State of the Dream Reports
Looking for reports from previous years?
State of the Dream 2010: Drained
Jobless and Foreclosed in Communities of Color
State of the Dream 2010: Drained explores the current racial economic divide in the U.S. in terms of unemployment, income, poverty, net worth, and rate of foreclosures.
In Drained, we discuss the shortcomings of "colorblind," broad-spectrum policies, and the urgent need for targeted policies geared toward lifting up the communities in most need. We highlight this policy approach as key to narrowing the gaping racial income and wealth divides, and to rebuilding the economy as a whole.
SEE KEY FACTS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
The authors of State of the Dream 2010 are:
- Ajamu Dillahunt, UFE Board Member
- Brian Miller, Executive Director, UFE
- Mike Prokosch, UFE Board Member
- Jeannette Huezo, Education Coordinator, UFE
- Dedrick Muhammad, Senior Organizer & Research Associate, Institute for Policy Studies
READ THE REPORT IN ENGLISH (PDF 2.2MB)
READ THE REPORT IN SPANISH (PDF 2.5MB)
State of the Dream 2009: The Silent Depression
In our 2009 report for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we found that people of color are experiencing a silent economic depression. It’s silent because it’s going unnoticed, unacknowledged and unaddressed
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and yet the evidence is striking.
While the general population has been in recession for one year, people of color have been in recession for five years. By definition, a long-term recession is a depression.
We detail additional evidence that shows the current racial economic inequity, including poverty rates, wealth and assets and economic mobility. While racial barriers did not prevent an African-American from becoming President, they continue to impede many people of color from achieving the same economic success as their white counterparts.
Read the report in English (PDF 6.6MB)
Read the report in Spanish (PDF 7.73MB)
Watch a video of co-author, Dedrick Muhammad, as he discusses The Silent Depression on Democracy Now!
Foreclosed: State of the Dream 2008
This 2008 report examines the racial bias of the subprime mortgage lending crisis, and the devastating wealth loss to people of color that has resulted.
We estimate the total loss of wealth for people of color to be between $164 billion and $213 billion for subprime loans taken during the past eight years.
Just as many policies in the past and today have supported asset development for the wealthy. Today, we need policies to support those injured by the subprime crisis , and must recognize that broad racial and economic inequalities need to be addressed for the success of any policy solutions to the subprime crisis.
Read the report in English (PDF 586KB)
Read the report in Spanish (PDF 1.4MB)
Watch a video of co-author, Amaad Rivera, as he discusses Foreclosed on C-SPAN's Washington Journal.
Read reports from earlier years:
State of the Dream 2007: Voting Blue...Staying in the Red (PDF 744KB)
State of the Dream 2006: Stalling the Dream: Cars, Race & Hurricane Evacuation (PDF 1.9MB)
State of the Dream 2005: Disowned in the Ownership Society (PDF 158KB)
State of the Dream 2004: Enduring Disparities in Black and White (PDF 111KB)