Economic Opportunity

As 1.25 million people in state prisons navigate their sentences, many are eager to find hope for a better life after release. They may seek out ways to work and…

Even during economic expansions and periods of robust employment growth, millions of workers in the United States face economic insecurity and precarious working conditions. Low pay, safety hazards, lack of bargaining power, unstable schedules, discrimination and harassment…

A new study offers evidence that more education can increase entrepreneurship in the United States, especially among women. Economics professor John Winters and graduate student Kunwon Ahn report their findings…

Inflation dominated news headlines and American psyches in 2022. Overall, consumer prices jumped an average 7.1 percent this year, with the cost of just about everything going up, from cars…

These days, the presence of cooperatives across the United States is nearly universal. The largest sector is financial cooperatives, better known as credit unions. As of September 30, 2021, the…

It’s impossible to make systems change without changing the system. Across the nation, policies and commitments are being made to innovative and equitable pathways toward high-wage employment, entrepreneurship and shared…

Staff members at Springboard To Opportunities heard repeatedly from their clients that the thing they needed to successfully reach their goals was more cash. In response, the Jackson, Mississippi, organization launched the…

The role of employment in the lives of many U.S. workers and their families is more than just a way to provide for oneself and one’s loved ones. Jobs are…

You saw it at Thanksgiving, and you’ll likely see it at your next holiday feast: piles of unwanted food – unfinished second helpings, underwhelming kitchen experiments and the like –…

In November 2012, New York City fast-food workers walked off their jobs, demanding a $15 minimum wage and union rights. Since then, the struggle for higher wages has become one…

As we consider the potential implications of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, one open question is how states will enforce the abortion bans that are expected in at least…

We’ve all seen the statistical maps revealing deep inequities across the geographies of most American cities and towns. There are oases of privilege and opportunity. And there are neighborhoods that…