In recent weeks, the Biden Administration has taken two major steps that will allow 25,000 mixed-status families to remain in public housing and will help millions of Americans struggling with food insecurity put food on the table. Both steps reverse cruel decisions by the Trump Administration that disproportionately threatened people with low incomes, people of color, immigrants, and children. 

A basic income pilot in Stockton, California provided $500 monthly payments to 125 residents with no strings attached. From improved family wellbeing and financial stability to an increase in full-time employment, these positive impacts hold hope for the refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC). 

A Black U.S. public school student was suspended every four seconds in 2019, based on a 180-day school year. Every 28 seconds, a Latinx student dropped out of high school. And every 33 minutes, An American Indian/Alaskan Native student was arrested. Those are just some nuggets of information included in the latest State of America’s Children report, an annual report published by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF).

President Biden is right to call for a “once-in-a-generation investment” to assure that we can build a lasting economic recovery.  Our nation has been buffeted by multiple emergencies in the past year, including the pandemic, natural disasters, and electrical grid failure.  They have all shown how unprepared we are to protect our people, our businesses, and our environment.  We cannot prevent every emergency, but we can and must protect against loss of life and economic catastrophe for millions of people.  We can and must make ourselves more resilient.