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upwardmobility

Upward Mobility

About This Initiative

A family dancing in their kitchen

Why This Work is Needed

Inequities from structural racism and long-standing systemic barriers hold back Black residents and other residents of color from achieving prosperity.

For example, there are significant disparities in median household incomes across race and ethnicities. As of 2020, Black households in the District had a median income of $49,000 per year compared to $145,000 for white households, according to the 5-year ACS. Latinx and Asian households fell between, with median incomes of $81,000 and $108,000 respectively, according to the 5-year ACS.

Similar patterns of racial inequity are evident across other indicators of upward mobility from poverty including: unemployment rates, educational attainment, and housing cost burden.

The DC Upward Mobility project is informed by research regarding the deep connections between these types of inequities and biases (historical and current), including in government programs and corporate practices, and the sources for these biases.

The District’s Approach

This project boosts upward mobility outcomes by addressing racial inequities in three initial policy areas: housing, financial wellbeing, and workforce development/adult education.

The DC Upward Mobility project aligns existing District programs and introduces updated approaches to support economic mobility for low-income residents, especially residents of color with an emphasis on Black residents.

Project Goals

There are four goals of the Project:

  1. Define upward mobility in the District and identify current racial/ethnic inequities in upward mobility outcomes for the District.
  2. Determine how existing programs and policies can be enhanced to advance upward mobility.
  3. Engage impacted residents and community organizations to shape the project’s deliverables and inform priorities and strategies.
  4. Develop an Upward Mobility Action Plan that helps more residents escape poverty by coordinating ongoing and future efforts to bolster economic mobility, increase power and autonomy, and strengthen the sense of being valued in the community. This initiative is a collaboration across District government agencies, in coordination with community partners.

The Outcome

The District’s Upward Mobility Action Plan includes findings and recommendations to boost upward economic mobility from poverty and to address racial inequities.

This action plan is an initial step toward a more coordinated and resident-centered approach to developing, implementing, and connecting District upward mobility programs to our residents. The Project builds on the robust landscape of existing programs by highlighting specific improvements to them and by identifying potential new ones.

The District is collecting resident and community organization feedback on the action plan through September 2022.

Partners and Sponsors

This initiative is a part of a national program led by the Urban Institute.

The District is one of eight jurisdictions chosen nationally for this project. Learn more about the Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Project and the other cohort members.

Want to be involved in shaping the Plan? Share your experience and learn more.