Social Inequality

A study by the University of Southern California has found that "due to COVID-19 deaths last year, life expectancy at birth for Americans will shorten by 1.13 years to 77.48 years" – the largest single-year decline in four decades. The research found that life expectancy was further reduced among the Black and Latino populations in the US, with a reduction of 2.10 years to 72.78 years for Black people and 3.05 years to 78.77 years for Latinos, compared to a reduction of 0.68 years to 77.84 years for white people.

"Our study analyzes the effect of this exceptional number of deaths on life expectancy for the entire nation, as well as the consequences for marginalized groups," said study author Theresa Andrasfay, a postdoctoral fellow at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. "The COVID-19 pandemic's disproportionate effect on the life expectancy of Black and Latino Americans likely has to do with their greater exposure through their workplace or extended family contacts, in addition to receiving poorer health care, leading to more infections and worse outcomes."

Bill Peduto, the mayor of Pittsburgh, has announced that his city will participate in a "guaranteed income" program. Eligible residents will receive $500 per month. Peduto did not specify how many people will receive the money but stated that they'll look for people where the sum of $500 would improve their lives and that they'll look for people of different backgrounds and demographics in order to conduct an impact study.

The project is financed by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey who tweeted that "this is one tool to close the wealth and income gap, level systemic race and gender inequalities, and create economic security for families".

The Twitter CEO and billionaire Jack Dorsey has announced that he is working with 14 mayors or American cities to fund trials for a universal basic income in their respective cities. The plan is part of the group "Mayors for a Guaranteed Income" with the goal to "supplement, rather than replace, the existing social safety net" and to use it as "a tool for racial and gender equity".

Dorsey himself will use $3 million from his nonprofit for the program which aims to impact up to 7 million people.