Articles by Jessica Fulton
Jessica Fulton
Budget Reconciliation Cuts to the Social Safety Net and their Impact on Black Households
In July 2025, congressional Republicans passed, and President Donald Trump signed, a partisan budget reconciliation package that will reshape the American economy and further erode the social safety net. The…
Centering Black Households in the 2025 Tax Debate
The policy brief, “Centering Black Households in the 2025 Tax Debate,” analyzes how the proposed extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) would affect Black communities. At…
Building a More Inclusive Agenda: A Survey of Congressional Priorities Across Race — Priorities for Tax Policy
Updated December 18, 2023 Heading into debates related to the expiration of the 2017 tax cuts, policymakers, scholars, and advocates have put forth proposals to expand or retract investments in…
Pessimism and Hope: A Survey of the Financial Status and Aspirations of Black Americans
For the report, Pessimism and Hope: A Survey of the Financial Status and Aspirations of Black Americans, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and NORC at the…
Exploring Challenges for Small-Business Owners Across Race
In April and May 2021, the Joint Center surveyed 1,238 small-business owners nationwide — including 383 Black, 452 Latino, and 403 white respondents. Black and Latino respondents were over-represented relative…
Improving the Earned Income Tax Credit for Black Workers Without Children
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)-one of the few poverty reduction programs offered through the federal tax code-is also one of the most important poverty reduction programs in the United…
March Jobs Data Shows Some Promise for Black Economic Recovery
By Aleya Jones and Jessica Fulton In March, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased slightly, but a deeper look into the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics’ March 2021 Employment…
December Jobs Data Shows Loss for Black Women
In December, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased slightly to 9.9 percent, down from 10.3 percent in November 2020. This rate is above the national unemployment rate of 6.7…
Pandemic Relief Priorities for Black Communities
By LaShonda Brenson Ph.D., Jessica Fulton, and Spencer Overton While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately harm Black communities in the United States, Congress and the Trump Administration have failed…