Race, Recession, and Recovery

The impact of the current economic downturn has had a profound effect on the U.S. and global economies. Marginalized groups, including people of color, immigrants, women, and rural residents, have borne the brunt of the devastation. Sessions that engage this theme will document the disparate racial and ethnic burden of the recession and benefits of the ongoing recovery; outline the ways that the downturn has created both crisis and opportunity in such areas as education, health, employment and housing; and point to the kinds of institutional and policy reforms needed to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits and burdens in the future. The conference will address the following questions through panels, workshops, plenary sessions, and trainings.

1. In what ways has the national and global economic downturn created crisis and/or opportunity for marginalized communities in such areas as education, health, employment and housing?
2. How can we effectively measure the racial impacts of the ongoing recession?
3. How can programs be designed and structured to help those most in need? Broadly how can we make sure the needs of the most marginalized Americans are addressed?
4. What kinds of innovative institutional and policy reforms are needed to ensure a more equitable distribution of benefits and burdens in the future?
5. What kinds of advocacy strategies are needed to effectively push those reforms?
6. How can we effectively measure the racial impacts of recovery programs?
7. How has the way race is realized in the US created our current economic state?