Voting restrictions, medical treatment, and housing inequality are just a few issues adversely hurting Black Americans. According to Axios, the 46th edition of the National Urban League’s “State of Black America” report strives to show voter suppression, and growing income inequality will “precipitate the collapse of democracy in the U.S.”
The 2022 edition of the report highlights that while Black people have made economic and health gains, they’ve slipped further behind White people in education, social justice, and civic engagement. The 2022 Equality Index shows Black people still get only 73.9 percent of the American share of wealth White people enjoy. The collected data precedes the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Democracy is under siege, and there’s a plot to destroy American Democracy,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial said prior to the release of the report, which states:
• The median household income for Black people is at $43,862, which is 37 percent less than that of White people, at $69,823.
• Life expectancy has declined slightly for African-Americans, so a Black child born today can expect to live to 74.7.
• Schools with more minority students are more likely to have inexperienced, less trained, and even uncertified teachers. Fewer of these students are enrolled in STEM classes.
The report also highlights election misinformation spread during the 2020 election, which has restricted voting access in districts with large populations of Black Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Statistics from the Brennan Center for Justice are used to show the disparity.
To combat the growing voter disparity movement, the National Urban League urges the Black electorate to review registration status; understand your state’s voter ID laws; know where to vote; make a plan to vote; and vote in every election.
Visit soba.iamempowered.com/2022report.
