Hidden Truths

Listen to Anne Price and Shawn Fremstad discuss economic exclusion and recently proposed changes to “public charge” regulation that, if implemented, would block citizenship for immigrants drawing on public assistance programs. Anne Price, President of the Insight Center, welcomed Shawn Fremstad on the podcast to discuss the history and continued harmful impacts of economic exclusion for immigrants in America.   Shawn is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is also a senior research associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a Ford Foundation public voices fellow, and a consultant on policy issues to various national nonprofits. He is an expert on poverty, family, and economic security. Under the Trump administration there has been a rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy, and in recent days the American public has seen horrible images of migrants running from tear gas near the U.S.-Mexico border as a consequence of such actions. However, there is another issue that has not received as much attention in the public discourse — the administration’s proposed changes to “public charge” regulation, which would, in effect, block citizenship for poor immigrants and punish those who draw on public assistance programs. In addition to spotlighting the impact this policy change could have on immigrant families, their communities, and our country at large, Shawn also provided updates on the latest developments regarding the Farm Bill, work requirements, and TANF reauthorization. Before Trump’s “public charge” rule can be finalized, the administration is required by law to review and respond to every unique public comment they receive about the proposed regulation. Shawn encouraged listeners to submit their public comments by Monday, December 10. Click here to submit your comment to stop Trump’s cruel attack on immigrant families. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. Resources: * Shawn Fremstad, “Trump’s ‘Public Charge’ Rule Would Radically Change Legal Immigration” * Shawn Fremstad, “4 Progressive Policies that Make Families Stronger” * Protecting Immigrant Families: https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/ To learn more about Shawn’s work, please visiting the Center for American Progress website and follow him on Twitter @inclusionist.

Listen to Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Brandon Greene and Noe Gudiño discuss the impacts of administrative criminal justice fees and fines on formerly incarcerated individuals as they try to move on with their lives after serving time. Brandon Greene is a Staff Attorney and Clinical Supervisor of Clean Slate Practice at East Bay Community Legal Center. Noe Gudiño is the 2018 Elder Freeman Policy Fellow at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and a junior transfer student at Cal State University East Bay where he started Level 5, a campus organization servicing formerly incarcerated students. Brandon and Noe joined the podcast to discuss the impacts of administrative criminal justice fees and fines on formerly incarcerated individuals as they try to move on with their lives after serving time. Ahead of the Alameda Board of Supervisors’ upcoming vote on whether to eliminate these fines and fees, Brandon shared highlights from the East Bay Community Legal Center’s recently released report, “Pay or Prey,” which details the social and economic harms caused by these administrative fees specifically for people of color in Alameda County. Noe discussed his current work with Debt Free Justice California, a statewide coalition, and shared their recent survey results showing the staggering amounts of debt and far-reaching consequences stemming from these often exorbitant fees and fine. If you or someone you know would like to complete the Debt Free Justice California survey, please contact Noe here. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. Resources: “Pay or Prey” | East Bay Community Legal Center Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department | 2015 Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee Meeting Presentations | September 13, 2018 To learn about Brandon Greene, please visit ebclc.org and follow him on Twitter @brandonlgreene. And be sure to learn about Noe’s work at prisonerswithchildren.org.

Listen to Anne Price, Dr. David Pate Jr and Jacquelyn L. Boggess discuss the harms of economic and social welfare policies on families, specifically the impact of child support debt. Dr. David Pate Jr is the Chair and Associate Professor at the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Jacquelyn L. Boggess is a policy analyst and the Executive Director of the Center for Family Policy and Practice (CFFPP). Combined, the two have decades of research and a wealth of knowledge on low income African-American men, fatherhood and child support debt. Dr. Pate shared his research on how black men are affected by the social welfare system and the challenges that impede their ability to attain economic security. Jacquelyn explained her take on the current state of the social safety net and how her experiences in and out of the courtroom have shaped her work. Stay tuned for a new groundbreaking tool, which will launch in a few weeks, to better evaluate fair child support rates for families in Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Wisconsin. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. Resources: “This Labor Day, We’re Investing in the Work of Black Women,” Aisha Nyandoro on Medium “A New Basic Income Pilot in Mississippi, feat. Aisha Nyandoro,” The New Basic Income Podcast “A basic income pilot in Mississippi will provide 15 black mothers with $1000 for free every month, and it could lead to a much bigger experiment,” Peter Kotecki on Business Insider To learn about Dr. David Pate Jr by visiting uwm.edu/socialwelfare and following him on Twitter @DavidJPate. And be sure to learn about Jacquie’s work at CFFPP.org and follow her at @Jacboggess.

