Book Review 

The Whiteness of Wealth: How The Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans–And How We Can Fix It

By Dorothy A. Brown
Crown, 2021
288 pages. $27.00 hardcover.

“Important reading for those who want to understand how inequality is built into the bedrock of American society, and what a more equitable future might look like.”—Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist.

This is an excellent analysis of racism in the American taxation system conducted by a law professor and expert on tax policy. Brown examines decades of cross-disciplinary research in showing that tax law rewards the preferences and practices of whites while not helping and sometimes penalizing  Blacks. From attending college to getting married to buying a home, Blacks are at a financial disadvantage compared to their white peers. The results are an ever-increasing wealth gap. The author also shows that to address the problem, America’s tax code will have to be revised significantly with different choices. 

 

March 19, 2021

Maryland Commission on Civil Rights Women's History Month 2021 Events Join the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights for exciting programming in honor of Women's History Month! The Shadow Pandemic: Gender Inequality in the Wake of Covid 19 Wednesday, March 24, 2021 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE This two-hour interactive presentation will detail the disparate impact of COVID-19 on women with an emphasis on the longstanding economic and racial disparities that have led to the exacerbation of systemic and structural inequity. Topics that will be covered include: Employee’s rights if they have COVID (what to do about FMLA, Vaccine mandates, caretaking duties, unemployment and under-employment etc.) The “she-cession” The the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Women of Color as well as low-wage workers The vulnerability of women (especially women with children) to housing insecurity and harassment during the pandemic Presented by Glendora C. Hughes, General Counsel for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights and Michelle Daugherty Siri, Executive Director, The Women's Law Center of Maryland. Fairness for All Marylanders: Barriers to Equality for Transwomen Friday, March 26, 2021 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE This educational program and panel presentation will feature an overview of Maryland’s anti discrimination laws with an emphasis on gender identity protections and unlawful employment practices. The panelists will provide background and insight with regard to the personal, systemic and institutional barriers the trans community has encountered and how to support and take action to ensure equal rights for trans and gender non-conforming Marylanders.

Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships

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'Racial bias runs deep' at America's largest banks, study says

By Chauncey Alcorn, CNN Business 

Updated 6:58 AM ET, Thu March 18, 2021

A just-released study conducted by the Committee for Better Banks and obtained by CNN Business found that people of color's chances of getting promoted to the highest levels of management or senior and executive leadership at some of the nation's most powerful consumer banks are much lower compared with their White peers. "Racial bias runs deep," the report concluded.

The report, titled "Advancing Racial Justice for Frontline Bank Workers," graded 13 major banks based on three categories: their willingness to disclose workforce demographic data, their levels of diversity across the job classification hierarchy, and how employees of color fare in career advancement relative to their White peers.

The study gave a final overall grade of "C" for diversity and inclusion to the collective financial services industry. The overall industry received "D's" for Black and Latino representation and a "C" for Asian representation. Asian Americans did better than Black and Latino workers throughout the report, with Black employees the worst for career advancement at the banks examined. The overall industry received "C's" for the Blacks and Latinos career advancement and a "B" for Asian Americans. "None of them performed that great," Weiner said of the banks, as none of the banks received an overall grade higher than a "C."

The top grades went to Bank of America, Capital One, Citibank, and JPMorgan Chase with a "C," meaning their diversity metrics are about that of the larger industry. The report gave the lowest grades to banks that provided incomplete data or refused to provide any. Only five of the 13 banks — Bank of America, TD Bank, Citibank, JPMorgan, and Capital One — provided all the stats necessary to complete the report. Several banks — Bank of the West, Fifth Third Bank, HSBC North America, PNC Bank, Santander, Truist Bank, US Bank, and Wells Fargo — all got overall "F's" because they declined to provide data on "the total number of employees within race groups at the company" and in some cases declined to break down their percentage of minority employees. "Because accountability begins with transparency, banks that did not disclose data were judged accordingly," the study authors wrote.

US Bank responded that CBB's findings are not accurate and do not reflect data the company has publicly released, including the 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance report available on its website, which does contain its workforce demographic statistics.

The study found that Black and Latino employees at all the banks face "strong unfavorable disparities" compared with Whites regarding career advancement, and a trend of "decreased diversity at higher employment levels within all eight banks." Citibank and Bank of America employees of color had the best chance of reaching the highest ranks compared to their White counterparts. Black Citibank employees had a 27% chance and Latino Citibank employees had a 23% chance compared with White employees. "Meanwhile, Black employees [at Citibank] are 2.3 times and Latino employees are 1.8 times more likely than White employees to hold entry level positions," the study authors wrote. 

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Source: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/18/investing/bank-diversity-racial-bias-study/index.html?mc_cid=bd9e101ffa&mc_eid=7b306e8d85.

