Mike Green Profile picture
Consultant/Cultural Economic Strategist/Speaker/Author. Co-facilitator: "Common Ground Conversations on Race in America." https://t.co/UZ3r1TI1yH

Mar 4, 2020, 18 tweets

There's been a lot of talk about the boost @JoeBiden received from @WhipClyburn in #SouthCarolinaPrimary that propelled him into a strong #SuperTuesday w/endorsements from @PeteButtigieg @amyklobuchar & @BetoORourke. But I haven't heard ANY talk about these deep issues. 1/16.

In every city the Most Vulnerable Population (MVP) students are served by the WORST schools. This is a 20th century segregationist relic that undermines the education of America's black and Hispanic youth, whose talents and skills we need to bolster US competitiveness. 2/16

I've heard a lot about the great economy and lowest unemployment rate in history. Trump & GOP have one talking point when it comes to black voters: take a look at that low unemployment rate. Do you like that? I'd like to discuss it within context and reveal the full truth. 3/16

The Dems have talked a lot about ensuring all Americans have a living wage. I like that kind of talk. But when put in context, we must incorporate the history that got us to this point. That history is rooted in racial hierarchy that established giant gaps in incomes. 4/16

Dems are missing a big picture that both Bernie and Elizabeth have touched upon. I haven't heard Biden speak yet about his plan to address the horrific gap in the median net worth between black and white Americans. The wealth gap isn't going to close itself. What's the plan? 5/16

A racial wealth gap in US has existed since 1868, when black people (both free blacks & American Descendants of Slaves) were extended citizenship into a former whites-only US citizenry via 14th amend. Freedmen's Bureau attempted economic empowerment but was killed in 1872. 6/16

In America, the key to equitable ownership of a share of the American Dream of prosperity starts w/land & homeownership. White America has intentionally hoarded the land & kept black Americans chasing the homeownership dream for generations. Now our rate is at historic low. 7/16

Which of the Dem candidates has a detailed plan for exponentially increasing the rate of homeownership for black Americans? Have any unfolded those plans while speaking in our churches and at HBCUs? Anybody expose the banks, yet? Do any CEDS plans target such goals? 8/16

Ownership is key to building wealth in America. And aside from homeownership, business ownership is a major wealth-generating opportunity. Black Americans have always been innovative entrepreneurs but much of black wealth was destroyed by white terrorism. Reparations anyone? 9/16

Owning a business is a high-risk challenge. Growing that business into an employer firm is lauded across the private sector. There's a ton of talk in white America about job creation and business productivity. Not so much about scaling up productivity of black businesses. 10/16

How much more could we grow US economy by prioritizing scaling productivity of black & Hispanic businesses & hiring more employees & bolstering regional economic competitiveness? Isn't scaling productivity of black & Hispanic populations (42% of US by 2045) advisable? 11/16

The US is the world's wealthiest nation. But let's be honest. From WWII to today, white America ensured the talent inherent in black & brown America was segregated, marginalized & economically starved (economic sanctions = tool of war). Now, America NEEDS us to contribute. 12/16

Creativity & innovation isn't germane to any false notion of race (societal construct based on valuing/devaluing people by skin color/bloodline). America is a multicultural society filled w/innovative talent in all pops. Let's cultivate our Most Vulnerable Pops (MVP). 13/16

We know that public funds invested into research and commercialization of ideas has worked for the past 60+ years in developing tech-innovation ecosystems like Silicon Valley & Boston et al. We can invest in HBCUs NOW to scale up innovation in an existing infrastructure. 14/16

Too much focus solely on jobs, as though I can pass my job to my kids. Building wealth in US requires OWNERSHIP of land & resources. White America once knew that. They took that WEALTH from the rightful owners & REDISTRIBUTED it freely to whites. Let's fix that. Got plans? 15/16

This election is an opportunity for America to revisit 1968, when Trump was actively engaged in discriminating practices that #MLK sacrificed his life protesting. For an Inclusive America to live, white supremacy must die. White male supremacy is the enemy we must defeat. 16/16

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