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This Black History Month, we’re continuing the conversation we started last year by sharing hidden stories about the Black community, at home and abroad, all month long. We’re starting with an appreciation for Black American support of local news as a part of our #LovingLocalNews campaign. In fact, Black adults stand out for their trust in local news. To learn more about these Black American news habits, check out our short post here. And now, for our stories of the day.

Brazilian political officials are changing their identity from White to Black

Fri Jan 8

Brazil’s growing political representation is now being questioned. While many celebrated the 29,000 Afro-Brazilians who took office in January, it turns out that many of those officials had already been in office — they just used to identify as White. 

Why are candidates now identifying as Black?

In September, Brazil’s Supreme Court decided that each political party had to split campaign resources from the government proportionately between White and non-White candidates. While this was seen as a major win for Brazil’s Black consciousness movement, many Brazilians suspect this influenced officials already in office to now publicly take on their non-White identities. 

And considering more than half (56%) of Brazilians are Afro-Brazilian, meaning Black or mixed-race, Black representation in office is a big deal for a number of reasons.

• First, a history left unaddressed. Brazil not only received far more African slaves than any other country in the Americas, but was the last to abolish the practice in 1888. Unlike the U.S., there was no civil rights movement or national racial reckoning to challenge the status quo, making it easy for those in power, like the Vice President, to claim that "racism doesn't exist in Brazil."
• Second, economic status. White Brazilians are more likely to be richer, have a university degree, hold management roles, and live longer, healthier lives.
• And lastly, discrimination similar to what we see in the United States: Non-White Brazilians are more likely to be killed by police or to die from Covid-19. 

Now, Afro-Brazilian activists are demanding elected officials address these longstanding racial inequalities, with many outraged upon hearing about these race-switching candidates. Black voters are also questioning if these veteran lawmakers even understand their experience as a marginalized majority.

Where did we learn about this? Check out our sources: The Conversation, New York Times, WSJ, Time

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The case for ending poverty through guaranteed income

Thu Jan 28

Escaping poverty has historically been nearly impossible. Without equitable access to education, resources, and more, those below the poverty line most often remain there. Now, 30 mayors are fighting to change these outcomes through guaranteed income payments.

What is guaranteed income? 

Universal Basic Income (UBI), in other words guaranteed income, would provide $1,000 in monthly payments for two years to low income, formerly incarcerated, and undocumented residents. At least 11 cities are already planning to launch the program this year, including Pittsburgh, Compton, and Hudson, NY. Another 20 mayors are working toward such initiatives in their cities, with some already taking initial legislative steps. 

Where is the money coming from?

Each city is eligible for $500K in pilot funding through a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, which will also produce research reports and share best practices. The funds have been gathered from a number of sources, including high-profile philanthropic supporters, such as Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey who has contributed a total of $18 million.

Why do they think this is a good idea? 

Proponents say UBI would:

• Reduce strain on public services. By supporting those who had to quit their jobs to become full-time caregivers, UBI would relieve pressure on public services to provide care for the sick and elderly. 
• Increase wage bargaining power. UBI would give employees security and stability while they bargain for better salaries, ultimately discouraging low wages.
• Allow city spending cuts. Additional income could eliminate reliance on government assistance such as food stamps, subsidized housing, and more. 
• Help to actually end poverty. One study providing basic income to families in 2020 found that poverty rates decreased from 30% to 5% for single Black parents and from 22% to 5% for Latinx single parents. 

Meanwhile critics claim that UBI will reduce motivation to work, leading millions to stop working. One study reviewing 16 different UBI programs globally claims it found no evidence that this approach could lead to lasting improvements in equality, instead suggesting the funds should go to reforming social protection systems. 

Think a UBI program would benefit your city? Check out Mayors For a Guaranteed Income to see if your mayor has joined the coalition.

Where did we learn about this? Check out our sources: The Appeal, The Balance, Bloomberg, Brandeis, CNBC, WPR, The Guardian

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The Census saga continues...

Wed Jan 27

The Census can’t seem to catch a break. If you’ve been reading Below the Fold since early last year, you likely heard about how the pandemic led the Census Bureau to administer an online survey for the first time ever. But then, the deadline for submission changed repeatedly, affecting how many people participated. 

The latest problem? Census workers are being rushed to complete counting at the expense of inaccuracies. According to these workers, the bureau is not only constantly changing deadlines, but has been miscategorizing cases that could be accurately recorded with another in-person visit. Managers have also been pressuring workers to use existing population data from past records, even if proven inaccurate. For example, a resident with children could be counted as a single-household because of the old data getting priority over the latest self-submitted response (defeating the purpose of the Census all together).

And an inaccurate Census has long-lasting consequences. Collected once every ten years to count every person living in the U.S., the Census directly affects:

• Funding for cities, counties, and states
• Resources for programs such as food stamps, Medicaid, or Headstart
• The number of House of Representatives seats allocated per state
• Political representation for communities of color, who have historically been undercounted in the census

While Black and Latinx communities have been historically undercounted, the 2020 Census is projected to worsen their representation. One report says Black residents could be undercounted by almost 4%, reflecting 1.7 million people.

Where did we learn about this? Check out our sources: Below The Fold, The Conversation, NPR, NPR , Reveal

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The cat’s out of the flag - we’re not White!

Art By: Morfina