I’m the daughter of Haitian immigrants and we have this saying that you hear
and we have this saying that you hear
and we have this saying that you hear sometimes it’s feble Coolidge that
sometimes it’s feble Coolidge that
sometimes it’s feble Coolidge that beaucoup ash
beaucoup ash
beaucoup ash the literal translation is make good
the literal translation is make good
the literal translation is make good courage usually you hear it in times of
courage usually you hear it in times of
courage usually you hear it in times of mourning and in times of grief and
mourning and in times of grief and
mourning and in times of grief and occasionally you’ll hear it as a word of
occasionally you’ll hear it as a word of
occasionally you’ll hear it as a word of encouragement as you exit a conversation
encouragement as you exit a conversation
encouragement as you exit a conversation my devout Catholic mother might be
my devout Catholic mother might be
my devout Catholic mother might be embarrassed to know that it wasn’t until
embarrassed to know that it wasn’t until
embarrassed to know that it wasn’t until I was much older that I made the
I was much older that I made the
I was much older that I made the connection that this was actually
connection that this was actually
connection that this was actually shorthand for a Bible verse it’s Psalm
shorthand for a Bible verse it’s Psalm
shorthand for a Bible verse it’s Psalm 27 wait on the Lord be of good courage
27 wait on the Lord be of good courage
27 wait on the Lord be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart now
and he will strengthen thine heart now
and he will strengthen thine heart now don’t worry though I do have a little
don’t worry though I do have a little
don’t worry though I do have a little bit of Jesus in me I am NOT here to
bit of Jesus in me I am NOT here to
bit of Jesus in me I am NOT here to preach today so fear not but I did spend
preach today so fear not but I did spend
preach today so fear not but I did spend a lot of time thinking about that verse
a lot of time thinking about that verse
a lot of time thinking about that verse as I prepared for my talk here at Ted be
as I prepared for my talk here at Ted be
as I prepared for my talk here at Ted be of good courage I actually prefer the
of good courage I actually prefer the
of good courage I actually prefer the Creole version because there’s more
Creole version because there’s more
Creole version because there’s more agency in the idea of making good
agency in the idea of making good
agency in the idea of making good courage as opposed to just having it
courage as opposed to just having it
courage as opposed to just having it innately
innately
innately so why courage because we are in truly
so why courage because we are in truly
so why courage because we are in truly trying times in our nation our political
trying times in our nation our political
trying times in our nation our political climate and leadership are completely
climate and leadership are completely
climate and leadership are completely polarized poverty is increasing and
polarized poverty is increasing and
polarized poverty is increasing and everyone can feel that we are in some
everyone can feel that we are in some
everyone can feel that we are in some kind of a fight and we are we are in a
kind of a fight and we are we are in a
kind of a fight and we are we are in a battle it’s not a battle of ideas or
battle it’s not a battle of ideas or
battle it’s not a battle of ideas or some political campaign it’s a battle
some political campaign it’s a battle
some political campaign it’s a battle against ourselves the data tells us
against ourselves the data tells us
against ourselves the data tells us inequality has reached historic highs
inequality has reached historic highs
inequality has reached historic highs where 400 people have more wealth than
where 400 people have more wealth than
where 400 people have more wealth than half of the nation combined that’s a
half of the nation combined that’s a
half of the nation combined that’s a hundred and fifty five million people
hundred and fifty five million people
hundred and fifty five million people let me say that again 400 people have
let me say that again 400 people have
let me say that again 400 people have more wealth than a hundred and fifty
more wealth than a hundred and fifty
more wealth than a hundred and fifty five million people all together and I
five million people all together and I
five million people all together and I don’t even think that that is where the
don’t even think that that is where the
don’t even think that that is where the real fight is happening there’s another
real fight is happening there’s another
real fight is happening there’s another layer of wealth inequality that I want
layer of wealth inequality that I want
layer of wealth inequality that I want to talk with you about today it’s why
to talk with you about today it’s why
to talk with you about today it’s why I’m here it’s called the racial wealth
I’m here it’s called the racial wealth
I’m here it’s called the racial wealth gap the racial wealth gap is the
gap the racial wealth gap is the
gap the racial wealth gap is the difference in net worth between white
difference in net worth between white
difference in net worth between white households and households of color white
households and households of color white
households and households of color white households have 13 times the wealth of
households have 13 times the wealth of
households have 13 times the wealth of african-american households and 10 times
african-american households and 10 times
african-american households and 10 times the wealth of Latino households that
