I’m currently taking a sociology class called “Perspectives on Inequality” and the first major issue we’ve addressed is the current state of income inequality in the United States. The U.S. is the most wealth-unequal country in the world and it’s an issue that’s getting worse over time. For instance, incomes of the bottom 90% of Americans grew only $59 (adjusted for inflation) from 1966 to 2011, while incomes for the top 10% rose by $116,071 (more stats can be found here). It’s also no secret that income inequality — while a serious issue for American society at large — is also undeniably gendered.
Luckily, there are some people out there trying to address this problem: like William Bynum and the HOPE Credit Union, which “empowers communities with member-owned financial cooperatives that help people start businesses, educate their children, buy homes and support their families.” This 2-minute film says its all.