The State of Working America Podcast

The Cost of DHS Attacks on Immigrants The Trump administration’s deployment of DHS agencies—such as ICE—has caused irreparable harm to our communities, neighbors, and families across the country. The economic costs are also substantial—and mounting. University of Colorado Economics Professor Chloe N. East , Senior Economist and Deputy Director of Research at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employmen...

Creating justice in a multiracial democracy The Trump administration is attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the public sector. Inspired by the book Creating Justice in a Multiracial Democracy , this Economic Policy Institute webinar provides an actionable path forward to defend against these attacks and ultimately build...

A New Way to Think About the Minimum Wage: How high could policymakers set a national minimum wage? In partnership with the Roosevelt Institute and Oklahoma Policy Institute , Economic Policy Institute hosted this webinar that shares a new, evidence-backed framework for raising the federal minimum wage.  The webinar included Roosevelt Institute Director of Worker Power and Economic Security Patric...

Public education under attack: How EPI research and tools support investment in public schools EPI’s Chief Economist, Josh Bivens; Director of EPI’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, Valerie Wilson; and Economist Hilary Wething, along with a special introduction by Peter Rivera from the Hewlett Foundation, discuss public education and how critical public goods are being attacked at both...

AI—Making Employee Disempowerment New Again There is much panic around AI’s impact on the labor market. Efforts to blame inequality and unemployment on AI and technology divert attention from the root cause: excess employer power. The best “AI policy” to protect workers would be boosting workers’ power by improving social insurance systems, removing barriers to organizing unions, and sustaining lo...

State of Working America Q1 Economic Briefing Economic Policy Institute Chief Economist Josh Bivens and Senior Economist Ben Zipperer, in conversation with Senior Policy and Economic Analyst Chandra Childers, on how current policies are impacting working people and families, along with solutions that create a more affordable life for everyone. Originally held Thursday, April 9, 2026. Learn more: h...

Building worker power in the states when federal labor laws are under attack The Trump administration brazenly attacks workers and their unions, undermining federal labor laws and emboldening corporate union busters. Amid this escalating US worker rights crisis, states across the country are stepping up to strengthen threatened labor standards, level the playing field for unionizing workers, and e...

“Who’s got the power? The resurgence of American unions” Enjoy this conversation with author, labor historian, union organizer and Economic Policy Institute Senior State Policy Strategist Dave Kamper about his exciting new book, Who’s Got the Power?: The Resurgence of American Unions.   Originally held Wednesday, January 28, 2026. __  The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to...

Everyone is talking about affordability — and making the same mistake. Enjoy this conversation with Economic Policy Institute President, Heidi Shierholz; Director of the Program on Race, Ethnicity and the Economy, Valerie Wilson; and Chief Economist, Josh Bivens; moderated by Samantha Sanders, about what’s missing from the current debate! Originally held Thursday, January 22, 2026. __  The State o...

In an environment where pursuing equity goals could invite dangerous scrutiny, one could reasonably ask: Is it still prudent to talk about reparations?  Join Kyle Moore, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy (PREE) for this episode of the State of Working America podcast about his piece on “ Why we have to keep talking about reparations in 20...

Season six of the podcast presents a series of discussions about economic issues related to the election. In this episode, EPI's Executive Vice President Naomi Walker is joined by Chandra Childers, senior policy and economic analyst with the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN), to discuss this history and impact of the Southern economic development model. Southern politicians claim that...

Season six of the podcast presents a series of discussions about economic issues related to the election. In this episode, EPI's Executive Vice President Naomi Walker is joined by EPI Chief Economist Josh Bivens to discuss the historical economic performance of different administrations as detailed in his report, Economic performance is stronger when Democrats hold the White House . According to t...

In 2023, workers across the country—from Hollywood writers to autoworkers, nurses, and Starbucks baristas—went on strike to improve their working conditions. Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute and former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor, discusses what this surge in labor actions means for workers and the fight for racial and economic justice. __ The State o...

Sixty years later, policymakers have failed to meet the economic demands of the March on Washington. Policy analyst Adewale A. Maye discusses new Economic Policy Institute research finding that post-civil rights era legislation has largely failed to address disparities in wages, wealth, and homeownership for Black Americans. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise...

Economist Elise Gould discusses surprising new Economic Policy Institute research showing that the lowest-paid U.S. workers saw historic wage growth between 2019 and 2022, even after accounting for high inflation. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to ensure they are heard in the economic policy debate. Hosted by Nick Kauzlarich, Media Relation...

Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman is a Ghanaian-born American activist and writer. She is a co-founder and former CEO of the Sadie Collective, as well as a co-founder and co-organizer of Black Birders Week. She discusses her new book, The Black Agenda. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to ensure they are heard in the economic policy debate. Hosted by K...

Nina Banks discusses her new book "Democracy, Race, and Justice: The Speeches and Writings of Sadie T. M. Alexander." Banks, an economist, talks about her journey to unearth the economic insights of the first Black economist, Alexander, who was unable to find work in her field when she graduated in 1921 but went on to influence economics and press for equity for black workers and their families. _...

Dorothy A. Brown discusses her new book, The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans—and How We Can Fix It. Brown, a law professor and expert in tax policy, provides a cross-disciplinary analysis exposing the racism of the American tax system. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to ensure they are heard in the econom...

Heidi Shierholz and Josh Bivens of the Economic Policy Institute fact-check current hype around the idea that a labor shortage is holding back U.S. businesses. Heidi and Josh explain that what we are experiencing is just the opposite of a labor shortage—there are vastly more unemployed workers than job openings. Related work from the Economic Policy Institute Restaurant labor shortages show little...

Hosts Pedro da Costa and Rami Jackson talk to Kayla Blado, President of the Nonprofit Employee and Media Relations Director at EPI, and bargaining chair at The Democracy Collaborative union, Katie Parker, about millennial activism, new sources of inspiration and recent victories for nonprofit union workers. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to...

As workers around the country both union and nonunion ramp up their activism, Steven Greenhouse, author of Beaten Down, Worked Up and a long-time New York Times labor reporter, chronicles the recent labor revival. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to ensure they are heard in the economic policy debate. Hosted by Pedro da Costa. Core topics inc...

Tanya Wallace-Gobern, director of the National Black Worker Center Project, talks about all the ways in which Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights is at the core of the country’s democratic advancement. __ National Black Worker Center Project:  https://nationalblackworkercenters.org/ __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to ensure they are h...

Damion Shade, a criminal justice policy analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute, talks about the key challenges and prospects he sees for undoing some of the damage from America's racist and punitive prison system not just on the people whose lives they hurt but also on the U.S. job market more broadly. __ The State of Working America Podcast is part of EPI’s effort to raise workers’ voices to en...

Nina Banks, economics professor at Bucknell University and a board member at the Economic Policy Institute, discusses her groundbreaking work on minority women's unpaid collective labor—things like civic and community protests and organizing that ultimately lead to stronger basic rights and a better society for everyone. __ Related links Mobilizing Economic Research to Address Socioeconomic and Ra...

Season 2 of the podcast kicks off strong with Patrice Kunesh, director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis' Center for Indian Country Development. She talks to host Pedro da Costa about the specific challenges facing various Native American communities across the nation, and offers an eclectic range of policy options to solve the most egregious economic problems. __ The State of Working Ame...