the wealth of Latino households that
the wealth of Latino households that number has been growing and growing
number has been growing and growing
number has been growing and growing exponentially since the 1980s reaches as
exponentially since the 1980s reaches as
exponentially since the 1980s reaches as far back as the data goes so we didn’t
far back as the data goes so we didn’t
far back as the data goes so we didn’t get to this glaring race disparity by
get to this glaring race disparity by
get to this glaring race disparity by accident right we have this thing in our
accident right we have this thing in our
accident right we have this thing in our country it’s called racism it’s personal
country it’s called racism it’s personal
country it’s called racism it’s personal it’s institutional and it is structural
it’s institutional and it is structural
it’s institutional and it is structural and almost all of what we do especially
and almost all of what we do especially
and almost all of what we do especially if it’s a matter of public policy has
if it’s a matter of public policy has
if it’s a matter of public policy has some kind of racial underpinning that
some kind of racial underpinning that
some kind of racial underpinning that impacts the way we write and introduce
impacts the way we write and introduce
impacts the way we write and introduce legislation all the way down to how we
legislation all the way down to how we
legislation all the way down to how we implement it at the most local level but
implement it at the most local level but
implement it at the most local level but when we think about wealth we think
when we think about wealth we think
when we think about wealth we think about it more personally we think we
about it more personally we think we
about it more personally we think we create our own wealth it’s this this
create our own wealth it’s this this
create our own wealth it’s this this bootstrap mentality that we have where
bootstrap mentality that we have where
bootstrap mentality that we have where if you’re successful it’s solely because
if you’re successful it’s solely because
if you’re successful it’s solely because of your individual efforts as opposed to
of your individual efforts as opposed to
of your individual efforts as opposed to a set of factors that came together and
a set of factors that came together and
a set of factors that came together and aided you in your pursuit of success
aided you in your pursuit of success
aided you in your pursuit of success factors like good health access to
factors like good health access to
factors like good health access to financial capital the neighborhood where
financial capital the neighborhood where
financial capital the neighborhood where you grew up
you grew up
you grew up literacy housing stability the list gets
literacy housing stability the list gets
literacy housing stability the list gets pretty long when you think about it
pretty long when you think about it
pretty long when you think about it clean water
clean water
clean water infrastructure roads could you imagine
infrastructure roads could you imagine
infrastructure roads could you imagine if every individual is building their
if every individual is building their
if every individual is building their own roads to get to where they’re going
own roads to get to where they’re going
own roads to get to where they’re going surely one couldn’t think that success
surely one couldn’t think that success
surely one couldn’t think that success can happen without some of these
can happen without some of these
can happen without some of these supports well all of the factors that I
supports well all of the factors that I
supports well all of the factors that I just listed are highly influenced by
just listed are highly influenced by
just listed are highly influenced by public policy and so is the racial
public policy and so is the racial
public policy and so is the racial wealth gap we can trace back to the
wealth gap we can trace back to the
wealth gap we can trace back to the founding of this nation and name all of
founding of this nation and name all of
founding of this nation and name all of the ways that policy has shaped who is
the ways that policy has shaped who is
the ways that policy has shaped who is allowed to build wealth we can start
allowed to build wealth we can start
allowed to build wealth we can start with slavery
with slavery
with slavery remember 400 years of forced unpaid
remember 400 years of forced unpaid
remember 400 years of forced unpaid labor forced on African Americans then
labor forced on African Americans then
labor forced on African Americans then there was Jim Crow then there was the GI
there was Jim Crow then there was the GI
there was Jim Crow then there was the GI Bill which excluded African Americans
Bill which excluded African Americans
Bill which excluded African Americans from the opportunity to pursue higher
from the opportunity to pursue higher
from the opportunity to pursue higher education and purchase a home then there
education and purchase a home then there
education and purchase a home then there was redlining the war on drugs mass
was redlining the war on drugs mass
was redlining the war on drugs mass incarceration and most recently the
incarceration and most recently the
incarceration and most recently the Great Recession which gave 750 billion
Great Recession which gave 750 billion
Great Recession which gave 750 billion dollars right back to the very banks and
dollars right back to the very banks and
dollars right back to the very banks and financial institutions that wiped out
financial institutions that wiped out
