Racial Wealth Inequality and Black Asset Poverty, with Dr. Lori Latrice Martin
- S1E7
- 32:15
- August 29th 2020
Extended shown notes and a full transcript can be found here: https://antiracistvoter.com/lori-latrice-martin/
The term systemic racism is redundant. Racism is systemic. It is a multi-level, multi-dimensional system of oppression.
On average, White families have a net worth of $171,000. The average Black family’s net worth is about one tenth of that, or $17,150. White families tend to have more assets, which can unlock opportunities such as education. Generally speaking, White families have the ability to absorb a greater financial blow such as an unexpected repair bill, healthcare costs, or loss of income.
Why is that?
Dr. Lori Latrice Martin takes us through the causes of the wealth gap and the consequences of racism. Dr. Martin is professor of African and African American Studies and Sociology at Louisiana State University.
Dr. Martin has published and edited more than 20 works on racial wealth inequality, Black asset poverty, and race and sports. Her latest book, America in Denial: How Race-Fair Public Policies Reinforce Inequality in America, is scheduled for publication in May 2021 with State University of New York (SUNY) Press.
In this conversation, Dr. Martin traces wealth inequality and Black asset poverty through racist policies from the exclusion of Black people from the GI Bill, to slavery.
Learn More about Dr. Lori Latrice Martin:
Dr. Martin’s LSU profile: https://www.lsu.edu/hss/sociology/people/faculty/faculty_profiles_new_2018/martin_lori.php
Dr. Martin’s Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/dr_lori_latrice
Antiracist Voter
The murder of George Floyd created a moment of reflection and rededication to racial equality. But moments are ephemeral. Americans have a notoriously short attention span.
How do we maintain momentum so that the moment becomes a movement?
How do we translate the demands of protests into the domain of policy?
Antiracist ideas are activated in antiracist policy, especially in local elections.
We focus on criminal justice, economic justice, environmental justice, education, housing, health, immigration, and voting rights. We talk about problems, but we don’t stop there. We talk about solutions. Who is getting it right?