Privileges & Power: The Quaddrupling Wealth Gap Between African-Americans and Whites

Sat, 22 May 2010 10:52:00 GMT

On May 17, 2010, the Heller School of Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University released a study, "The Racial Gap Increases Fourfold", indicating the wealth gap between African-Americans and Anglo Americans has quadrupled since the mid-1980s. Thomas Shapiro, Director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) and co-author of the study claimed, "Even when African-Americans do everything right -- get an education and work hard at well-paying jobs -- they cannot achieve the wealth of their white peers in the workforce, and that translates into very different life chances." For some of us who labor in the field and strive to close the gap and provide equal opportunities this study’s findings are very problematic. Why does this wealth gap not only persist; but continues to grow even wider? Where is the prophetic voice of the church whose direct charge from Jesus himself is to care for the very least (Matt: 25-35-40)? Why are skill building programs such as Entrenuity, designed to systematically combat these very challenges for youth by teaching entrepreneurship and financially literacy, yet are often ignored for recreational youth programs that have not dented the continual cycles of poverty? These are extremely challenging times and schisms and gaps are only increasing as evidenced by the study. What are the solutions?

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Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:20:00 GMT

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Wealth Matters

Privileges & Power: The Quaddrupling Wealth Gap Between African-Americans and Whites

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