When the world went into lockdown in March 2020, societies across the globe grappled with volatile economic conditions at the largest of scales. At the same time, individuals and families had to navigate their own staggering financial challenges spanning from the affordability of housing and an eviction moratorium to unemployment benefits and inflation. Questions about a disappearing middle class, the gig economy, student debt and raising the minimum wage moved to the forefront of national and local conversations. With economic inequity sitting at the intersection of so many other axes of oppression – race, gender, social class – communities are still struggling to access life’s most basic necessities as the world begins to reopen.
This year we will explore the integral roles lawyers play in the fight for economic justice as we examine – through the lens of a pandemic – the true costs of economic inequity.