Why has it always been damn near impossible for Black Americans to make ends meet - let alone build wealth? Join us with Mehrsa Baradaran, law professor and a leading expert on the racial wealth gap. She speaks the truth and helps us bust the myths we’ve all been fed about race, money, and the American Dream. Mehrsa also has an innovative plan to bridge the gap real fast!

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Guest: Mehrsa Baradaran

Mehrsa Baradaran is a professor at UC Irvine Law School and a leading expert on the racial wealth gap. Her award-winning book The Color of Money is the definitive work on the subject. Mehrsa’s proposed “Homestead Act for the 21st Century” lays out a bold plan to redress hundreds of years of racial discrimination and enable Black Americans to fully participate in the American Dream of homeownership.

Highlights of Episode:

[1:53] Racial wealth gap explained

[4:46] Origin and expansion of the wealth gap

[15:11] Role of U.S. government in vicious cycle of discrimination against Black people

[18:35] Myths about causes of the wealth gap

[22:06] Real reasons for the gap

[23:40] Mehrsa’s Homestead Act for the 21st Century

[30:01] How reparations will uplift everyone

[33:48] Ideas for making reparations personal


Mehrsa’s plan for reparations: A Homestead Act for the 21st Century

Books by Mehrsa Baradaran:

• The Color of Money
• How the Other Half Banks

Mehrsa’s video testimony to the California Reparations Task Force (10/13/21)

More on "redlining":

• Redlining maps for all U.S. cities
• More on the U.S. government’s role in redlining

Contact Tony & Adam

Transcript of this episode

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