Everything Is Too Damn High
Welcome to This Black-Ass Life! This week, learn about inflation with us and how that affects our Black asses. Also, when do we call in the aunties on their behavior?
I. The Facts
It's all too damn high! Inflation hit the sharpest year-over-year increase since 1981.
Let's start with a definition: "inflation is a loss of purchasing power over time." Essentially, your money does not go as far anymore for the goods and services you need to survive.
The cause: the pandemic, Russian-Ukrainian war, disruption in the supply chain and of course, capitalism is an unsustainable and overall, a terrible economic system.
Most people actually don't care why. We just know the basics are increasingly out of reach. The cost of food has risen sharply (i.e., eggs cost 11.4% more than they did last year; beef, up 16%; fresh fruit, up by almost 12%).
Adding the cost of rent, which is up 40%(!) in some cities, and gas prices, up 70%(!) from this time last year, low and middle-class American families are barely getting by.
Annnnnd Bitch, you guessed it! Black and Brown communities are suffering the brunt of this.
**Y'all and I (Jumoke) know this is hella privilege, but it used to cost $11 to get to Mitu's house, and now Uber is trying to make me pay $32, and I may never see her again.**
Why does it matter?
Inflation has become a topic for debate in political/media spaces, and it’s worth a reminder THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS. Our ability to feed and house ourselves cannot be a pawn in games banks play.
Again, Black, Latinx, rural and non-college-educated households are hit hardest by inflation. They don’t make enough money to cover essential goods and services, including energy, food, cars and household furnishings and supplies.
Even those who might still be able to afford the necessities feel this. So we understand (sort of) why people may be experiencing things like “tip fatigue.” But the issue isn’t other workers also trying to survive.
For those still able to get by, a reminder that racism strangles the life out of every sphere of American economic life. We cannot “buy Black” or “hustle harder” or “entrepreneur” our way out of this. Black-owned businesses have shut down at two times the national average rate in the last three years alone.
There are systems designed by larger political actors and corporations actively suppressing wages through blocking collective bargaining, misclassifying workers, not paying overtime, wage theft and more.
High inflation means more Americans will stay in poverty or will slip into it (yikes, what a vague way of saying that people will go hungry). That we know. So this isn’t just fodder for a cute TikTok with bar graphs. This is real life, and people are going under every single day.
What can my Black ass do?
Get to know union leaders, business owners, homeowners and other Black people affected by inflation.
Rising costs and stagnant or even decreasing wages are as good a reminder to start or join a union.
If you can, find a mutual aid near you through the Mutual Aid Hub to help someone else get by a bit better.
II. Other Things
Black-ass happenings
May André Leon Talley rest in peace. A free idea for Vogue: Make a full André Leon Talley tribute editorial. It would sell out in every store. Do right by the legend!
We are calling a FAMILY MEETING: Justin Lin will no longer direct Fast 10.
Love to Megan always, and this song?! 🔥
Netflix intentionally recruited women of color (mostly Black, Latinx and Asian women) for a well-paid, secure gig only to lay them off within a few months with allegedly two weeks severance.
Nicole Byer should be a late night host. Give her James’ gig.
Did y’all know there’s a Black Panther cookbook? Wakanda recipes do you think are in there?
Read, “If You Think My Pronouns Are Optional, We Can’t Keep Being Friends.” Please respect people and RETIRE the phrase “preferred pronouns.”
Kaavia will NEVER remove her foot from Gabrielle’s neck. Thank goodness for that.
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Jumoke):
I’ve been listening to Oxlade’s Oxgene and this is my favorite song on the album. Or actually maybe this one.
Things we look forward to / don't look forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to the weather not dipping below 75 degrees. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on meeeeee.
I (Mitu) look forward to The Bob’s Burgers Movie. I am firmly in the animated show and movie hive, and Bob’s Burgers is a delight.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Parent
My (Jumoke’s) auntie sent me this yesterday, and #2 is awfully specific, but a hearty AMEN!
Stay Black, have a snack and take a nap today. We'll hit your inbox next on May 16.