Listen to Anne Price and Dr. Lori Pfingst discuss how the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is addressing poverty through an equity lens, using the power of data, storytelling and building authentic community relationships. Dr. Lori Pfingst is a skilled writer, speaker, and storyteller who uses the power of data paired with community voice to foster systems-level change for children and families throughout the state of Washington. She currently serves as the Chief of Programs and Policy for the Economic Services Administration in the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Anne Price, President of Insight, welcomed Lori on the podcast to discuss her work in addressing poverty through the social safety net. Over the course of her career, Lori has focused on the issues of poverty reduction, income inequality, and tax policy through a racial and gender lens. Lori notes that there is growing momentum and commitment to equity in tackling poverty. She finds that, “once you see how structural inequities undermine people of color, women and low income families, you can’t unsee it. When we reach critical mass of people that have that understanding, structural change is possible.” More recently, she has conducted several listening sessions around the state to build authentic relationships with underserved groups. She has heard first-hand the challenges people face and how the current economic system is rooted in racial and gendered narratives that ultimately hold back families from getting the resources they deserve. She noted that for Native communities for example, historical trauma, healing, and resilience were identified as major tenets of repairing the tremendous harms inflicted on Native families. “These sessions really show the hunger of the people of Washington who want to share their stories and want to be heard to improve not just their lives, but all of the lives of the people we serve,” said Lori. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn about the poverty reduction work Lori describes in the podcast, please click here.

Listen to Anne Price and Alan Aja discuss potential solutions to the crisis in Puerto Rico, racism among the Latinx community, and a sneak peek at a new collaboration coming this fall. Alan A. Aja is an associate professor and deputy chairperson for the Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies at Brooklyn College. He is the author of numerous publications focused on inter-group disparities, economic stratification, public policy, collective action, and sustainability. Alan has focused much of his work on the exclusionary practices affecting Latinx communities (in specific Afro-Latinxs in relation to white/white-passing Latinxs) to better understand the nuances of this very diverse population. Anne Price, President of Insight, welcomed Alan on the podcast to discuss his book Miami’s Forgotten Cubans, the current state of Puerto Rico, and the history of racialized treatment of the Latinx community in the United States. Alan described the current crisis in Puerto Rico as a moral fail by design. He pointed to evidence that shows poorer neighborhoods made up of Black and Latinx residents are most often neglected in natural disasters. He shared this truth, and more historical examples, demonstrating that these populations continue to face open racialized treatment in our country. Alan stressed that the U.S. has consistently exploited Puerto Rico through resource extraction, military interests, environmental contamination, and other actions. Considering the ongoing crisis, he proposed a recovery plan tied to a Job Guarantee as a solution for transitioning the territory to sustainable energy and economic development and to strengthen the overall health and well-being of the Puerto Rican population. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Alan’s work,  explore his faculty profile at Brooklyn College or follow him on Twitter, @AlanAAja1. Resources Mentioned: Alan Aja, Miami’s Forgotten Cubans: Race, Racialization and the Local Afro-Cuban Experience Alan Aja and Reynaldo Ortiz-Minaya, “Jim Crow FEMA: How Trump’s Disastrous Hurricane María Response Highlights U.S. Debt Owed to Puerto Rico”  S.2165 – Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017 Yarimar Bonilla, “The psychological toll of natural disasters — and how mainland Puerto Ricans are coping” Raúl Carrillo, Jillian Hernandez and Alan Aja, “The Immorality of Trump’s Border Wall, Explained”  William Darity Jr., Darrick Hamilton, Mark Paul,

