Aja Brown, who made history when she became Compton’s youngest-ever mayor, has launched a new pilot program called the Compton Pledge, which guarantees 800 residents an income for two years.
“The program will be rigorously evaluated by an independent research team,” a press release stated. “Participant names will be kept anonymous, but preliminary findings will be reported at six-month intervals and a live data dashboard will be shared once disbursements begin.”
According to the official website, “The Compton Pledge will be the largest city-based guaranteed income pilot in the US, and will harness the power of unconditional cash transfers in service of racial and economic justice.”
There is no set income residents will receive, but the program states that it would be at least several hundred dollars, with more significant amounts received by parents with multiple children.
“People in our community are going through tough times, and I know that guaranteed income could give people a moment to navigate their situation, and have some breathing room to go back to school, explore a new career path, spend time with their children, or improve their mental and emotional wellbeing,” Mayor Aja Brown said in a statement.
“I recognized that there’s a need for additional income, especially with the pandemic resulting in record high numbers of unemployment throughout the entire country,” she adds. “This is a great opportunity to address inequalities for Black and brown people and also additional opportunities for upward mobility.”
Click here for more information on the Compton Pledge.
