Black voters’ economic Concerns take center stage in new agenda

In a recent initiative, the Black to the Future Action Fund has unveiled the Black Economic Agenda, a comprehensive policy roadmap designed to address the economic priorities of Black communities across the United States. This agenda, rooted in the findings of the Black Census Project—the largest survey of Black Americans in U.S. history—provides a data-driven blueprint for policymakers and candidates to tackle persistent economic disparities. You can learn more about the Black Economic Agenda by reading the full report via the website.

The Black Census Project gathered input from over 200,000 respondents nationwide, revealing that economic issues are at the forefront of Black communities’ concerns. Out of 17 critical problems identified in the survey, six were economic, with four ranking in the top tier of concerns: low wages, schools failing to prepare Black children adequately, lack of affordable housing, and lack of affordable healthcare.

“The Black Economic Agenda was created for us, by us, to enact a future of economic justice for Black communities all across America,” said Kristin Powell, Principal of Black to the Future Action Fund and Black Futures Lab. “Black voters are the undeniable bedrock of our nation’s democracy, but lawmakers consistently fall short of fully delivering for our communities.”

The agenda outlines several key policy areas for lawmakers and candidates to prioritize:

1. Wages and Worker Protections: Raising the minimum wage to at least $17 per hour with annual increases tied to inflation, strengthening workplace protections, and expanding paid family and medical leave programs.

2. Housing: Widening homeownership options, modernizing zoning laws to increase affordable housing supply, and strengthening tenant protections.

3. Healthcare: Expanding Medicaid coverage in non-expansion states and providing additional state-funded subsidies to make health insurance more affordable.

4. Childcare: Increasing wages for childcare workers, consolidating childcare services, and subsidizing payments for trusted adults providing care.

5. Higher Education: Implement state programs to reduce student loan debt, make two-year community colleges tuition-free, and increase investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

6. Taxes and Budgets: Reforming state income tax codes to be more progressive, expanding state-level tax credits, increasing budget transparency, creating “baby bond” programs, and piloting guaranteed basic income initiatives.

The agenda is grounded in compelling data highlighting economic disparities facing Black Americans. Nearly 50% of Black workers earn less than $15 per hour, compared to 26% of white workers. The Black homeownership rate of 44% lags far behind the white rate of 74%. In healthcare, 10.6% of Black Americans lack health insurance, versus 6.3% of white Americans. These disparities extend to education, where Black students graduate with an average of $25,000 more in student loan debt than white graduates.

Crucially, the Black Economic Agenda emphasizes that these disparities are not the result of individual failings but stem from longstanding structural barriers and discriminatory policies. “The wealth gap is the direct result of policies that have limited Black people to low- or no-wage jobs, barred us from owning property, and excluded us from participating in government programs designed to boost the middle class,” the agenda states. This historical context is vital for understanding the persistent nature of economic inequality and the need for targeted policy solutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these disparities, with white households now holding nearly eight times the median wealth of Black families—a gap that widened during the crisis.

Despite these challenges, Black communities demonstrate high levels of political engagement. The Black Census found that 81% of respondents voted in the 2022 midterm elections, 62% consistently voted in state elections, and 57% regularly participated in local elections. This high civic participation often ensures victory for elected officials and policymakers.

However, a stark disconnect remains between this engagement and policy outcomes. As the agenda notes, “Black communities work hard for democracy, but too often, democracy does not work hard for us. Both policy and politics in America are skewed toward the needs of white suburban voters.”

This disconnect underscores the importance of the Black Economic Agenda as a tool for policymakers and advocates alike. For elected officials and candidates, it provides a blueprint for developing policies that directly address the economic concerns of Black constituents. For advocacy groups, it offers extensive data and policy recommendations to build campaigns and hold policymakers accountable.

“When Black Census participants were asked about the most important problems facing Black communities, economic issues rose to the top,” Powell emphasized. “The Black Economic Agenda can and must be used by policymakers and candidates to deliver real results for us.”

As the nation grapples with persistent economic inequality, the Black Economic Agenda offers a community-informed roadmap for creating more equitable economic policies. By centering the voices and priorities of Black Americans, it challenges policymakers and candidates to develop targeted solutions that can help close racial gaps in economic opportunity and security.

The Black to the Future Action Fund plans to leverage the agenda to engage over 250,000 Black voters in key states before upcoming elections, ensuring that these economic priorities remain at the forefront of political discourse. As the agenda makes clear, addressing these longstanding disparities is not just an economic imperative but a democratic one—essential for building a more just and equitable society for all Americans.