 Listen to Dorian Warren, Anne Price, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, and Shawn Sebastian discuss how to reframe the conversation around racial wealth inequity to support both incremental and transformative policy change.  Racial wealth inequity is a deeply entrenched problem that remains poorly addressed by conventional public policy and poorly served by many of the mainstream narratives around it. Inequities that should and could be dismantled are thus reinforced. How can we change the conversation to lay the groundwork for advancing equity? And how can we come together to foster alignment and the necessary power for realizing that change? To explore these questions, the Insight Center partnered with Prosperity Now to host a virtual conversation, Getting Real About Racial Wealth Inequities Part 2: Changing the Narrative and Building Power, a follow-up to our first discussion in this series. Dorian Warren, President of the Center for Community Change Action, Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and Co-chair for the Economic Security Project, led a virtual exchange with: * Anne Price, President of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development; * Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Senior Fellow for the Racial Wealth Divide Initiative at Prosperity Now; and * Shawn Sebastian, Director of the Fed-Up Campaign, Center for Popular Democracy. The panel discussed how widely held beliefs on solutions to racial wealth inequity are damaging and false, and how institutions like the Federal Reserve continue to shape policy around harmful narratives of Black and Brown people. The panel identified important counter-narratives and strategies for advancing racial equity, and discussed different approaches to advocacy and policy change, from the incremental to the transformative.  Watch the full discussion using the media player above, or listen to the podcast by using the audio player below or by visiting the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes or Android. Additional Resources What We Got Wrong About Closing the Racial Wealth Gap, Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity and the Insight Center Rewrite the Rules, Roosevelt Institute Bloomberg Businessweek’s Racist Cover Also Gets the Housing Crisis Backwards, City Lab This Is America, Childish Gambino

Listen to Jhumpa Bhattacharya and Andrea Flynn discuss the systemic barriers that hold back women, particularly women of color, and the need for far-reaching policy change. Andrea Flynn is a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, where she researches and writes about issues that impact women and families. She explores connections between reproductive healthcare and poverty, state-level restrictions to family planning and abortion, inequality and maternal mortality, and various economic policies that impact the economic security of women and families. Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Insight’s Director of Racial Equity and Strategy, welcomed Andrea on the podcast to discuss her new collaborative report, “Justice Doesn’t Just Trickle Down: How Racialized and Gendered Rules Are Holding Women Back.” The report sheds light on the fact that for women – particularly women of color – health, safety and economic security are inextricably linked. Using an intersectionality framework, the report illustrates the vast web of racialized and gendered “rules” in the U.S. that lead to inequitable opportunities and outcomes for women of color. Andrea discussed how tinkering around the edges with small policy changes, while important, may not effectively facilitate widespread change for women of color due to the way racism and sexism are “baked in” to our social and economic systems. Andrea also talked about the need to create programs for marginalized communities that would account for the legacy of racial exclusion and disparities and foster opportunities that would indeed trickle up and benefit a much broader set of Americans. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Andrea’s work, please visit rooseveltinstitute.org/andrea-flynn. Resources Mentioned: The Hidden Rules of Race: Barriers to an Inclusive Economy MS. Foundation Restaurant Opportunities Center All Above All Mississippi Low Income Child Care Coalition Vogue | “Serena Williams on Motherhood, Marriage, and Making her Comeback” Black Mamas Matter Alliance

Listen to Anne Price, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, and Dorian Warren discuss the realities, myths, and narratives behind racial wealth inequities, and next steps for fostering racial economic justice and equity. Persistent racial wealth inequity in the U.S. stems from a legacy of deep-rooted, systemic racial and economic injustice. Policy decisions – both intentional and careless – have not only systematically excluded people of color from economic opportunity but have extracted wealth from families and communities over many generations. Addressing racial wealth stratification has been a key focus of work in the economic security field for more than a decade. Where are we in efforts to tackle racial wealth inequities, and what are our next steps for securing policies that foster equity and opportunity for all? To explore these issues, the Insight Center partnered with Prosperity Now to host a virtual conversation, Getting Real About Racial Wealth Inequities: Reflections & Next Steps. Dorian Warren, President of the Center for Community Change Action, Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and Co-chair for the Economic Security Project, led a virtual exchange with: * Anne Price, President of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development; and * Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Senior Fellow for the Racial Wealth Divide Initiative at Prosperity Now. The panel discussed the latest research on racial wealth inequities, reflected on past and current efforts in the field, identified strategies and pathways for advancing racial wealth equity, and more. Watch the full discussion using the media player above, or listen to the podcast by using the audio player below or by visiting the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes or Android.     You can follow and add to this conversation on Twitter by using the hashtags #GettingRealAboutRace and #RacialWealthGap and be sure to tag us at @InsightCCED and @prosperitynow. Additional Resources “Where We Went Wrong with the Racial Wealth Gap,” by Anne Price The Color of Wealth:The Story Behind the U.S. Racial Wealth Divide, by Meizhu Lui, Bárbara Robles, Betsy Leondar-Wright, Rose Brewer, and 

