Black History Month, LIVE from NYPL: Racism's Hidden Costs: Heather McGhee with Adam Serwer

The economic and social policy expert explains how racism impacts the health and financial well-being of all Americans—not just people of color.

Conventional wisdom in progressive economics asserts that racism accelerates inequality for communities of color. "But what if," writes Heather McGhee, "racism was driving inequality for everyone?" McGhee's speciality is the American economy—and the mystery of why it so often fails so many Americans. From the financial crisis to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure, she found a common root problem: racism. In The Sum of Us, she details racism as the common denominator of our most vexing public problems, the core dysfunction of our democracy, and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all.

McGhee discusses with The Atlantic's Adam Serwer the deeply personal journey she took, from Mississippi to California to Maine, to investigate racism's impact on our financial well-being, and to answer two simple questions: How did this happen? And is there a way out? 

LIVE from NYPL is made possible by the support of Library patrons and friends, as well as by the continuing generosity of Celeste Bartos, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos and Adam Bartos, and the Margaret and Herman Sokol Public Education Endowment Fund.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Heather McGhee is an expert in economic and social policy. The former president of the inequality-focused think tank Demos, McGhee has drafted legislation, testified before Congress, and contributed regularly to news shows including NBC's Meet the Press. She now chairs the board of Color of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization. McGhee holds a BA in American studies from Yale University and a JD from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law.

GET THE BOOK
If you have a NYPL library card—or live in New York state and want to apply for one now—you can reserve The Sum of Us in the NYPL catalog. You can request this book, and more, for pickup at one of our Grab & Go locations. 

Readers everywhere who wish to purchase copies of The Sum of Us can do so at The New York Public Library Shop. Proceeds benefit the New York Public Library. 

RECOMMENDED READING
The Hidden Wound, by Wendell Berry | NYPL Catalog: Bookshare
Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain | NYPL Catalog; Bookshare
Just Us, by Claudia Rankine | NYPL Catalog; Digital Book
Race for Profit, by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor | NYPL Catalog; Talking Book; Bookshare
Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson | NYPL Catalog; Digital and Braille books; Bookshare

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
This program will be streamed live on Zoom and simulcast to YouTube. You must register with your email address in order to receive the link to participate. Please check your email shortly before the discussion to receive the link. Captions for this event will be provided. If you miss registration, join us on YouTube to watch at 8 PM ET on Thursday, February 18th. 

Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc.) at least 24 hours before the day of the program to Sara Beth Joren at sarabethjoren@nypl.org. 

For all other questions and inquiries, please contact publicprograms@nypl.org. 
 

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