financial institutions that wiped out more than half of the wealth in black
more than half of the wealth in black
more than half of the wealth in black Latino and Asian communities wealth that
Latino and Asian communities wealth that
Latino and Asian communities wealth that took more than 40 years to build so
took more than 40 years to build so
took more than 40 years to build so that’s how we got here let’s talk about
that’s how we got here let’s talk about
that’s how we got here let’s talk about how the racial wealth gap plays out
how the racial wealth gap plays out
how the racial wealth gap plays out today have you ever had to take out a
today have you ever had to take out a
today have you ever had to take out a payday loan these are small dollar loans
payday loan these are small dollar loans
payday loan these are small dollar loans where we’ve seen interest rates upwards
where we’ve seen interest rates upwards
where we’ve seen interest rates upwards of four hundred and fifty six percent
of four hundred and fifty six percent
of four hundred and fifty six percent these loans are specifically designed to
these loans are specifically designed to
these loans are specifically designed to be unpayable companies are banking yeah
be unpayable companies are banking yeah
be unpayable companies are banking yeah get the irony there they’re banking on
get the irony there they’re banking on
get the irony there they’re banking on their customers not being able to pay
their customers not being able to pay
their customers not being able to pay these loans back on time and having to
these loans back on time and having to
these loans back on time and having to roll it over into another loan in order
roll it over into another loan in order
roll it over into another loan in order to stay afloat it is no small
to stay afloat it is no small
to stay afloat it is no small coincidence that these payday loan
coincidence that these payday loan
coincidence that these payday loan centers
centers
centers are eight times more concentrated in
are eight times more concentrated in
are eight times more concentrated in african-american and Latino
african-american and Latino
african-american and Latino neighborhoods okay
neighborhoods okay
neighborhoods okay let’s talk about student loans we are in
let’s talk about student loans we are in
let’s talk about student loans we are in a student loan crisis 1.2 trillion
a student loan crisis 1.2 trillion
a student loan crisis 1.2 trillion dollars and Counting in student loan
dollars and Counting in student loan
dollars and Counting in student loan debt we know that students of color take
debt we know that students of color take
debt we know that students of color take out more loans to cover their tuition so
out more loans to cover their tuition so
out more loans to cover their tuition so they’re paying more and interest
they’re paying more and interest
they’re paying more and interest especially if it’s a private loan and
especially if it’s a private loan and
especially if it’s a private loan and ultimately the income disparities across
ultimately the income disparities across
ultimately the income disparities across race they remain even after pursuing
race they remain even after pursuing
race they remain even after pursuing higher education and so let’s talk about
higher education and so let’s talk about
higher education and so let’s talk about our justice system and I’m gonna take a
our justice system and I’m gonna take a
our justice system and I’m gonna take a minute here because our justice system
minute here because our justice system
minute here because our justice system to me is one of the most glaring ways in
to me is one of the most glaring ways in
to me is one of the most glaring ways in which we put people of color into
which we put people of color into
which we put people of color into financial hardship court imposed fines
financial hardship court imposed fines
financial hardship court imposed fines and fees are at fifty billion dollars
and fees are at fifty billion dollars
and fees are at fifty billion dollars nationwide and that number is also
nationwide and that number is also
nationwide and that number is also growing these fees take various forms
growing these fees take various forms
growing these fees take various forms traffic tickets child support debt
traffic tickets child support debt
traffic tickets child support debt juvenile detention fees probation fees
juvenile detention fees probation fees
juvenile detention fees probation fees ankle monitoring fees loitering
ankle monitoring fees loitering
ankle monitoring fees loitering citations the list goes on and on and on
citations the list goes on and on and on
citations the list goes on and on and on in the state of California which is
in the state of California which is
in the state of California which is where I live there are over four million
where I live there are over four million
where I live there are over four million people who have had their driver’s
people who have had their driver’s
people who have had their driver’s licenses suspended because of an unpaid
licenses suspended because of an unpaid
licenses suspended because of an unpaid traffic ticket so let’s just think about
traffic ticket so let’s just think about
traffic ticket so let’s just think about this if you can’t drive you can’t get to
this if you can’t drive you can’t get to
this if you can’t drive you can’t get to work if you can’t get to work how are
work if you can’t get to work how are
work if you can’t get to work how are you supposed to pay this traffic ticket
you supposed to pay this traffic ticket
you supposed to pay this traffic ticket communities of color they are charged
