This is the seventh installment in a virtual event series, which examined the impact of structural racism on our economy and advances ideas to improve economic outcomes for all Americans.

People without good health or health care often struggle to fully participate in the economy. This event examined how systemic racism impacts health and, ultimately, economic outcomes. Social determinants of health like economic stability and housing affect the kinds of jobs people can access. During the COVID-19 pandemic, low-income people of color disproportionately worked in more risky, high-contact jobs, and this led to higher infection and mortality rates. Racial and ethnic health disparities can also be barriers to employment. The session will explore the intersection of health, racism, and the economy because it’s so critical to the Federal Reserve’s work to promote a strong economy and maximum employment.

Speakers:

  • Stacy Bohlen, Chief Executive Officer, National Indian Health Board
  • Abdul El-Sayed, Physician, Epidemiologist, Author, Podcast Host, and Senior Fellow, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Wayne Frederick, President, Howard University
  • William Frist, Former U.S. Senator and U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon, and Adjunct Professor of Cardiac Surgery, Vanderbilt University
  • Anthony Iton, Lecturer of Health Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, and Senior Vice President for Healthy Communities, The California Endowment
  • Robert Kaplan, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
  • Neel Kashkari, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
  • Marielle Segarra, Senior Reporter, Marketplace (moderator)
  • John Williams, President, Federal Reserve Bank of New York 

Racism forms the foundation of inequality in our society. It limits opportunity for people of color and threatens the health of our economy. While the global pandemic has intensified racial and economic disparities, the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has galvanized people from all walks of life to address the systems and structures that enable and perpetuate these outcomes.

Hosted by all 12 District Banks of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, “Racism and the Economy” is a virtual series that brings together community, business, and academic leaders to examine the economic impact of racism and advance bold ideas and concrete actions to achieve an economy that makes opportunity available to everyone.