Overview
Write a 500-600 word opinion piece about a crimmigration-related topic of your choosing. Opinion pieces (also known as an “Op-Ed”) are meant to persuade a general audience, and they must be well-reasoned and researched. The ‘Op’ in Op-Ed means ‘Opposite,’ as these short pieces customarily have appeared in print newspapers ‘opposite the editorial page.’
You must cite at least 2 articles from the class in your opinion piece.
topic: The racial wealth gap in the U.S. didn’t happen by accident—it was created by policies that gave white families economic advantages while blocking Black and Latino families from the same opportunities. From redlining that denied home loans to minorities to job discrimination that kept wages low, these barriers made it harder for people of color to build wealth over generations. Even today, differences in homeownership, wages, and savings show that the gap hasn’t closed. Hard work alone won’t fix this issue; real change needs to come from policies that address the history of discrimination and give everyone a fair shot at financial security.
***You get 2 points of extra credit with proof that you submitted your Op-Ed to a news outlet, whether the outlet chooses to publish it or not.***
Submit your proof here, like a sent email or a screenshot in another submission format.
If you are taking advantage of this opportunity, you should know that media outlets have varied submission requirements (including formatting requirements) so, depending on where you choose to send, this may not be as simple as sending an email at the last minute. You should do some research to see what those requirements are in advance so you know whether the particular venue you have in mind works for the piece you are writing and whether submitting there requires something additional from you (like a letter to the editor). See some examples of outlets and their submission requirements here: https://www.theopedproject.org/submissions Links to an external site.
You cannot get points if you submit past the March 9 at 11:59 deadline--no exceptions will be made.