Want to understand the elements of creating a model that incorporates structural racism? Look at this map from testimony @EvermoreMichele of @NelpNews gave at today's hearing of @COVIDOversight showing how states with high shares of Black workers have the lowest UI recipiency

@EvermoreMichele also documents these states' unemployment insurance systems have the lowest levels of benefit replacement compared to the average weekly wage in their states. These are also states with the lowest union density (another key element of the structural racism model)

This is not the exact same testimony that @EvermoreMichele gave today, but you can find the key elements in her previous testimony here: https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/09JUN2020EVERMORESTMNT.pdf

You will notice a reason to model race differently for economists in this thread. A system that attempts to deny access to public goods from Black workers, also denies access to white workers (who are "standing too close" when the bomb goes off); as collateral damage.

The price to have disparate racial impacts on Black workers also borne by white workers who are in the same boats. The reason unions factor into the model is to prevent the Black and white workers from joining forces; so, this same set of political actors must limit unions, too.

And, as we are now seeing plainly, they must limit voting; with "d"emocracy being the collateral damage. This is why I encourage economists to free ourselves from marginal thinking and see the system and the system. We will have more relevance in policies that can change things