Center for American Progress

The Financial Health of Families of Color Is Integral to a Strong Middle Class
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The Financial Health of Families of Color Is Integral to a Strong Middle Class

Jamal Hagler argues that higher wages and affordable housing access will provide increased opportunities for communities of color to join the middle class.

The middle class, the backbone of America, is in jeopardy. Rising costs, flat wages, and a weak labor market have made it nearly impossible for middle class families to live the “American Dream”. This is especially true for communities of color, who have traditionally faced a myriad of obstacles—including lower wages, higher unemployment, and unequal access to homeownership—to join the middle class. In Georgia, a state where people of color represent a large portion of the population these issues are of particular concern. A recent report by the Center for American Progress details the troubling reality of middle-class families in the U.S., including families of color, and goes in-depth about how a strong middle class is essential to our economy, and given the shifting demographics, people of color need ladders to access it.

The above excerpt was originally published in emPower. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Jamal Hagler

Research Assistant