04/05/2026
Racism is not profitable—it’s expensive. A 2020 Citigroup study found that systemic racism and economic exclusion have cost the U.S. economy at least $16 trillion over the past two decades, with some estimates pushing that number to $51 trillion in lost output since 1990. The losses span every sector: $13 trillion in missed business revenue due to lack of capital access, $2.7 trillion in lost wages, $218 billion in housing discrimination, and over $113 billion in lost income from unequal education opportunities. Closing these gaps isn’t just moral—it’s economic, with projections showing a potential $5 trillion boost to GDP in just five years. The reality is simple: inequality doesn’t just hurt communities—it shrinks the entire economy.
