middle class

I was reading a recent article from John Gray of The Observer, a UK publication, whose title/subtitle read: "A shattering moment in America's fall from power: The global financial crisis will see the US falter in the same way the Soviet Union did when the Berlin Wall came down. The era of American dominance is over" In the article, Gray takes note of the “interaction of debt and war” in determining the future of an empire, and cites the British and Soviet Union empires as historical examples. Nevertheless, I must ask, weren’t there Americans who realized that the fall of the United States as a world empire was already taking place before the crash of Wall Street?

In my current fellowship placement at The Greenlining Institute, a multi-ethnic public policy and research advocacy organization, we address systemic inequities. The Green Assets/Sustainable Development Program for example, looks at low-income populations and communities of color accessibility to a world that is increasingly “going green.” This team looks at corporate responsibility and government regulation since history shows that corporations have maintained unsustainable energy practices that have disproportionately affected low-income people of color. For example, the expansion of the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California , contributed to high rates of neurodegenerative diseases and asthma in its population, 49.8% of which is African American. The Higher Education Team looks at predatory lending to and credit card debt among college students, and how California is able to continue expanding its prison system while decreasing financial aid and raising college tuition. Our Media Academy takes a critical look at mainstream media and how certain news make headlines while other issues that matter to our community go unnoticed. Thus, the Academy serves to take back media and feature stories that matter to Greenlining, our Coalition, and the communities we serve. As part of the Bridges to Health Team, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I look at language and cultural competency in telemedicine, or, the use of technology in accessing health services. Some of my other colleagues are looking at diversity in the University of California’s medical schools, or lack thereof, and how this contributes to a health workforce that is unable to provide quality care to the diverse communities of California.

But, the Founding Fathers have shown when they split from the English King, you can only maintain your power and suppress your people for so long until the pedestal is pulled from your feet. In our situation, America can only intoxicate, lock up, and keep its citizens from being viable contributors society vis-à-vis having access to a decent education and being competitive in the job market, for so long until it too, must face the karma of injustice and meet its end.

So what do we now?

As my time at Greenlining has reaffirmed, maybe we can start by not obsessing over our stock options and instead, begin to invest in people.

The Obama campaign just released a new two minute ad responding to the crisis. Still nothing in it specifically addressing the economic concerns of young people, but I do dig the language about helping the middle class. I think it does a pretty good job of framing Republican economic policies as anti-middle class.