In Focus: How housing can shrink the racial wealth gap

Income inequality is deepening in America. Economic gains in recent decades have been unevenly dispersed, with the vast majority of the wealth going to those already on top. Part of that discrepancy is rooted in the inability to buy property.

Owning your own home is a key part of building wealth in the U.S., thanks to federal tax policy. But for many people of color, the door to homeownership has long been closed. In fact, Minnesota has one of the largest racial homeownership gaps in the country. Why is this, and what can be done to narrow the gap and set families of color on the road to solid housing and wealth creation?

Angela Davis hosted “In Focus: How housing can shrink the racial wealth gap,” a virtual discussion that tackles the racial wealth gap in Minnesota with panelists from across the state. Watch is a recording of the conversation on YouTube above.

Panelists: 

• Kim Smith-Moore, senior director of homeownership programs at MN Homeownership Center

• LeAnn Littlewolf, economic development director at American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO)

• Karla Benson Rutten, executive director of the Jeremiah Program’s St. Paul campus

• A wide lens: Ethnic studies in Minnesota classrooms
• Beyond the Border: The immigration crisis, up close
• Houston White’s plan to cultivate a robust Black middle class in Minneapolis