The True Costs of the Tulsa Massacre, Big Tech’s Power Over Speech, and More

June 2, 2021

This week, the U.S. is commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa massacre in which white mobs unleashed violence against the city’s Black people, Black institutions, and Black wealth. Andre Perry, Anthony Barr, and Carl Romer explore just how catastrophic the economic losses were for Black residents of Tulsa—losses that are still felt today.

As the 2020 election and its aftermath demonstrate, social media platforms have a huge amount of power and discretion over the dissemination of information. Bill Baer and Caitlin Chin discuss the limitations of antitrust laws in providing sufficient guardrails for these tech companies.

Even prior to the pandemic, economic disparities contributed to large gaps in educational outcomes for school-age kids. Jennifer Vey and Helen Hadani explain how city leaders can use American Rescue Plan funds to address some of these disparities through new learning ecosystems that grow children’s knowledge and skills, while strengthening social and civic life for everyone.

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