There are Solutions
What does “people first investment” and guaranteed income have in common? Respect, trust, and care. These are just a few common shared values and principles Russell: A Place of Promise engages in community building and power sharing. What RPOP knows from our research is that guaranteed income is a system that provides a minimum living income. Guaranteed income is a system of recurring cash payments with no strings attached that is geared towards dismantling the system that perpetuates poverty. Guaranteed income respects the people’s financial decisions and privacy, trusts the people to guide their own potential and financial pathways, and cares about their well-being to create space for self-governing and financial development.
Russell: A Place of Promise is a core planning partner for YALift! - a local guaranteed income program for young adults. RPOP led the guaranteed income conversation in Louisville with our shared learning experience with the Summer Learning Series 2021. Last August, we hosted a national call with guaranteed income movement leaders. We followed up the virtual event with a community event to extend the background about guaranteed income and brainstorming with community members on what a program in Louisville would look like. RPOP’s emerging expertise in the topic landed well with YALift! planning process. Similar to the work we do with residents, we grounded YALift! partners in shared values, principles, and knowledge of guaranteed income, formed the Advisory Coalition - a group of youth network providers and connectors, to advise best strategies for the program, and supported Community Outreach partners, organizations that center youth and young adults.
Local leaders across the nation have organized and implemented guaranteed income pilots since 2018 to advocate for the need for cash payments to our families. Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, also known as SEED and Magnolia Mother’s Trust are two foundational guaranteed income programs that are what the future of pilots in the country.
YALift! and the many other programs across the country are changing the way we talk about poverty, social welfare systems, and people experiencing low income. What we hope to see from the local pilot is that young adults are moving with a bit more flexibility to take care of their immediate and not-so-immediate needs. We hope to see young adults expanding their capacity to explore the world or even the city in a different way and invest in their hobbies and dreams to create self-fulling career paths. We want young people to feel financially secure as they move into adulthood.
As we gear up to provide guaranteed income programs and witness many other cities across the nation support folks with guaranteed income - here’s a call to action for elected officials, community leaders, youth, and residents.
Elected officials - Support solutions social welfare systems that do not perpetuate poverty. This looks like dismantling the many barriers for citizens to apply for social programs, eliminate the obligations and surveillance required to continue funding from said social programs, and allow for wealth and asset building opportunities within current social programs.
Community Leaders - Lead and implement guaranteed income programs in collaboration with other organizations. Community-based organizations can do this work without government institutions. If YALift! can raise $1million dollars to offer 150 young adults $500/month, what can a collective fundraising effort for a $1million plus do for your target communities?
Youth - Continue to dream! Define your community and ask them for resources! Advocate for what you deserve, and allow that self advocacy transmute to your values as a worker and student of life.
Residents - Notice what you and your neighbors want and need in the neighborhood. Take note of the names of developers, elected officials, and organizations floating around your community. Reach out to them, attend their events, and ask how a resident can be involved in their investments.
YALift! did not fall short on the number of applicants interested to receive a guaranteed income for one year. There is a need for more money. However, out of the 1,048 young adult applicants that completed the survey only 14% will be accepted as recipients of guaranteed income. 86% of the applicants will not be accepted and will continue to need a financial resource to support them. At this moment we do know, there are solutions. How can the Louisville community show up for the 86% in the next year?
