Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative is a national collaborative managed by the Center for Global Policy Solutions in collaboration with the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, with generous support from the Ford Foundation. The programs seeks to build awareness and support for efforts to address racial and ethnic wealth inequalities based on structural factors.

At the core of the Initiative is the Experts of Color Network (ECON), which includes over 200 of the nation’s leading Native American, Asian-American, African-American, Latino, and Native Hawaiian experts on housing, jobs, savings and investment to debt, credit, social insurance, and business development. They are scholars, advocates, community practitioners, policy analysts, researchers, private sector leaders, philanthropists, and government officials in the asset-building field.

ECON members are an active community of thought leaders and have published op-eds on racial wealth inequality in such outlets as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Hill, The Guardian, Quartz, Huffington Post, Pacific Standard, Roll Call, Al Jazeera America, TechCrunch, Talking Points Memo, American Prospect, Women’s e-News, National Journal, The Root, Jet, and Ebony, among others.

The initiative recommends that policymakers consider the following principles when developing policies, in order to create inclusive economic participation:

  • Policies must be designed to change the structures of economic opportunity.
  • Policies must help people build assets throughout their lifetime.
  • Policies must help communities build and retain wealth.
  • Policies must be both universal and targeted to America’s more vulnerable communities.

ECON members recommend a comprehensive set of policies that can close the racial wealth gap.

Webinar: Men, Women and the #RacialWealthGap

Mariko Chang and David Pate Jr. have recently discussed the economic challenges faced by men and women of color, typically caused by a system that leads to racial and gender inequality. While the gender pay gap is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, we must also look at the intersection of gender, race, and wealth to get a clear picture of how people of color are faring in today’s economy.

Annual Color of Wealth Summit

The summit engages Members of Congress, Congressional staff, the media, and the public in a dialogue about the racial wealth gap, its effect on marginalized households, its impact on the U.S. economy, and solutions for closing the gap.

2017 Future of Wealth Summit
Technology, Inclusion and Social Change

2016 Color of Wealth Summit
The Inclusion Revolution: Race, Economic Mobility, and the Future of America

2015 Color of Wealth Summit
The United States of Opportunity: Advancing a New Social Contract for a Fair and Inclusive Economy

2014 Color of Wealth Summit
Shared Prosperity for All: The Policy Imperative for Closing the Racial Wealth Gap

Publications:

Infographics:

CRWG_Infographic_FINAL  Women of color infographic   Financial emergencies infographic   Housing crisis infographic

Other Events and News

Webinar: The Importance of Financial Inclusion and Protection for Communities of Color

Webinar: The Economic Imperative to Address the Racial Wealth Gap through the Federal Budget

News

Contact Program Staff

Simona Combi, Media Relations Manager, simona@globalpolicysolutions.org