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January 2023

Advancing Workforce Equity in Miami: A Blueprint for Action

Overview

South Florida’s economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has been turbulent, driven by persistent barriers to quality employment prospects for residents of color and an elevated risk of automation-driven job displacement. This report—produced in partnership with Florida International University and Lightcast, with support from JPMorgan Chase—examines the economic costs of these upheavals and ongoing racial economic exclusion in the Miami metropolitan region. Our in-depth analysis of disaggregated equity indicators and labor market dynamics found that Black workers and Hispanic women have the lowest median wages at $16 per hour, while white men earn the highest median wages at $27 per hour—a 69 percent pay gap. The research also indicates that eliminating racial gaps in wages and employment for working-age people could boost the region's economy by $122 billion a year. The report concludes with several strategies to advance workforce equity in South Florida and to ensure that all workers, including those who face the additional burdens of systemic racism, are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow with the skills, supports, and access they need to fully participate and thrive in the economy. Download the report.

The Atlas Team Has Grown!

Dear Atlas users,

In this season of gratitude and giving, we want to thank you for supporting the National Equity Atlas and our work. We’re gearing up to release updated data and new research that help further advance racial and economic equity. To increase our capacity and better support the leaders and communities we partner with, we’ve expanded our team. Here is more on this exciting news and other updates:

Atlas Team Members Who Joined in 2022 (from top left to bottom right): Alex Balcazar, Bita Minaravesh, Gabriel Charles Tyler, Jennifer Tran, Ryan Fukumori, Seleeke Flingai, Simone Robbennolt, and Vanessa Garcia.

You might have already noticed, but there have been many new members added to the Atlas team this year. Please help us in officially welcoming them: Alex Balcazar, Bita Minaravesh, Gabriel Charles Tyler, Jennifer Tran, Ryan Fukumori, Seleeke Flingai, Simone Robbennolt, and Vanessa Garcia. We’re thrilled to have these eight amazing leaders support and boost our change-making work!

ICYMI: A Blueprint for Workforce Equity in Metro Detroit

The latest report in our Advancing Workforce Equity project spells out how long-standing racial gaps in income and employment have impacted Metro Detroit’s workforce and economy: People of color make up a large share of the region’s workforce. Despite this growth and the increasing economic prosperity in the region, Black and Latinx workers in particular aren’t benefiting equitably. Our research also shows that eliminating these racial gaps would provide the region with an estimated $28 billion in economic activity per year. The report and its findings have been covered in Crain’s Detroit Business, Axios Detroit, and Bridge Michigan.

New State Profiles Illuminate the Stark Racial Disparities in Eviction across the Nation

Eviction cases are rising across the United States as Covid-era renter protections continue to end, putting millions of people at-risk of experiencing homelessness. The Eviction Research Network — a collaborative research project for social good based at UC Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project — has released several state profiles that illustrate eviction patterns and disparities before and during the pandemic. The analyses underscore the persistence of racial disparities in eviction, with Black renters consistently facing the greatest threat of eviction in localities across the nation. Thus far, maps and profiles have been released for Delaware, Indiana, Minnesota, and Oregon.

Do You Have an Atlas Story to Share?

If you’ve found any of our data, research, or resources valuable, we want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and stories with us at info@nationalequityatlas.org.

- The National Equity Atlas Team at PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute (ERI)

November 2022

Waterloop Podcast: Turning polls into policy

April 2025

Water Affordability for All Fact Sheet

Overview

Everyone should have safe and affordable water. Yet, across the United States, communities face mounting threats to their water security due to contamination, flooding, sea-level rise, and drought, leading to rising costs in water and wastewater service. No family in the U.S. should have to choose between paying for their water or paying for other essential needs, like food or heat. This fact sheet explains the U.S. water affordability crisis, the current state of federal action, and recommendations for a renewed national commitment to safe, affordable water.

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