Listen to Anne Price and Juliana Bidadanure discuss Universal Basic Income, unfair social stigmas, and their impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals in need. Juliana Bidadanure is an Assistant Professor in Political Philosophy at Stanford University. She is also the Research Director of the Basic Income Lab (BIL) at Stanford’s Center for Ethics in Society. Juliana joined Insight President Anne Price to discuss her work on basic income, a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without a means-test or work requirement. Originally from France, Juliana shared the different social perceptions between recipients of cash benefits in Europe and those who receive them in the U.S. She also discussed the narrative around deservingness and how race, gender, and age all play a role in how society stigmatizes those who need a helping hand. She has focused her work on the economic inequalities between generations and the question of what it means to treat young people as equals. Juliana also described the mission at the Stanford BIL and how her class opens this conversation to all voices who are ready to shape the debate, as well as those who are not yet visible in the conversation. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Juliana’s work, please visit her personal website and the Stanford Basic Income Lab website. Stay tuned as her book, “Justice Across Ages: An Essay on What It Means for Young and Old to Be Equal,” will be published in 2019. Resources Mentioned: * Video: Ai-jen Poo wants to change the game for home care workers * Philosopher, Karl Widerquist: “Freedom as the power to say no” * Oxfam International report: “World’s richest 1% grabbed 82% of all wealth created in 2017”

Listen to Anne Price and Jhumpa Bhattacharya reflect on the year’s challenges and accomplishments, and look ahead to the work to be done in 2018. Anne Price, President of the Insight Center, and Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Director of Racial Equity and Strategy, joined each other on the podcast to reflect on the trials and accomplishments of 2017 and share their hopes for the Insight Center’s work to foster racial and economic justice in the year ahead. Anne and Jhumpa discussed the major themes that emerged from their collaborative efforts this year, including the heightened importance of Insight’s work in today’s political climate in which issues of race and identity are shaping politics, government and public policy. In this context, the duo discussed the importance of keeping the topic of race at the forefront of their ongoing work, stressing the need for more research, conversations, and insights to expose and explore the economic security injustices that people, particularly people of color, are currently up against. Anne and Jhumpa also discussed how they will be expanding their knowledge to build on historical references to shape public thinking and inspire action to ensure that people and communities become and remain economically secure. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. Resources Mentioned: “The Hidden Truth about Funding Black Led Organizations” Medium, Anne Price, published on April 3, 2017 “Grassroots Organizing vs. Research: A False Dichotomy in Philanthropy” Medium, Anne Price, published on September 29, 2017 “Where We Went Wrong with the Racial Wealth Gap” Medium, Anne Price, published on June 2, 2017 Darrick Hamilton, Economist and Associate Professor at The New School Listen to Episode 5 of Hidden Truths featuring Darrick Hamilton Universal Basic Income Returning to the Promise of Full Employment: A Federal Job Guarantee in the United States, published on June 2017 Self-Sufficiency Standard Tool for California The Recession Generation, the Racial Wealth Gap, and Restoring American Prosperity: A Visionary Agenda, published on March 2011

Listen to Anne Price and Gabriela Sandoval discuss utility shutoffs, unfair billing practices, and their impact on the health and wellbeing of California families and communities. Gabriela Sandoval is the Research Director for the End Shutoffs Campaign, a project at TURN – The Utility Reform Network that seeks to address the health and housing impacts of utility shutoffs. TURN is a consumer protection organization that advocates for affordable, environmentally responsible, and quality utility services for California families and communities, particularly those struggling to make ends meet. Gabriela joined Insight President Anne Price to discuss her work to develop a better understanding of where and why utility shutoffs occur, how shutoffs impact the health and wellbeing of families and communities, and how to prevent them. Gabriela discussed the causes and impacts of the growing number of utility shutoffs in California, her organization’s ongoing work to identify and map the communities most affected by shutoffs, and the different types of unfair billing practices that can harm consumers. Gabriela also discussed the need to give greater attention to the structural causes behind shutoffs in the public conversation, and she shared tips for energy conservation, protection against unjust billing practices, and how consumers can speak out and get involved to create a more equitable and accessible utility market. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Gabriela’s work and the mission of TURN, visit turn.org.

