John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur
Research Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health
INEQUALITY MATTERS
June 3-5, 2004
NYU's Kimmel Center
New York City
Contents:
a. Overview of meeting
b. Agenda
Advocates, scholars, grassroots organizers, community members, and many others attended this unique conference about the growing concentration of wealth, income, power, and opportunity in America.
Inequality Matters was sponsored by Demos, Inequality.org and United for a Fair Economy. The aim of the conference was to move a critical national problem onto the front burner of American politics and public discourse -- within this election season and beyond. The panels and discussions were designed so that participants could share knowledge, develop tools, and build momentum for a sustained campaign of popular education and grassroots advocacy.
Speakers included Bill Moyers, Barbara Ehrenreich, William Greider, Stanley Greenberg,
Chellie Pingree, Meizhu Lui, Kevin Phillips, and many others.
UPDATE: Inequality.org is gathering informational materials from the
conference, such as video and audio records of the presentations. In the coming weeks,
they plan to post streaming video of some of the presentations, as well as text versions
of many speeches on their Web site. Visit www.inequality.org for details. As the videos and transcripts
become available we will incorporate links into the agenda below. (Video presentations are
linked through speaker's names.)
as of May 28, 2004
Thursday, June 3
5:00 – 6:30 REGISTRATION
6:30 WELCOMING REMARKS AND INTRODUCTIONS by MILES RAPOPORT
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES by BARBARA EHRENREICH and BILL MOYERS (transcript)
8:00 – 9:30 RECEPTION featuring the NEW YORK CITY LABOR CHORUS
Friday, June 4
8:00 – 9:00 REGISTRATION
9:00 WELCOME by CHUCK COLLINS
9:15 GRASPING THE PROBLEM
MEIZHU LUI and BOB KUTTNER lay out the facts, and make the case that
there is nothing inevitable or natural about today’s level of inequality.
10:15 BREAK
10:30
DIMENSIONS OF INEQUALITY
DAVID R. WILLIAMS on the influence of
socioeconomic status, race and
geography on health outcomes and health-care access)
CHRISTINE OWENS
on how corporate strategies have increased inequalityand shredded the safety net
DALTON CONLEY
on how family wealth and socioeconomic status shapelifelong learning and earning
ERIC WANNER
on the self-replicating nature of inequality in America todayPOLLY CLEVELAND
, moderator12:00
LUNCH12:30
Lunchtime SpeakersA MORAL CROSSROADS
Introductions by
MARY BERRYMAN-AGARD on the impact of market fundamentalism and corporatevalues on American life on why the poisonous spread of inequality is at war
with our most fundamental values (transcript)
2:00
BREAK2:15
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF INEQUALITYJUDITH LICHTMAN
on family and childhood in a polarized worldROBERT H. FRANK
on the social impact of competitive consumptionEDGAR CAHN
on the collapse of the commons and the decay of democracyJAMES LARDNER
, moderator2:15
Breakout GroupsBREAKING THROUGH THE INDIFFERENCE BARRIER
Why do so many middle- and low-income Americans seem so indifferent
about inequality? Choosing the right words and avoiding the wrong ones.
Facilitators will include
MAKANI THEMBA-NIXON, JOHN HALPIN, andBONNIE McEWAN
3:30
BREAK3:45
Background BriefingHOW UNEQUAL ARE WE, ANYWAY?
What the latest research reveals, and doesn’t, about the extent and
implications of economic inequality in today’s U.S., and how America
compares with the rest of the developed world.
LARRY MISHEL
on the bedrock income, wealth, and mobility dataRINKU SEN
on the racial wealth gapLARRY JACOBS
on democracy and inequalityCHRISTIAN WELLER
on the wage and benefits squeezeKATHRYN NECKERMAN
, moderator3:45
Breakout SessionsTHINKING FREELY
What would we do if our options were not so constrained by our cramped
politics? What can an understanding of the causes tell us about ultimate
cures? How can a long-term vision help us develop a short-term strategy?
Group A:
The CorporationGroup B:
The CommonsGroup C:
The Political Process5:15
Break6:30 – 9:30
DINNER: FROM 1776 TO PLUTOCRACYCHARLES LEWIS, KEVIN PHILLIPS, DAVID CAY JOHNSTON, and MARK
CLACK
Saturday, June 5
th8:00
Coffee9:00
Welcome9:15
MAKING A HOT ISSUE OUT OF A NON-ISSUEWELCOME and INTRODUCTIONS by DAVID SMITH
CHELLIE PINGREE, JOHN PODESTA,
and WILLIAM MCNARY on thecosts of continuing to duck the inequality question; on its crucial relevance to
progress on a variety of policy fronts; and on the goals that, for now, make the
most sense politically as well as intellectually.
BREAK
10:30
Breakout GroupsLESSONS FROM THE FIELD
INTRODUCTIONS
by LUDOVIC BLAINFour groups, each leading off with one or two brief presentations by
experienced activists. (Then others will be invited to share their lessons.)
Group A:
JEN KERN on the Living Wage Campaign; MADELINE TALBOTTon school equity organizing in Chicago;
Group B:
JAY MANDEL and JAZZ HAYDEN on registering new voters andexpanding the electorate;
Group C: Using popular education as a tool against inequality: UFE’s
Racial
Wealth Divide workshop, facilitated by JEANETTE
HUEZO
Group D:
CHUCK COLLINS on winning business allies12:00
SendoffTALKING TO AMERICA
STAN GREENBERG, ROBERT EDGAR, and BETSY LEONDAR-WRIGHT
Contact: Judith Stewart
Revised 17 May 2004