communities of color they are charged
communities of color they are charged more often and they are charged larger
more often and they are charged larger
more often and they are charged larger amounts there’s a study that shows that
amounts there’s a study that shows that
amounts there’s a study that shows that in any given City the larger the
in any given City the larger the
in any given City the larger the african-american population the more
african-american population the more
african-american population the more reliant on revenue that that city is
reliant on revenue that that city is
reliant on revenue that that city is from fines and fees those of us who are
from fines and fees those of us who are
from fines and fees those of us who are working on this in the field we’ve found
working on this in the field we’ve found
working on this in the field we’ve found that in many cases
that in many cases
that in many cases more is being spent trying to collect on
more is being spent trying to collect on
more is being spent trying to collect on these fees than what’s actually taken in
these fees than what’s actually taken in
these fees than what’s actually taken in so it becomes an arbitrary process that
so it becomes an arbitrary process that
so it becomes an arbitrary process that is essentially just trying to pull blood
is essentially just trying to pull blood
is essentially just trying to pull blood from Iraq our justice system is
from Iraq our justice system is
from Iraq our justice system is funneling poor people and especially
funneling poor people and especially
funneling poor people and especially people of color in and out of courtrooms
people of color in and out of courtrooms
people of color in and out of courtrooms and prisons and it’s all for the sake of
and prisons and it’s all for the sake of
and prisons and it’s all for the sake of a financial transaction in the process
a financial transaction in the process
a financial transaction in the process we are losing so much more I always
we are losing so much more I always
we are losing so much more I always think about the fact that Eric garner he
think about the fact that Eric garner he
think about the fact that Eric garner he was stopped because he was allegedly
was stopped because he was allegedly
was stopped because he was allegedly selling loosies you know single
selling loosies you know single
selling loosies you know single cigarettes though he was a low income
cigarettes though he was a low income
cigarettes though he was a low income person literally trying to make a buck
person literally trying to make a buck
person literally trying to make a buck and he lost his life
and he lost his life
and he lost his life Alton sterling he was shot in the back
Alton sterling he was shot in the back
Alton sterling he was shot in the back by police in South Carolina his family
by police in South Carolina his family
by police in South Carolina his family says that he was running because he was
says that he was running because he was
says that he was running because he was afraid that he was going to get arrested
afraid that he was going to get arrested
afraid that he was going to get arrested because of his unpaid child support debt
because of his unpaid child support debt
because of his unpaid child support debt we have a systemic problem and it
we have a systemic problem and it
we have a systemic problem and it circles around race and wealth Brian
circles around race and wealth Brian
circles around race and wealth Brian Stevenson is a renowned attorney he
Stevenson is a renowned attorney he
Stevenson is a renowned attorney he fights against mass incarceration and he
fights against mass incarceration and he
fights against mass incarceration and he argues that the opposite of poverty is
argues that the opposite of poverty is
argues that the opposite of poverty is not wealth but rather it’s justice and
not wealth but rather it’s justice and
not wealth but rather it’s justice and while I think he’s right I mean he’s
while I think he’s right I mean he’s
while I think he’s right I mean he’s been in the game longer than I have but
been in the game longer than I have but
been in the game longer than I have but I can’t help the fact that I’m a
I can’t help the fact that I’m a
I can’t help the fact that I’m a millennial I need a more immediate
millennial I need a more immediate
millennial I need a more immediate solution something a little more
solution something a little more
solution something a little more tangible so I think of it this way
tangible so I think of it this way
tangible so I think of it this way if we had the courage to address the
if we had the courage to address the
if we had the courage to address the racial wealth gap the hoarding of
racial wealth gap the hoarding of
racial wealth gap the hoarding of resources by those at the top the
resources by those at the top the
resources by those at the top the stripping of financial resources from
stripping of financial resources from
stripping of financial resources from people of color and the constant
people of color and the constant
people of color and the constant pressing of poor people into permanent
pressing of poor people into permanent
pressing of poor people into permanent cycles of debt if we had the courage to
cycles of debt if we had the courage to
cycles of debt if we had the courage to enact the policies to address these
enact the policies to address these
enact the policies to address these issues
issues
issues we might see more justice and these
we might see more justice and these
we might see more justice and these policies that I’m talking about they