 NCRC Applauds CFPB For Landmark Action To Prevent Lending Discrimination Based On Gender Identity And Sexual Orientation

By NCRC / March 9, 2021 / Press Releases

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that the principles from the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County that provide protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity also apply to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made a similar announcement last month stating that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity was a violation of the Fair Housing Act in response to executive orders promoting fair housing previously signed by President Biden in January.

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) previously suggested that the CFPB follow Bostock in its enforcement of ECOA in its December 1, 2020, comment letter to the CFPB’s Request for Information on the ECOA.

Jesse Van Tol, CEO of NCRC, made the following statement:

“Members of the LGBTQ+ community face discrimination when applying for loans, and this action is a critical step to strengthening fair lending protections for them. A recent NCRC study on mortgage lending showed that same-sex couples are significantly less likely than different-sex couples to be approved for mortgage loans. It also showed that the same-sex couples who are approved for mortgage loans pay higher interest rates and closing costs for mortgages. This kind of discrimination should have been stopped long ago. Today’s move by the CFPB puts banks and other lenders on notice that credit discrimination based on sex is illegal and must stop once and for all.

“In Bostock, the Supreme Court found that sex-based discrimination applied to sexual orientation and gender identity. The language used in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to define the protected class of sex is very similar to the language used in ECOA. 

“Bostock is not an expansive reading by the court; instead, it is a holistic understanding of the term sex. It is not a leap to recognize that if a class of people is discriminated against within the employment arena, they are also being discriminated against within the lending arena and should receive protections to access safe and responsible lending products under ECOA.

“There is still more to be done. We look to the bureau to fully implement these important protections through examination procedures and ensure that the mortgage loan data collection process and the bureau’s forthcoming small business loan data collection rule reflect the findings in this interpretive rule. We also urge the Senate to take up and pass the House-passed Equality Act, and for President Biden to sign it into law.”

Materials:

Interpretive rule: CFPB clarifies that discrimination by lenders on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal (March 9, 2021)

NCRC Comment On The CFPBs RFI On The Equal Credit Opportunity Act

 AVAILABLE TRAININGS BY THE MARYLAND CONSUMER RIGHTS COALITION

The Coalition has a number of great trainings open to the public. Reach out to an MCRC staff member today to schedule a training!

Advocacy

Want to make a big change for your community? Become a homegrown advocate! In this free workshop advocates from the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition teach participants about the policy-making process in Maryland and how community members can advocate in the General Assembly to make their voices heard and transform their communities. Learn about power analyses, writing testimony, juggling work and advocacy, and leveraging social media for your cause. Trainings are tailored to each group based on specific issues participants are interested in working on in their community. Communities should be the drivers of change – come learn how to amplify your voice and use it strategically! Email us to schedule your advocacy training.

Know Before You Enroll

For-profit colleges and private career schools target low-income students, students-of-color, and veterans for high-debt, low-return programs. To help prospective students avoid predatory higher education institutions, we developed the Know Before You Enroll campaign, which provides toolkits, tips, and tricks. Our Student Debt Program Manager can come to your organization, school, community association, etc. to train youth-workers or prospective students on how to avoid dangerous schools! Email us to schedule a Know Before You Enroll training.

Renters' & Homeowners' Tax Credits

Renting or owning a home in Maryland is expensive. While rents and property taxes have risen exponentially over the last few decades, wages simply have not kept up. That’s why Maryland established the Renters’ and Homeowners’ Tax Credits – to help low-income folks keep with up with the sky-rocketing costs of living in our state. But the application process can be burdensome or confusing. MCRC can help train organizations to guide clients through the RTC/HOTC application process. We also can come to your community center or faith-based institution and help folks apply in-person directly! Email our SOAR Financial Counselor to learn more and set up a training or event.

Scam Prevention

Losing money or property to scams and frauds can be devastating. As concerns about older adult financial abuse and exploitation continue to rise, MCRC is working to educate older adults on how to protect themselves. MCRC offers free trainings to organizations and the community to encourage older adults to take the necessary steps to protect themselves from financial fraud. Email our SOAR Financial Counselor to learn more and set up a training or event.

Digital Privacy

Older adults lose as much as $36 billion annually to financial exploitation. As we integrate digital technologies into every aspect of our lives, it can be hard to make informed choices about the privacy and security risks that come with them. It’s a fact that online scammers target older adults, so it’s important that your information is kept safe. MCRC offers free trainings on digital privacy for older adults, focusing on ways to protect their privacy online, what to do if their privacy is breached, and what Maryland laws and resources are available to assist them. Email our SOAR Financial Counselor to learn more and set up a training or event.

