The United States is founded on the principle of equal opportunity for all. Getting an education, finding a job and getting married are traditionally viewed as crucial steps for escaping poverty and ascending into the middle class, regardless of one’s economic starting point.
For example, each additional year of educational attainment is associated with 3% reduction in mortality risk for adults aged 18 to 49 years. Individuals who are employed show up to 29% decline in risk of mortality over a long period of time. Finally, married individuals are 16% protected against mortality, compared to those not married.
But education, employment and marriage do not uniformly lead to upward mobility.
Over the past decade, I have been studying the economic and health benefits of education, employment and marriage across diverse groups. I’ve found that, systemically, Black and brown people gain fewer benefits compared to white individuals in these areas. In fact, my research and research by others show that racial disparities are often more pronounced when looking at higher earners.
For instance, across education levels, Black individuals are more likely to work in more strenuous jobs, live in resource-starved neighborhoods and earn less than their white counterparts. As a result, highly educated Black individuals report more occupational stress. This partly stems from the fact that, even after surmounting numerous hurdles, Black families relocating to predominantly white, affluent neighborhoods face heightened discrimination.
This reality consistently places highly educated, employed and married Black and brown individuals at risk for multiple economic, behavioral and health issues across their lives, from childhood to older age. For example, Black boys from more affluent families tend to be more depressed than those from lower income families, particularly if they live in proximity to whites.
This research shows us that merely narrowing the economic divide across groups is inadequate for eliminating inequalities between them. Closing racial gaps in health and wealth is far more difficult than many policymakers realize.
We cannot rely on education as “the great equalizer,” as it may actually increase these inequalities. The racial health gap is not just a result of poverty, but also a direct consequence of racism.
Based on these findings, the recommendations are clear.
Our political leaders, in passing legislation, should acknowledge the potential for unintended consequences, particularly when those laws focus solely on enhancing education and employment without addressing broader systemic challenges. Indeed, they must analyze not only the overall effects of the new policies but also their influence on widening existing disparities.
We need a strategy that tackles disparities in education, labor, policing, banking and beyond. Only by addressing these larger, interconnected systems can we make meaningful change.
Due to historic racism, the United States has offered more and better opportunities to white individuals than to people of color. The conventional wisdom on gaining education, occupation and marriage is not a universal solution for escaping poverty and reaching middle-class status for Black and brown Americans. It’s time to think more broadly about how we can dismantle systemic racism.