Published on February 1st, “The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions for a Broken System”mobilizes 35 top Black experts, scholars, and advocates, including the foreword, from across the US to share transformative perspectives on how to deploy anti-racist ideas and policies into everything from climate policy to criminal justice to healthcare. The book is #1 Best Seller in Economic Policy & Development category.
Edited by Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, “The Black Agenda” is the first book of its kind—a bold and urgent move towards social justice through a profound collection of essays featuring Black scholars and experts across economics, education, health, climate, criminal justice and technology. It speaks to the question “What’s next for America?” on the subjects of policy-making, mental health, artificial intelligence, climate movement, the future of work, the LGBTQ community, the criminal legal system, and much more.
“The Black Agenda:Bold Solutions For a Broken System” features Black voices across economics, education, health, climate, and technology, speaking to the question “What’s next?” as it pertains to centering Black people in policy matters in USA. Essayists including Dr. Sandy Darity, Dr. Hedwig Lee, Mary Heglar, and Janelle Jones present groundbreaking ideas ranging from Black maternal and infant health to reparations to AI bias to inclusive economic policy, with the potential to uplift and heal not only Black America, but the entire country.
Award-winning Ghanaian-American
Born in Kumasi, Ghana, Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman,25, is an award-winning Ghanaian-American researcher, entrepreneur, and writer. She graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2019 with a Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics and a minor in Economics. Currently, she is a graduate student at Harvard Kennedy School studying public policy and economics.
In 2018, Anna Gifty co-founded The Sadie Collective, the only non-profit organization addressing the underrepresentation of Black women in economics, finance, and policy. She also co-founded the viral and award-winning digital campaign #BlackBirdersWeek.
The youngest recipient for a CEDAW Women’s Rights Award
To date, Anna Gifty remains the youngest recipient for a CEDAW Women’s Rights Award by the United Nations Convention on the Elimination all forms of Discrimination Against Women—previously awarded to Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Her advocacy, research, and commentary lie at the intersection of social justice and quantitative analysis and are featured widely by media outlets such as Bloomberg, NPR, Teen Vogue, Slate, and The New York Times.
Anna Gifty speaks nationwide to organizations about topics ranging from corporate culture to inspiring the next generation of change makers.
Testimonies
“The Back Agenda: Bold Solutions For a Broken System” has received praise from the likes of New York Times bestselling authors, Wes Moore, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, and Chelsea Clinton.
Chelsea Clinton, New York Times bestselling author of She Persisted said: “The Black Agenda is urgent. It’s urgent that white people recognize that centering, listening to, and being led by the voices in this book are the start to investing in societal solutions. I wish that moral arguments of equity were enough but know they’re not. These chapters are a strong mix of diagnosis and prescription, with an appropriate layer of moral calling to help us learn, reflect, and be motivated toward specific action.”
Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award winner, 2021 MacArthur Fellow, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and Stamped From the Beginning said: “The Black Agenda mobilizes top Black experts from across the country to share transformative perspectives on how to deploy anti-racist ideas and policies into everything from climate policy to criminal justice to healthcare. This book will challenge what you think is possible by igniting long overdue conversations around how to enact lasting and meaningful change rooted in racial justice.”
