The Systemic Inequity Collection

For decades inequality and racism were understood as moral issues often predicated on individual discriminatory acts or behaviors. Furthermore, disparities between racial groups were often thought of as failures of individuals within those populations to perform in a way that would bring about their own success. However, these concepts are now increasingly recognized as conditions born out of system-level laws, policies, practices, norms and behaviors manifesting, in part, as economic consequences that hamper growth and development of entire regions. The damage racial inequity can wreak on individual lives has long been recognized, but there is growing evidence that a region’s ability to compete and its subsequent economic prosperity is dependent upon whether or not society supports all racial and ethnic groups to achieve at their utmost potential–able to fully participate in an economy that provides fertile soil for their growth. Inspired by the inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and summer 2020’s national reckoning with long standing social justice issues, each essay in the Systemic Inequity Collection seeks to provide contextually relevant recommendations aimed at producing more equitable outcomes, broader prosperity, increased economic inclusion, and greater regional competitiveness.

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