Money Smarts for Older Adults

This training provides participants with practical knowledge, skills-building opportunities, and resources they can use to manage their finances with confidence. Email our SOAR Financial Counselor to learn more and set up a training or event. This training provides participants with knowledge about the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), ways to access CRA funding, and ways to advocate for change in your neighborhood. Email our Economic Rights Organizer to learn more and  set up a training

Community Reinvestment 

Has something else on our website peaked your interest? We can craft and offer trainings on all the issues we work on – just let us know what you’re interested in! Email us to find out more and schedule a training.

Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, Inc. 

2209 Maryland Ave | Baltimore, MD  21218

(410) 220-0494 | info@marylandconsumers.org

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Source: MCRC March Update, 3/12/21

 

March 9, 2021

Maryland Commission on Civil Rights Women's History Month 2021 Events Join the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights for exciting programming in honor of Women's History Month! The Shadow Pandemic: Gender Inequality in the Wake of Covid 19 Wednesday, March 24, 2021 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE This two-hour interactive presentation will detail the disparate impact of COVID-19 on women with an emphasis on the longstanding economic and racial disparities that have led to the exacerbation of systemic and structural inequity. Topics that will be covered include: Employee’s rights if they have COVID (what to do about FMLA, Vaccine mandates, caretaking duties, unemployment and under-employment etc.) The “she-cession” The the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Women of Color as well as low-wage workers The vulnerability of women (especially women with children) to housing insecurity and harassment during the pandemic Presented by Glendora C. Hughes, General Counsel for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights and Michelle Daugherty Siri, Executive Director, The Women's Law Center of Maryland. Fairness for All Marylanders: Barriers to Equality for Transwomen Friday, March 26, 2021 12 noon - 2:00 p.m. REGISTER HERE This educational program and panel presentation will feature an overview of Maryland’s anti discrimination laws with an emphasis on gender identity protections and unlawful employment practices. The panelists will provide background and insight with regard to the personal, systemic and institutional barriers the trans community has encountered and how to support and take action to ensure equal rights for trans and gender non-conforming Marylanders.

Victim of Discrimination? Training & Partnerships

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Vernon Jordan, civil rights leader dies at 85

By Jamie Gangel, Dan Merica, Suzanne Malveaux, and Veronica Stracqualursi,

Jordan died peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife and family, Jordan's niece Ann Walker confirmed to CNN. According to Walker, Jordan had his favorite dinner and dessert -- chocolate chip ice cream -- before he went to bed. "It was just the way he would have wanted it," Walker told CNN.

The former president of the National Urban League rose to prominence as a civil rights activist with close connections in all corners of American politics, though he was closest with Democrats, including presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. He also worked with Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush ,and George W. Bush.

Born on August 15, 1935, Jordan grew up in the segregated South and graduated from DePauw University in Indiana in 1957, the only Black student in his class. He then studied law at Howard University and began his career fighting segregation, starting with a lawsuit against University of Georgia's integration policy in 1961 on the behalf of two Black students, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter. Jordan accompanied the two students to the UGA admissions office that year through an angry mob of White students.

He worked as a field director for the NAACP and as a director of the Southern Regional Council for the Voter Education Project before he became president of the National Urban League. In 1980, he survived an assassination attempt on his life.

"Today, the world lost an influential figure in the fight for civil rights and American politics, Vernon Jordan. An icon to the world and a lifelong friend to the NAACP, his contribution to moving our society toward justice is unparalleled," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement Tuesday. "In 2001, Jordan received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal for a lifetime of social justice activism. His exemplary life will shine as a guiding light for all that seek truth and justice for all people."

Clinton tapped Jordan, who left the Urban League after 10 years to practice law in DC, to serve as chairman of his 1992 presidential transition team. The position propelled Jordan into becoming a Washington power broker as he acted as a close confidant to Clinton, advising him on several hirings, golfing frequently with the President and sharing Christmas Eves together.

In the late '90s, Jordan's friendship with Clinton found him entangled in then-independent counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation, which uncovered the affair Clinton had with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky while in office. Jordan had helped Lewinsky job hunt at the request of Clinton's personal secretary and had recommended an attorney who briefly represented Lewinsky. Jordan testified several times before the grand jury.

Jordan also had an illustrious career in the corporate world, serving on the board of directors for several major American corporations.

DePauw University on Tuesday mourned the passing of Jordan, and its president, Lori S. White, said in a statement that the university "has lost a dear friend and the world has lost a determined leader."

In a tweet Tuesday morning, former President Barack Obama said he and former first lady Michelle Obama "benefited from Vernon Jordan's wise counsel and warm friendship—and deeply admired his tireless fight for civil rights. We hope the memory of his extraordinary presence and the legacy of his work bring comfort to Ann, Vickee, and his family," Obama said.

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Source: CNN - Updated 11:28 AM ET, Tue March 2, 2021.