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From cutting-edge policy research to illuminating analysis, we bring a racial equity lens to the most pressing issues facing our country. For our latest blog posts and media updates, visit our Media page.

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The U.S. Supreme Court building against a blue sky, overlaid with a map of Louisiana and a chain of "I Voted" sticker footprints being cut by scissors on either side

Voting Rights and Representation in the Aftermath of Louisiana v. Callais

This brief examines what the Supreme Court's Callais decision means for communities of color, what has already changed in its wake, and what reforms — from state voting rights acts to proportional representation — can meet this moment.

Policy Briefs
Angelo Ancheta
Cover of 'Solving the Affordability Crisis' by People's Action and Dēmos: a rising staircase of icons representing groceries, health care, energy, housing, and child care, each topped with dollar bills."

Solving the Affordability Crisis

The affordability crisis is the result of policy choices — and different choices can reverse it. This report from Dēmos and People's Action traces why housing, utilities, food, health care, and child care have become unaffordable, and five structural solutions for building a people-powered, racially just economy.

Policy Briefs
Demos
People's Action
A Black care worker in scrubs reviews a clipboard with an older Black woman seated on a couch. In the background, composite images show caregivers working with children and supporting elderly adults, overlaid with illustrated icons representing justice, economic opportunity, and care.

Empowering Care Workers: The Key to a Better Care Economy

Good care jobs are the foundation of a good care economy. Empowering care workers through better pay, stronger protections, and collective voice would improve care quality, reduce workforce shortages, and advance racial and economic equity.

Policy Briefs
Nick Wertsch

Correcting Ohio's Voter Purge: FAQs

Infrequent Voters Who Were Unlawfully Purged from Ohio’s Registration Rolls Will Be Permitted to Vote in the November 2016 General Election

Litigation

Latinos, Student Debt, and Financial Security

Over the past 15 years, states have made deep cuts to their funding for higher education, causing tuition to rise rapidly, and household incomes have failed to keep up. As a result, student debt has skyrocketed, quintupling from just $240 billion in 2003 to more than $1.3 trillion today. The burdens
Research

African Americans, Student Debt, and Financial Security

 

Research

Addressing the Top Misconceptions about Debt-Free College

As with any big reform, the push for debt-free college has been met with pushback among a skeptical elite. We have answers for their major concerns.

Policy Briefs
Mark Huelsman

Debt-Free College Survey

Findings of a national survey of 1,103 registered voters on their perceptions of higher education policy in the United States.
Research

Miami-Dade's White Donor Class: How Big Donors Distort Democracy

This report was produced in collaboration with Brian Schaffner, Professor of Political Science at University of Massachusetts Amherst and Jesse Rhodes, Associate Professor of Political Science at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Introduction
Research
Sean McElwee

Election Protection Coalition Open Letter to Political Parties Concerning Voter Intimidation

Election Protection Coalition Cites Demos Research in Urging Political Parties to Renounce Unwarranted Intimidation and Unlawful Challenges at the Polls Dear Party Leadership, We write in defense of the bedrock principle of our democracy: the right to vote freely.
Testimony and Public Comment

The Price Tag of Being Young: Climate Change and Millennials' Economic Future

Quantifying the cost of climate change to millennials and their children, compared to a world without climate change.

Research

Enough to Make You Sick: The Burden of Medical Debt

Medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. This report analyzes the impact of medical debt on household finances and provides policy solutions.

Research
Sean McElwee

Out of Reach?

How a Shared Definition of College Affordability Exposes a Crisis for Low-Income Students

Research
Mark Huelsman