The Cost of Segregation
Thursday, April 22, 2021
MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council, and Alden Loury, Senior Editor, Race, Class and Communities at WBEZ Chicago discuss The Cost of Segregation. Systemic racism is a global problem. It is real, and there is a robust moral argument for addressing it. However, one factor that is often ignored in this critical conversation is the broader economic dimension. Because it prevents people from making the most of their economic potential, systemic racism carries significant economic costs. A less racist society can be an economically stronger one. Metropolitan Planning Council’s findings report that, if the Chicago region were less segregated, we could see $4.4 billion in additional income each year, a 30% lower homicide rate, and 83,000 more bachelor’s degrees.