courage of those who protested against racist economic policies in the 1930s whose efforts ultimately led to the Civil Rights Movement. Today, financial systems designed to exclude people of color have left America with a racial wealth gap in which White families have 13 times the net worth of Black families.
Building a just and fair economy is the unfinished work of the Civil Rights Movement.
We believe we can transform our economy and we won’t stop until our economy works for everyone – including Black communities and people of color who have been excluded by design for centuries.
It’s time to challenge policies and institutions that perpetuate economic inequality. It's time to close the racial wealth gap by increasing access to economic opportunities and resources, such as furthered education, housing and, small business loans.
That means even low- to middle-income and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) households could save for the future, and college is possible for their children. Entrepreneurs of color would have access to resources that help grow businesses, and money would stay in the households and communities where people live and work.
Let’s do this work together. Let’s start now.
In solidarity,
Gary Cunningham
President & CEO
Prosperity Now
