Urban Wire

It’s Time to Declare Racism a Public Health Issue

There's no single way to heal the trauma caused by centuries of a systemically racist society. But declaring racism a public health issue is an important step.

Race and Ethnicity

There’s Been a Concerning Lack of Progress for Communities of Color During the COVID-19 Crisis

Four indicators show the stark inequities of the COVID-19 recession.

Masked restaurant employee cleans tables

Race and Ethnicity

Latinx Essential Workers Are the Backbone of Our Economy. How Can We Ensure They Aren’t Forgotten during Its Recovery?

Latinxs are nearly 20 percent of the US population, making them increasingly consequential to the labor market.

Volunteers pack groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Race and Ethnicity

Economic Hardships from COVID-19 Are Hitting Black and Latinx People Hardest. Here Are Five Actions Local Leaders Can Take

It’s not enough to put “universal” remedies in place and assume the hardest-hit groups will benefit fully.

A woman is waiting for unemployment benefits

Race and Ethnicity

Black and Hispanic People See Biggest Potential Poverty Reduction from Select HEROES Act Policies

Absent new legislation, more than one in five Black and Hispanic people are at risk of being in poverty later this year.

A “redlining” map of Richmond, Virginia, from 1937 produced by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation used to appraise home values and neighborhoods.

Race and Ethnicity

Racial Inequities Will Grow Unless We Consciously Work to Eliminate Them

To lessen and reverse the pandemic's effects on Black families' income and wealth, consciously consider the persistent effects of the country’s legacy of human trafficking, bondage, and disadvantage.

Jessica Armijo distributes food and packages of donated goods to people in need outside the Pan Y Cafe in Chelsea, Massachusetts on April 14, 2020.

Race and Ethnicity

The COVID-19 Crisis Continues to Have Uneven Economic Impact by Race and Ethnicity

Tracking which households are most affected could assist policymakers in targeting their efforts and ensuring an equitable recovery for all.

Race and Ethnicity

Reimagining an Antiracist America—Starting with Our Neighborhoods

Communities need to dismantle exclusionary barriers and rebalance spending to invest more equitably across neighborhoods.

Race and Ethnicity

Latinx Unemployment Is Highest of All Racial and Ethnic Groups for the First Time on Record

Understanding the disproportionate unemployment risk facing Latinx people can inform strategies to help workers hit hardest by the COVID-19 employment crisis.

Race and Ethnicity

How COVID-19 Is Affecting Black and Latino Families’ Employment and Financial Well-Being

To help them through the current crisis, immediate efforts to increase access to jobs and prevent unsustainable increases in debt will be particularly beneficial.