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

How Wealth Inequality Distorts Philanthropy

Inequality is making charity increasingly reliant on the rich. Here’s why wealthy people dominating philanthropy a problem and what we can do about it.

Gilded Giving 2020: How Wealth Inequality Distorts Philanthropy and Imperils Democracy

How Wealth Inequality Distorts Philanthropy and Imperils Democracy

Would the U.S. Have COVID Under Control If We Hadn’t Overinvested in the Pentagon?

The pandemic has exposed the inadequacies of America’s healthcare system. For proof, look no further than its failure to protect its citizens from COVID-19.

Decriminalize Fare Evasion

You don’t go to jail for missing a highway toll. It shouldn’t be any different for fare evasion on public transportation.

Can Corporations Walk the Walk on Racial Justice?

Many companies are tweeting about their commitment to racial equity, but not practicing it in their own staffing.

Need Money for a Green New Deal? Get It From ICE.

With the money we spend on ICE and CBP, we could solar power nearly 35 million homes.

USPS Needs Financial Aid to Continue Providing Essential Services

Despite a boom in package deliveries, USPS is facing insolvency due to crisis-related drops in mail revenue and increased costs.

Ten Better Uses for Ten Percent of the Pentagon Budget

Military spending is at historically high levels, and increasing under Trump. A ten percent cut is an overdue correction to the bloated Pentagon budget.

Cut the Pentagon 10 Percent, Invest in Public Health

Tanks and ships can’t save us from our greatest dangers, so let’s pay for the things that can.

Now Is the Time for Free College

With youth unemployment and student debt skyrocketing, young people need free higher education.

Black Worker Initiative

Criminalization of Race and Poverty

Drug Policy

Global Economy

Inequality.org

Program on Inequality and the Common Good

National Priorities Project

Economic Hardship Reporting Project

Reports

Billionaire Wealth vs. Community Health

Bianca Agustin, Chuck Collins, Jonathan Heller, Sara Myklebust, Omar Ocampo | November 18, 2020

'Billionaire Wealth vs. Community Health' report urges Delinquent Dozen companies to protect workers from exploitative owners and executives.

How U.S. Trade Policy Failed Workers — And How to Fix It

Sarah Anderson, John Cavanagh, Kevin Gallagher, Manuel Perez-Rocha, Sandra Polaski, Rebecca Ray | September 16, 2020

Now more than ever, we need a new trade policy to support an economic recovery from the pandemic and to start building an economy that works for everyone.

Reimagining School Safety

Cecelia Scheuer, Uma Nagarajan-Swenson, Karen Dolan, Lindsay Koshgarian | September 9, 2020

A look at the dangers posed to students by law enforcement and how to invest in real school safety for our nation’s children.

Mining Injustice Through International Arbitration

Jen Moore, Ellen Moore, Luis Solano | August 24, 2020

Across the Global South, international mining companies use disturbing tactics to forcibly open mining operations against the wills of local communities.

Gilded Giving 2020 report cover 950x1237

Gilded Giving 2020: How Wealth Inequality Distorts Philanthropy and Imperils Democracy

Chuck Collins, Helen Flannery | July 28, 2020

How Wealth Inequality Distorts Philanthropy and Imperils Democracy

White Supremacy is the Preexisting Condition: Eight Solutions to Ensure Economic Recovery Reduces the Racial Wealth Divide

Chuck Collins, Dedrick Asante-Muhammed, Omar Ocampo, Darrick Hamilton | June 19, 2020

Eight Solutions to Ensure Economic Recovery Reduces the Racial Wealth Divide.

Black Immigrant Domestic Workers in the Time of COVID-19

Marc Bayard, Kimberly Freeman Brown | June 16, 2020

Black immigrant domestic workers are at the epicenter of three converging storms—the pandemic, the resulting economic depression, and structural racism.

Report: Billionaire Bonanza 2020

Chuck Collins, Omar Ocampo, Sophia Paslaski | April 23, 2020

Billionaire wealth has grown astoundingly over the last few decades — and, for some “pandemic profiteers,” even more dramatically since the COVID-19 crisis.