Research Roundup: Racial Inequality Still Drives Economic Suffering

New reports highlight how racial inequality still drives economic suffering in black and latino communities:

• Weathering the Storm: Black Men in the Recession - This Center for American Progress report finds that African-American men are experiencing a particularly alarming level of job loss, emphasizing why racial equity and equal opportunity needs to be at the forefront of any economic recovery and job creation plans.  Key policies needed include toughening anti-discrimination laws, modernizing unemployment insurance systems, strengthening the freedom to form unions, improving education and "green job" opportunities in low-income communities, and comprehensive re-entry services for ex-offenders.
• Predatory Profiling - Payday lenders in California locate overwhelmingly in African-American and Latino areas, draining $247 million out of those communities, according to this Center for Responsible Lending report.  Even when controlling for income and other factors, predatory lenders are still half as likely to locate in white neighborhoods-- emphasizing why policies to restrict predatory lending rates is a racial as well as economic justice issue.