# 4. Build financial security.

Prior to the pandemic, almost half of American families couldn’t come up with $400 to cover an emergency expense without taking on more debt. This is almost assuredly increasing as the economy stumbles. Public policy historically blocked people of color from many of the most important avenues for wealth accumulation, such as homeownership and post-secondary education, and families of color are particularly likely to continue to face the structural remnants of these policies. The impact of the pandemic — deaths, the need to continue working, not having access to adequate sick or personal time, the inability to work from home — are therefore also concentrated in communities of color and those already facing economic hardship. Economic recovery must address immediate financial security and also address the persistent racial wealth gap.

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