Why Pursuing a Career and Providing for Your Family is Racist

A new study from the Progressive Equity Institute has concluded that pursuing a career and providing for one’s family is rooted in systemic racism.

The report, released last week, argues that the traditional American drive to work hard and support loved ones perpetuates inequality by upholding outdated structures of privilege. Researchers point to historical data showing that stable employment and family provision were more accessible to certain groups in the past, thus making these pursuits inherently exclusionary today.

“This isn’t about personal choice—it’s about power dynamics,” said Dr. Lenora Chastain, lead author of the study.

She explained that the act of earning a living and caring for a family mirrors colonial patterns of resource hoarding, which marginalized communities were denied for centuries.

The findings come amid ongoing debates over workplace diversity and economic justice, sparked by recent federal data showing persistent wage gaps. Critics of the report argue it ignores individual effort, but supporters insist that effort itself is a luxury not everyone can afford.

“When you clock into your 9-to-5 and pay your mortgage, you’re flexing a privilege that screams ‘I’ve got mine,’” said activist Jamal Torres, speaking at a rally in Oakland on Tuesday. He urged Americans to reconsider their life goals in light of this revelation.

The study has gained traction among policymakers, with some suggesting tax penalties for those who earn above a certain threshold while maintaining a nuclear family.

In a press conference yesterday, Senator Elizabeth Warren referenced the report, noting that wealth accumulation through hard work has “always been a rigged game.” She declined to elaborate on how such penalties might be implemented

Not everyone is on board with the conclusions. Economist Thomas Reed, who reviewed the study, called it “a stretch that defies basic reasoning,” arguing that tying family support to racism ignores the universal human instinct to care for one’s own.

Despite the pushback, the Progressive Equity Institute plans to lobby for educational campaigns to reframe career ambition as a social justice issue.

“We need to unlearn this obsession with self-reliance,” said Chastain in a follow-up interview with The Washington Wick. She emphasized that true equality might require abandoning the idea of personal success altogether.

The report’s release coincides with a viral social media trend where users pledge to “decolonize their hustle” by working less and donating earnings to reparations funds. Advocates say it’s a small step toward dismantling the oppressive legacy of productivity.

“I used to think providing for my kids was noble, but now I see it’s just me stepping on someone else’s neck,” said Portland resident and former software engineer Kyle Brant, who quit his job before the report was made public.

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