Listen to Jhumpa Bhattacharya and Sandhya Anantharaman discuss the history, promise, and ongoing debate around Universal Basic Income as a policy solution for economic and racial inequity. Sandhya Anantharaman is a Co-Director of the Universal Income Project, a California-based advocacy organization working to educate, build support, and organize around Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a “radically common-sense” policy solution for economic and social inequity. Sandhya joined Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Director of Racial Equity and Strategy, on the podcast for an in-depth discussion of UBI, including its history, potential, and the many questions and misconceptions surrounding current debates of this progressive policy proposal. In describing the transformative potential of UBI, Sandhya discussed case studies of UBI and similar cash transfer programs, including the pending UBI pilot in Stockton; the role of UBI in complementing the existing social safety net; and the need to shift the national discussion of UBI away from issues of technology and automation to focus on economic and racial equity. Sandhya, who is also the Data Scientist at the national, racial justice organization Color of Change, also spoke about the need to complement the “incredibly clear” data behind basic income with more trust-building stories of how it can radically change lives, and society, through its testament to the “unconditional value” of each and every person. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Sandhya Anantharaman and her work at the Universal Income Project, visit universalincome.org, and follow her on Twitter and Medium.

Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Director of Racial Equity and Strategy, welcomed both Dr. Zoe Spencer and Anthony Jackson on the podcast to further discuss their ideas and research presented at the Association of Black Sociologists (ABS) Conference in Montréal, Quebec.

  Listen to Jhumpa Bhattacharya and Ellen Wu discuss intersections of race, nation, and policy-making as they examine Asian American history and the creation of the model minority stereotype. A self-described “Asian American history detective,” Dr. Ellen Wu is an associate professor of history and director of the Asian American Studies program at Indiana University, Bloomington. Jhumpa Bhattacharya, Director of Racial Equity and Strategy, welcomed Ellen on the podcast to discuss her groundbreaking research on 20th century Asian American history, which she approaches with a critical eye on race, immigration, citizenship, and policy-making. Ellen’s first book, The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority, details the sociopolitical context for the stark transformation of Asian American stereotypes in 20th century America, when fears of the “yellow peril” gave way to an embrace of the “model minority.” In exploring the intricate tensions and contradictions of this history, Jhumpa and Ellen discussed how politics, race relations, and other factors informed the development of the “model minority” myth, and they considered its ongoing implications for racial equity and opportunity in the U.S. They also looked ahead to Ellen’s next project, a “sort of sequel” to The Color of Success that will provide a critical history of race-making, policy-making, and migration in the U.S. since the 1960s. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about Dr. Ellen Wu’s research, view her faculty profile and follow her on Twitter.  

  Listen to Anne Price and Aurora Martin discuss PopUp Justice, a community building and social innovation collaborative with branches in social justice, technology, art, and popular culture. Aurora Martin, former Executive Director of Columbia Legal Services in Washington State and an inaugural 2017 American Bar Association Innovation Fellow, recently left a long career working for justice in legal aid to launch a new social innovation startup that sits at the intersection of technology, art, justice, and popular culture. Aurora joined Insight Center President Anne Price to discuss this new venture, PopUp Justice, which offers a bold, creative vision of social justice and innovation grounded in community, culture, and technology. Reflecting on her professional and personal experiences from nearly two decades in the legal aid field, Aurora discussed the motivations behind PopUp Justice, the power and potential of digital technology and social collaboration, and the need to re-envision justice as a community-centered experience shaped by culture and communication, not just the inner workings of the legal system. “Having worked for justice as part of a statewide legal aid program for many years, I realized I wanted to imagine justice differently – beyond the courtrooms, beyond the halls of power, and into the communities we serve,” said Aurora. She also described her work on the Rural American Digital (RAD) Lab, an initiative of PopUp Justice, Heritage University, and Whitman College that seeks to harness digital tools and innovations to invest in rural communities, amplify hidden voices and talent, and spark a shift in our national dialogue. To listen to the full discussion, use the audio player above or subscribe to the Hidden Truths podcast on iTunes. To learn more about PopUp Justice, connect with Aurora Martin on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook, and stay tuned for the launch of her new website: popupjustice.org.