“In Toxic Inequality, Thomas M. Shapiro shows that inequality harms everyone—that it squanders talents, misallocates resources, and suppresses initiative. Deftly blending facts and figures with moving personal stories, this book reveals how severe inequality is, why it matters, and what we can do about it.”
—GEORGE LIPSITZ, author of The Possessive Investment in Whiteness
“Toxic Inequality calls it like it is. People of color and low-income communities are ensnarled in a web of poisonous economic disparities and structural racial inequities that prevent wealth-building, erode home ownership, limit education and job possibilities, and stall mobility. Based on extensive interviews, Thomas M. Shapiro and his team portray those who, despite their struggle to succeed, continue to fall behind. Eliminating this toxic inequality requires a sustained and systemic assault on the policies that have created and perpetuate this injustice. This timely book reveals the cure: just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and achieve their full potential—equity.”
—ANGELA GLOVER BLACKWELL, CEO, PolicyLink