It was an honor to testify today before the Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, a House Committee focused on tackling perhaps the most salient and pressing problems facing many Americans today, and particularly BIPOC communities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought issues surrounding equitable growth to the forefront of our national discourse, but the reality is that there are many barriers to equitable growth that existed far before the start of the current public health crisis.
For far too long, Black and Indigenous people and other people of color have been denied access to certain neighborhoods and housing through redlining, deed covenants and racialized zoning.
I learned this firsthand growing up in South Los Angeles and spoke to Congress about it today. My parents took part in the Great Migration. Moving from rural Texas to California in pursuit of the American Dream. Growing up, I was bused 45 minutes from our home in South Los Angeles to a predominantly white school in West Los Angeles for a better education. Every day, I was exposed to two communities divided by race, wealth and opportunity but also by housing quality, property values and private investment.
Even after federal policy interventions like the 1968 Fair Housing Act, the legacies of the past continue to put BIPOC communities at a disadvantage. Where a person lives has profound implications on education, health, life-time earnings, and even life expectancy. It is absolutely vital to recognize the importance of safe, stable and affordable housing for families and communities. But in order to move forward, we must also understand and undo the historic policies that have prevented so many families from accessing it.
It takes bold action to address long-standing economic and racial disparities and promote economic growth so that everyone, in every community, can thrive. I am proud of the groundbreaking work Enterprise has done to combat the effects of these disparities, but we still have a long way to go to create a society and economy that works for all.
It is clear that systemic change is needed. This is why I recommended that the Committee focus on strengthening federal tenant protections through policies like source of income protections, providing appropriations support for renters receiving federal housing subsidies, including the expanded use of vouchers and Earned Income Disregard, and increasing funding for the Family Self-Sufficiency program. In addition, there should be a focus on supporting community ownership models as a way to grow intergenerational wealth in historically marginalized communities.
We have a long road ahead, but I’m encouraged by the steps taken every day by our staff, our many partners and leaders in the communities we serve to right the wrongs of the past and create equitable opportunities in the future. I am grateful to sit in a seat that allows me to support and uplift those most impacted by historic inequalities. Onward!
