Free writing social class and wealth disparities

The first of the three racial differences in wealth accumulation is the racialization of state policy where the authors refer to how "state policies have impaired the ability of blacks to accumulate wealth". They chronologically refer to the enslavement of blacks to laws that prohibit certain rights and today where welfare state policies tend to discourage accumulation of wealth. The second focus is on "economic detour" which describes the low level of black entrepeneurship in America. The third focus is the sedimentation of racial inequality describes the effects of the past discrimination and racism that blacks have experienced throughout their history in America. The low wages, exclusion from the free market economy, and poor schooling have "cemented blacks to the bottom of society's heirarchy."

The author interviewed a seventy-five year old retired homeowner named Kevin on the topic of inherited wealth.

A theme that emerged from the interviews was that families assets expand opportunities for their children in concert with this is that families with low amounts of access to wealth will impede on their childrens dreams and futures. The authors also argue that the U.S. is made up of two nations; black and white. They focus on the "seperate" middle classes whereby blacks depend on income rather than assets where whites have no such worries.

The authors call for two different policy agendas from the government. The first agenda is a forward setting of policies that directly benefit African-Americans in need. The other agenda is to make policies that help the people of the lower echelons of socio-economic status, black or white.

Coming to college was very stressful for me, the only thing that really helped was rooming with my good friend of many years. We both found our click through parties and friends of friends and became a very close group of musicians, artists and skateboarders. Challenges I faced had nothing to do with socio-economic or racial disparity it was more of a responsibility issue, i.e. grades and going out at night. I think the speaker that I related with the most was Kathleen Kelly who did not think too much about college beforehand and when she came she was very lost and more specifically said, "it was as if I had entered a foreign country and did not know the customs, the language, or the people." I think this really relates to me more because of the negative attitude I had about college in high school and the lost feeling I had once I first got to college. Other than that, her story is more unfortunate that mine but it is definitely similar to the feelings I have experienced.