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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 Human Cost of Houseplants cover image

The Human Cost of Houseplants: Labor Conditions of Florida’s Plant Nursery Workers

This report exposes the hidden labor crisis behind America's booming houseplant industry and makes the case for a worker-driven accountability model that has already delivered real improvements for workers in other industries.

Research
Demos
WeCount!
Partners for Dignity and Rights
Woman voting at voting booth

The Costs of Implementing Documentary Proof of Citizenship Bills

As states across the country consider Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC) requirements in the wake of the federal SAVE Act’s reintroduction, one fundamental issue has gone largely overlooked: What do these laws actually cost states?

Research
Lata Nott
Victoria Hammitt
Neda Khoshkhoo
Nick Harper
Joshua Harmon
Lucas Della Ventura
Demos
The Campaign Legal Center
State Voices
Woman voting

Language Access & State Voting Rights Acts

Effective language access is essential for ensuring that every voter can fully participate in our democracy. Our new case study examines how the Connecticut Voting Rights Act (CTVRA) has become a model for expanding language access beyond what federal law requires.

Research
Angelo Ancheta

Building Ohio's Future Middle Class: Addressing the Challenges Facing Young Adults

Today's young adults are coming of age in a tough economy, on the heels of 30 years of declining economic opportunity and security for all but the most affluent and most highly educated. These changes are quite evident in Ohio, where the once-mighty manufacturing sector that provided better-than
Research
Viany Orozco
Amy Hanauer
Nancy K. Cauthen

The SAFE Banking Act: A Summary Background and FAQ

[RELATED: Read Demos' Letter in Support of the SAFE Banking Act, here.]
Research
Americans for Financial Reform

Letter to U.S. Senate Urging Support For Safe Banking Act to Limit Size of Largest Financial Institutions

Congress now has the opportunity to erect new public structures guaranteeing stability, transparency and competition in banking.

Testimony and Public Comment
Heather C. McGhee

Increasing Access in Hard Times: Women and the National Voter Registration Act

The Great Recession of 2008 and its after-effects still are radically impacting the lives of millions. While men initially bore the heavier burden, women are now increasingly falling victim to unemployment, fore- closure, and eviction. Low-income women have been hit particularly hard. Women’s
Research
Youjin B. Kim

Paving the Way Through Paid Internships: A Proposal to Expand Educational and Economic Opportunities for Low-Income College Students

Doing an internship while in college has become a near prerequisite for obtaining a good job.  Yet internships are often out of reach for low-income students because most of them are unpaid. This report outlines the limitations of the current college internship system, and proposes the creation of
Research
Kathryn Anne Edwards
Alex Hertel-Fernandez
Nancy K. Cauthen
Economic Policy Institute

Talking About Taxes Do’s and Dont's

Taxes support the government services that undergird the quality of life Americans enjoy. As communicators, we must promote this unique and foundational role that taxes play. We can do this by explicitly communicating the relationship between the purpose of taxes and the well-being Americans
Research
Public Works Partnership

Ending Prison-Based Gerrymandering in Maryland with the the No Representation Without Population Act

The No Representation Without Population Act would correct within the state of Maryland a long-standing flaw in the decennial Census that counts incarcerated people as residents of the wrong location.

Testimony and Public Comment
Brenda Wright

Student Debt 101: Why College Students Are Burdened by Debt and What To Do About It

This fact sheet includes a brief overview of why paying for college has become so difficult. Suggestions for how college students can lower their own college costs and information on public policies that can make attending college more affordable are included. TOP FACTS:
Policy Briefs
Viany Orozco

Why We Need An Independent Consumer Protection Agency

The era of deregulated finance has shown that without public structures to ensure accountability and fairness, the system can not sustain itself.

Policy Briefs
Heather C. McGhee
Tamara Draut

Same Day Registration In Maryland

Authors R. Michael Alvarez (California Institute of Technology) and Jonathan Nagler (New York University) have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Maryland adopt Same Day Registration (SDR). Under the system proposed in Maryland, eligible voters who miss the current 21-day deadline
Policy Briefs
Jonathan Nagler