San Jose State University’s Human Rights Institute has released the “Silicon Valley Pain Index,” and it shows White people have an advantage in every institution examined.
A meta analysis of 30 recent studies makes up the Silicon Valley Pain Index, and among the 65 highlighted statistics, it shows that 5.6% percent of those living in poverty are White, with the number doubling for Black and Latino households.
Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton is a Professor of Sociology at San Jose State University and he told KCBS Radio that in every institution examined, White people have the advantage over Black, Indigenous and people of color in Santa Clara County.
“Whether it be in the criminal justice system, the economy, education, health care or housing,” he said.
Today, I joined Dr. Armaline, @SJSUHumanRights Institute Director, Prof. @smlipton students with @SJSU Student Homeless Alliance & Rev. Moore with @SanJoseNAACP at release of Silicon Valley Pain Index. This index will be annual to expose egregious income equality & exclusion. pic.twitter.com/yLDRTr0sGa
— Ash Kalra -- (@Ash_Kalra) June 23, 2020Jeff Moore is the President of the San Jose/Silicon Valley chapter of NAACP, and he had some choice words for the tech industry.
“We are calling on you, tech giants,” he said. “Stop pimping the people, stop taking advantage of the people. Give these kids summer jobs.”
He added that thousands don’t have enough to eat and educated people of color are left behind.
“But yet you sit with these fat wallets and don’t take care of this Valley,” he said. “You’ve made your money off of us. As a matter of fact, our relationship with you is more like a kingdom and we’re more like indentured servants to you.”
The San Jose State Human Rights Institute plans to collect some independent data going forward, and also plans to monitor which institutions are making progress and which are not.
