Mississippi’s Economic Potential is Being Limited by Long-Standing Disparities
June 28th, 2011
On Sunday, June 26, The Clarion-Ledger ran a perspective piece penned by Bill Bynum, the CEO of the Hope Enterprise Corporation (the sponsoring entity of the Mississippi Economic Policy Center). The piece highlighted the changing demographics of Mississippi’s youth and the implications for future development. You can read “Capitalizing Diversity” and an additional editorial on investments needed in our region on the HOPE website.
Notably, for the first time since census records were being kept, Mississippi now has more children of color than white children. Chart 1 illustrates the breakout.
Click to enlarge
At the same time, most children of color are born into and grow up in a socio-economic environment that is vastly different from their white counterparts. Nearly one out of two African American children – the largest group of non-white children in Mississippi – lives in poverty. The chart below shows the disparities between black and white children’s poverty status in Mississippi.
Click to enlarge
The disparities are particularly disturbing given the relationship between growing up in poverty and dropping out of school, receiving public assistance as an adult, incarceration, low-wage employment, and teen pregnancy. Also of concern, unless we act as a state to address the long-standing disparities, the economic potential of the state is limited.
Moving forward, we must work together to create jobs by investing in the systems that foster employment – good schools, quality health care, smooth roads and safe communities. Policies that support entrepreneurship, homeownership and asset development also serve as important bricks on the road to prosperity.
Share this article.
