Greater Birmingham, AL, has experienced a resurgence in economic growth and civic engagement. Yet the benefits of this prosperity are not widely shared.
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Economic Justice
Combating inequality means both lifting up and building power at the bottom, and breaking up concentration of wealth and power at the top. That’s why we work at the intersection of economic and racial justice through projects designed to build leadership and self-empowerment of black workers, immigrant workers, and low-wage workers, youth and families affected by incarceration, along with projects aiming to reverse the rules that criminalize poor people of color, and projects fighting to ensure that the wealthy and Wall Street corporations pay their fair share of taxes.
Latest Work
NEW REPORT: “Homecoming: The Greater Birmingham Community Speaks on Regional Cooperation and a More Inclusive Economy”
The Institute for Policy Studies and Alabama Arise’s professional study findings expose the critical issues that impact Greater Birmingham residents — and the solutions they want to see.
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How Low-Income Voters Shaped the Midterm Elections
Americans across the spectrum voted to raise wages, expand health care, and protect abortion rights. These issues have a common thread.
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Inequality-Fighting Ballot Initiatives Win Big
Voters approved proposals to tax the rich, build worker power, and make housing and education more affordable.
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Do the Forbes Philanthropy Scores Give Foundation Donors Too Much Credit?
The giving estimates behind the scores include some outlays from private foundations that shouldn’t actually count as charitable giving.
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This Year, Voters Made an End Run Around Out of Touch Politicians
Citizen-led initiatives scored big wins in the midterms. But now this form of direct democracy is under attack.
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Rebekah Entralgo Fernandez on MeansTV on Ballot Initiatives on Election Night
Rebekah Entralgo Fernandez speaks with MeansTV about key ballot initiatives during election night coverage.
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These midterm elections have enormous stakes for poor and low-income Americans
Our country faces a material and moral crisis – and Republicans are offering only resentment and false solutions.
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Why Do Billionaires So Love Owning Newspapers?
You never know when an editorial can come in handy. Just ask Jeff Bezos.
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What’s driving the gap between the richest and poorest Americans
Yahoo Finance quoted Sarah Anderson on CEO pay and Chuck Collins on billionaire wealth and cited IPS findings as part of examining income inequality.
Read moreIPS Projects
Reports
Report: “Extreme Wealth: The growing number of people with extreme wealth and what an annual wealth tax could raise”
An annual wealth tax on the world’s richest could raise $1.7 trillion globally.
REPORT: Homecoming: The Greater Birmingham Community Speaks on Regional Cooperation and a More Inclusive Economy
Greater Birmingham, AL, has experienced a resurgence in economic growth and civic engagement. Yet the benefits of this prosperity are not widely shared.
IPS Brief: Mining Companies Use Trade Agreements to Attack Indigenous Rights in Colombia and Beyond
With our allies, we’ve prepared a legal brief to support the Wayúu people’s rights to water, health, and food sovereignty in Colombia.
Report: Gilded Giving 2022
Our nation’s charitable system is in danger of becoming a taxpayer-subsidized platform of private power for the ultra-wealthy.