Cross-posted from African American Group: 'racial rules' widen economic inequality for PoC

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Not just racial attitudes and practices, but classism is as big a problem

Classism holds people of color down because they are disproportionally represented in poorer classes like the working poor.

It is so tough trying to stay afloat while poor that it is extremely difficult for people of color to get ahead.

Classism is the secret weapon of racists who put down and keep down poorer classes knowing full well that it affects people of color more.

Little advantages (slightly better schools, slightly better transportation, slightly better job benefits, maternal leave, slightly better health care options and dozens of others), little advantages day by day, month after month, add up. If an upper-middle class kid daily has a 1 in a 1000 slight better chance than a poor kid (say 573 versus 572), that compounded over the long haul makes a huge difference.

The upper classes think that there really is not much difference in opportunities for the poor, not enough difference to count, but even very slight differences in opportunity become large differences in outcomes over time.