policies that I’m talking about they
policies that I’m talking about they exist already we can place an interest
exist already we can place an interest
exist already we can place an interest rate cap on predatory payday loans we
rate cap on predatory payday loans we
rate cap on predatory payday loans we can eliminate the need for student loan
can eliminate the need for student loan
can eliminate the need for student loan debt we can follow in the footsteps of
debt we can follow in the footsteps of
debt we can follow in the footsteps of the state of New York which is now
the state of New York which is now
the state of New York which is now offering free tuition to low and
offering free tuition to low and
offering free tuition to low and moderate income students there are
moderate income students there are
moderate income students there are communities that have made the decision
communities that have made the decision
communities that have made the decision to stop issuing warrants for unpaid
to stop issuing warrants for unpaid
to stop issuing warrants for unpaid fines and fees so this means that there
fines and fees so this means that there
fines and fees so this means that there isn’t someone trying to arrest you
isn’t someone trying to arrest you
isn’t someone trying to arrest you because you couldn’t afford that
because you couldn’t afford that
because you couldn’t afford that unexpected traffic ticket or last
unexpected traffic ticket or last
unexpected traffic ticket or last month’s child support bill so if we’re
month’s child support bill so if we’re
month’s child support bill so if we’re gonna be in this fight these are the
gonna be in this fight these are the
gonna be in this fight these are the right things to fight for so why don’t
right things to fight for so why don’t
right things to fight for so why don’t we I think it’s because our political
we I think it’s because our political
we I think it’s because our political system is designed in such a way that
system is designed in such a way that
system is designed in such a way that discourages courage we’ve allowed the
discourages courage we’ve allowed the
discourages courage we’ve allowed the influence of money to usurp debate
influence of money to usurp debate
influence of money to usurp debate innovation and high quality policy
innovation and high quality policy
innovation and high quality policy development not only do our leaders lack
development not only do our leaders lack
development not only do our leaders lack courage but we as a people lack the
courage but we as a people lack the
courage but we as a people lack the courage it would take to make them stand
courage it would take to make them stand
courage it would take to make them stand for something the right things we’re
for something the right things we’re
for something the right things we’re afraid to step into what it would mean
afraid to step into what it would mean
afraid to step into what it would mean to seek equity just and fair inclusion
to seek equity just and fair inclusion
to seek equity just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can
into a society in which all can
into a society in which all can participate prosper and reach their full
participate prosper and reach their full
participate prosper and reach their full potential right now right now as we
potential right now right now as we
potential right now right now as we speak our elected officials are looking
speak our elected officials are looking
speak our elected officials are looking for ways to limit voting so that they
for ways to limit voting so that they
for ways to limit voting so that they won’t ever have to be beholden to a
won’t ever have to be beholden to a
won’t ever have to be beholden to a constituency that would demand equity
constituency that would demand equity
constituency that would demand equity what cowardice now is the time now is
what cowardice now is the time now is
what cowardice now is the time now is the time for us to demand equity and
the time for us to demand equity and
the time for us to demand equity and policies that will close the racial
policies that will close the racial
policies that will close the racial wealth gap could you imagine what it
wealth gap could you imagine what it
wealth gap could you imagine what it would mean if all could participate and
would mean if all could participate and
would mean if all could participate and prosper
prosper
prosper there are a million reasons to be
there are a million reasons to be
there are a million reasons to be discouraged and like I said we’re in a
discouraged and like I said we’re in a
discouraged and like I said we’re in a battle and where there’s battle there
battle and where there’s battle there
battle and where there’s battle there will be sacrifice that can be scary for
will be sacrifice that can be scary for
will be sacrifice that can be scary for a lot of people especially when we’re
a lot of people especially when we’re
a lot of people especially when we’re talking about wealth because so many
talking about wealth because so many
talking about wealth because so many think that there’s not enough to go
think that there’s not enough to go
think that there’s not enough to go around sometimes I ask myself if I can
around sometimes I ask myself if I can
around sometimes I ask myself if I can handle it
handle it
handle it I I wonder if I’m actually ready and
I I wonder if I’m actually ready and
I I wonder if I’m actually ready and then I hear a voice inside of me and it
then I hear a voice inside of me and it
then I hear a voice inside of me and it says feble Kailash
”
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