Attacking systemic barriers to close the wealth gap as a woman, person of color, lgbtq+, and/or disabled person often feels daunting. The ultimate solutions are policy driven and require a sustained coalition at local, national, and global levels. Many days that feels far off at best and impossible at worst.

But don’t let the system gaslight you. Yes, the odds are stacked and that has been statistically proven. But we can fight back and not just through big picture advocacy or being educated voters, we can educate ourselves to be self-advocates and build empowered communities.

Systemic barrier #1: Homeownership

Homeownership is the primary driver of the wealth gap in America.

Leah Binkovitz of Rice University’s Kinder Institute of Urban Research sat down with Dr. Elizabeth Korver-Glenn who did an extensive study in the Houston Metro area. Dr. Korver-Glenn’s 2018 study found systemic discrimination in all stages of the home buying process.

Perspectives Media researched several studies and distilled 5 things you can look for as you fight systemic discrimination in the housing market:

• Find an agent openly committed to housing justice (bonus for an agent of color)
• Apply to lenders that use race and gender-blind evaluation methods
• Get to know the local and federal fair housing laws
• Ask if professionals throughout your process are trained in fair housing law and policy
• If you’re selling, ensure your appraiser is trained in fair housing law and policy

There are several tools to get to know the law and the data around housing to prepare yourself:

• National Fair Housing Association website
• National Fair Housing 2023 Annual Study
• Brookings institute study on racist home price devaluation
• Follow racial inequality expert Dr. Keeanga-Yamhatta Taylor who wrote the groundbreaking book, “Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership"
• Has your realtor done the NAR fair housing training?

Systemic Barrier #2:  Income Disparity & Wage Discrimination

You can’t buy a house if your income won’t let you. Income disparities is one of the primary sustainers of economic apartheid in the United States. Throughout US history from slavery, to reconstruction, to the industrial revolution, we see systemic racism evolve to pay women, people of color, and those with disabilities less than their white male counterparts.

So what works in the fight for systemic equity at work and in your income?

• Just Capital’s Aleksandra Radeva found that working at one of the 23% of companies that analyzes its gender and race pay gap will reduce your income gap
• You might think a company that publishes income data would be another indicator of equity, but Harvard Business Review’s Avery Forman wrote about why this is not the case

Systemic barrier #3: Investment in Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Savings

Taking control of the systems of employment through entrepreneurship and investment is another important way women, people of color, and those with disabilities are fighting system barriers to closing the wealth gap.

• Yahoo finance is reporting that growth in the number women business owners is outpacing the growth in entrepreneurs more generally—entrepreneurship closes the wealth gap
• A startup accelerator is partnering with an apprenticeship program to support startup founders with disabilities
• Know where your retirement funds and assets are invested like Ruth Satchan of Invesment Monitor said, “No diversity, no investment”
• Choose a local bank for some of your funds that is a Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI)