3. Policies must be justified with beliefs that counter exclusionary narratives – incorporating intersectional race and gender equity lens key

[Jhumpa, “Exploring Guaranteed Income Through A Racial And Gender Justice Lens,” Roosevelt Institute, June 2019 https://rooseveltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/RI_UBI-Racial-Gender-Justice-brief-201906.pdf, accessed June 26, 2023, GDS-LL]

Changing the Narrative

The exclusionary policies of our past and present have been justified and advanced with narratives, or deep-seated frames of thinking, built on racism and sexism and often gendered racism. These narratives tell us that everyone should be able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and they push a story of toxic individualism that asserts injustice and inequality are the fault of the individuals who experience them. They shape how we view and define what work is, which has led us to exclude care giving and unpaid labor in our definition of work. These narratives tell us that government is a barrier to freedom, not a facilitator of it, and that systems have no place in our discussions on racial justice, ultimately justifying cuts to public programs that have long served working-class and poor families while using public programs to funnel more power and profits to corporations and the wealthy. We must call attention to the intentions behind these narratives; show how they operate to weaken families, the economy, and our democracy; and then present new narratives that allow people to reimagine the role of government in paving a pathway to inclusive economic security and prosperity. Additionally, it is crucial that we elevate the humanity of Black people.

If we want to see real change in America, we have to come to terms with the fact that anti-Black sentiment, xenophobia, and sexism have permeated our history and led to unconscionable economic stratification. We have to be prepared to see, name, and face some uncomfortable truths about how racist and gendered our underlying beliefs are in regard to who is deserving and who is not and who (had) has access to opportunity and who (did) does not. And, we have to be willing to do something about that learning through our policies moving forward by incorporating an intersectional race and gender equity lens in the design of our policies. Practically speaking, this means never assuming a “tide that lifts all boats” strategy in policymaking but rather using policy to right the wrongs of our past by being intentional about who a policy is intended to lift. We have to be willing to center and honor Blackness and the Black experience and use that frame to draft and implement policy—with the understanding that by centering Blackness, we create a pathway to economic prosperity for all.