Pandemic to Prosperity: South

FOREWORD

Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, Vice President, Fair Count

Dr. Sarah Beth Gehl, Research Director, The Southern Economic Advancement Project

A civic ecosystem has been burgeoning for decades in the South, and it now offers an opportunity to turn the tragedy of this pandemic into an opportunity to build prosperity and progress for all. Data and civic engagement will be critical. In 2019, Stacey Abrams founded the Southern Economic Advancement Project (SEAP) to lift up policies that address particular vulnerabilities in the South such as underfunded public health infrastructure, thin protections for workers, and weak supports for the unemployed, families, and children. That same year, Abrams founded Fair Count to achieve a fair and accurate count in the 2020 Census while strengthening pathways to continued civic participation. Together, SEAP and Fair Count commissioned the National Conference on Citizenship to document the state of the South during the pandemic. 

Healthcare. A record number of people are enrolling in ACA health insurance plans, which offer deeper subsidies and an expanded window for enrollment. However, even more Southerners could be insured if the remaining 7 Southern states adopted Medicaid expansion. Without Medicaid expansion, rural communities are disproportionately impacted. Rural hospitals are left to treat too many uninsured patients, receive insufficient reimbursement for the care they provide, and face closure, contributing to a downward spiral for rural communities during the greatest public health crisis of our times. 

Employment. The South continues to have 1.4 million fewer jobs than in February 2020, prior to the start of pandemic closures. Louisiana has roughly half the number of small businesses it had before the pandemic, and the South as a whole has about ⅓ its previous number of small businesses. Shortages in childcare and elder care are hindering the ability of women to return to work. Without wages that sufficiently cover childcare and afterschool care expenses, many parents cannot afford to return to work, and employers will be hard-pressed to attract workers. 

Internet Access. The Covid pandemic has shown that lack of access to computers and internet significantly hinder educational support, job seeking, skill building, and small business development and success. As children return to school, workplaces become more digitized, and communities continue to deal with pandemic-related challenges, investments in broadband access at state and local levels will be essential. 

Housing, food, and other basic needs. Though jobs are growing, unemployment remains high at 5.9%, and state unemployment benefits do not cover basic expenses in 11 Southern states. Nonetheless, 7 of these states voted to prematurely cut expanded federal benefits while unemployed and low-income families struggle to pay for housing, food, and healthcare. The Child Tax Credit is expected to reduce child hardships by providing monthly payments to the vast majority of American families July–December 2021. Advocates can help by getting the word out about this important benefit and making the case for public investments in housing, mental health, and education. 

Pandemic and crisis readiness. Despite having some of the lowest vaccination rates, combined with rising Covid infections and the presence of the more contagious Delta variant, several Southern states are slowing the frequency of Covid reporting. Without consistent and accurate data on cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and vaccinations, states will be ill-prepared in the event of future shocks and stressors. To mitigate impending challenges, every Southern state should make a long-term investment in a Chief Data Officer and a team dedicated to keeping critical data flowing. 

ARP implementation. State and local governments are receiving unprecedented federal funding through the American Recovery Plan that can help address many of these economic, health, and social challenges. The ability of these funds to make a real impact will depend on effective and equitable community engagement. To encourage a values-driven framework, SEAP’s SouthStrong initiative developed an ARP Toolkit for local governments to develop strategic and sustainable recovery initiatives that benefit all community members. 

Redistricting. Every legislative seat in the U.S. must be drawn using 2020 Census data, which was delayed by Covid and is now due by August 16. State deadlines vary in the amount of time they have to redraw maps before their own deadlines, with Southern states ranging from 4–11 months to redraw Congressional maps. With compressed (but sufficient) timelines, lawmakers may be tempted to skip transparency and public input. Communities should be ready for robust engagement both prior to the delivery of redistricting data and as soon as the data are made available. Fair Count is a member of the CHARGE redistricting hub, which provides resources and trainings to help bolster community engagement during the redistricting process. 

Voting restrictions. Voters turned out in record numbers for the 2020 election, which experts described as “the most secure in American history.”1 However, several Southern states (AL, GA, FL, KY, and AR) have responded to this election with the passage of new restrictive voting laws. In fact, all 12 Southern states have passed or introduced legislation to raise barriers to voting in 2021. Between April and June of this year, Southerners participated in dozens of demonstrations against these new restrictive laws and advocated for reduced barriers to voting. 

The South is a vital region, and this pandemic is worsening our existing challenges and deepening our inequities. Now, it is our time to stand together and move from pandemic to prosperity.

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