Timely Topics

William M. Rodgers III, vice president and director of the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses how the St. Louis Fed works to promote a more inclusive and equitable economy: "We are focused on advancing research that informs equity-based policies and practices leading to an economy that works for everybody."

Paulina Restrepo-Echavarria, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses how the post-World War II Bretton Woods agreement applies to life in 2021—a time when America and the world are in various stages of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We really needed to help move the needle on educational materials, and so, we're working to provide educators with up-to-date information and quality teaching resources," says Federal Reserve Economist Jane Ihrig. She joins economic education coordinator Scott Wolla in discussing how educators should update their teaching on Fed monetary policy tools.

Juan Sanchez, assistant vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, talks about trends in credit card debt, mortgage debt and foreclosures during the pandemic and how they compare with those of the financial crisis.

"Access to college types can be used as an effective tool for the purpose of fighting inequality," says Oksana Leukhina, economist and research officer at the St. Louis Fed. She talks about how changes to the current meritocratic college admissions system in the U.S. could combat inequality.

Meredith Covington, Supervisory Policy and Risk Analysis manager, and Ana Hernández Kent, Institute for Economic Equity senior researcher, discuss how the "she-cession" is disproportionately affecting women of color and sparking conversations about caregiving responsibilities.

Oksana Leukhina, economist and research officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, talks about the importance of students understanding the college selection process in the U.S. to tip the scale in their direction.

Paulina Restrepo-Echavarria, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses what firms consider when weighing the decision to post wages for open positions or negotiate with prospective employees instead.

Four senior executives at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis talk about their careers, challenges they have faced as Black Americans and what organizations and allies can do to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

YiLi Chien, economist and research officer at the St. Louis Fed, discusses how investing in the stock market can play a role in wealth inequality. He also explains why some people may choose to not invest in stocks, despite their higher returns historically.

The St. Louis Fed's Community Development team discusses their work to promote a more inclusive, equitable economy, "one in which everyone can derive benefit regardless of their background, the color of their skin, their gender, or the ZIP code where they reside."

Researchers at the St. Louis Fed's Center for Household Financial Stability discuss how demographic variables—such as birth year, race and education—play into the state of wealth and equity in the United States.

Alexander Monge-Naranjo, research officer and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, briefly talks about both the challenges and opportunities presented to the U.S. as the rest of the world becomes better educated.

David Andolfatto, senior vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, talks about how a hot money credit program could help kick-start the stalled economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ana Kent, policy analyst at the St. Louis Fed's Center for Household Financial Stability, talks about how COVID-19 could cause devastating financial setbacks for millennials, a generation still reeling from the Great Recession, with little to no financial buffer and facing sizable job losses.

Charles Gascon, St. Louis Fed regional economist, discusses his research on COVID-19 schools closings and how they may impact worker productivity, children's education and even existing gender gaps.

Senior Economist Ana Maria Santacreu and Economist Fernando Leibovici, both of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discuss their research on essential medical equipment imports and how the U.S. is facing a massive shortage of these supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ray Boshara, an assistant vice president, and Lowell Ricketts, lead analyst, both at the St. Louis Fed's Center for Household Financial Stability, talk about which families are the most vulnerable to income shock like COVID-19.

Juan Sanchez, an assistant vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses COVID-19 related economic shocks and his research on financially distressed Americans. He talks about income declines, social distancing, disease spread and more.

Mary Suiter, an assistant vice president and the economic education officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses April as Financial Literacy Month and offers tips for how parents can teach decision-making skills to their children.

Alexander Monge-Naranjo, an economist and officer in the Research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses the role of human capital as a determinant of a country's income.

Christopher Neely, a vice president in the research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses why central banks around the world adopted the practice of setting explicit inflation targets.

Julian Kozlowski, economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses his research on the Great Recession and how it changed people's perceptions. He also explains why listeners should be interested in liquidity and its effects on interest rates.

Don Schlagenhauf, economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses his research on the rise in house prices and home ownership rates from 1940 to 1960. He explains the role of changes in government policy, mortgage financing, productivity and the purchasers' income, age and education.

Sungki Hong, a St. Louis Fed economist, talks about complex production networks: When a "hub" industry like construction contracts, it can hit other industries hard. He discusses how this unfolded amid the Great Recession and why he's curious about the technology industry today.