What To Do When Racism Is Profitable

There’s a powerful reason that racism persists.

“Racism is profitable,” says Solana Rice, the co-founder and co-executive director of Liberation in a Generation. 

In this episode of the podcast, Next City executive director Lucas Grindley talks with Rice about how we can dismantle the “oppression economy” and replace it by manifesting a “liberation economy.” Her organization is building support for a slate of liberation guarantees — guaranteed income, guaranteed housing, guaranteed wealth, a guarantee to jobs, guaranteed healthcare, debt-free college, and guaranteed long-term childcare and elder care. 

“White people know the value of whiteness,” says Rice. “White people understand that whiteness is something that needs to be protected. There is a fear that when Black and brown people are understanding that — and are building political power — that is a threat to the asset value. There's literally asset value to whiteness.”

Listen to this episode below, or subscribe to Next City’s podcast on Apple and Spotify.