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In the United States, class has been racialized. A greater
percentage of people of color are adversely affected by
the rules of the economy. Yet racism keeps people whose
economic self-interest is similar from uniting to change
the conditions.
Some people are surprised to learn that African American,
Latino (Hispanic), and Native American people rates of
poverty and unemployment more than double white Americans'
rates. Other people are surprised to learn that most poor
people are white. We all need to broaden our understanding
of how race, class, and gender oppressions are linked.
In order to deal effectively with classism we need to
deal with racism and sexism. And in order to deal effectively
with racism or sexism, we need to deal with class.
Bill Fletcher, president of TransAfrica and former union
leader, writes, "Class is the faultline of US society,
and race is the trip wire." He advocates a "rainbow populist" movement, in which people of every race organize together
for economic uplift for all.
Our vision of a United States without racism should not
be that the income distribution for people of color parallels
that for white Americans. Even the inequality among white
Americans is more widely skewed than the distribution in
most other industrialized countries. Our vision is a fairer
economy without extremes of wealth and poverty, where everyone
gets a fair chance at developing their talents and becoming
prosperous.
Only by uprooting racism and sexism, as well
as class oppression, will this vision be reached for
everyone.
The Class and Race Intersections Program advances research and education on how race and class intersect. Through Class Action’s work, the voices and experiences of the people most affected by issues of racism and classism will move more into the public eye. Through focus groups and one-on-one interviews, we are collecting data about the lived experiences of people of color across the class spectrum, as well as low-income white people.
Rhonda Soto is our Race/Class Intersections Program Coordinator. If you'd like to contact her you can email her or call 413.585.9709 ext.206
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