Higher Education's Power
Higher Ed's Lasting Impact
Higher education faces growing criticism, yet decades of research continue to demonstrate its importance for economic mobility, workforce participation, & career success. In this commentary, Dr. Summers explores the evidence, challenges common misconceptions, & examines why education remains a powerful pathway to oppo
Policy Research & Impact.
Applied Public Insight. Community Impact.
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The Cadence Institute advances rigorous public policy research and applied learning grounded in economic reality and civic responsibilities.
Policy Insights
Community Learning
Research Reports
Independent policy inquiry integrating quantitative analysis, qualitative research, and institutional study.
Research Reports
Community Learning
Research Reports
Original briefs, economic reviews, and essays translating research into public understanding.
Community Learning
Community Learning
Community Learning
Applied learning initiatives advancing civic literacy, community organizing, and engagement.
Recent Research
America at 250: Shaping Democracy's Future
America at 250 marks more than a national anniversary. It is an opportunity to reflect on our democracy, confront the challenges that remain, and imagine the institutions we must build for the next generation. Explore our inaugural essay launching The Cadence Institute's year long initiative examining the future of American democracy through research, public policy, and civic engagement.
Black Women & the Economy in 2025
New data reveals persistent disparities in unemployment, wages, and access to capital for Black women. This Cadence Institute policy perspective by Desiree Herrington, CEO, The Thinkubator and FuelbyDesi explores what the data tells us and what it demands from policymakers, markets, and communities moving forward.
Bridging the Income & Cost Gap
The Cadence Institute’s latest analysis examines the growing gap between wages and the cost of everyday living. As essential expenses like housing, food, and utilities continue to rise, many households are feeling increased financial pressure despite modest income gains. This work highlights a critical challenge in today’s economy and underscores the need for policy solutions that align wages with the true cost of living.
Economic Stability Insights
This Cadence Institute Data Brief examines the February jobs report through the Household Economic Pressure Dashboard, analyzing how employment trends, wages, and housing costs are shaping economic stability for American households.
The Rising Cost of Housing In America
The Rising Cost of Housing in America examines housing affordability trends from 2020 to 2025 using primary federal data. The brief documents the widening gap between home prices and wages and outlines structural policy reforms focused on supply, subsidy design, asset access, and urban governance.
Who Gained and Who Missed Out?
Who benefited from economic growth in 2025? Drawing on federal data, this analysis finds that expansion was largely asset-led, with wealth gains concentrated among higher-income households while renters and wage-dependent workers saw more modest improvement.
Economic Trends & Leadership
Presidents govern through economic cycles they often inherit as much as shape. This chart uses official BLS payroll data to show how job growth has risen, slowed, and even reversed across recent administrations, reflecting expansions, financial crises, and the pandemic shock.
Men's Job Gaps (2015-2025)
Over the past decade, national unemployment rates have often masked persistent racial disparities among men. Black and Hispanic men have consistently experienced higher jobless rates than White and Asian men. Even strong economic recoveries have not erased these structural gaps.
Women & Unemployment: 2015-2025
Over the past decade, the U.S. labor market has repeatedly demonstrated that headline jobless figures can mask deep and enduring racial inequities among women. Even during periods of robust job growth, Black and Hispanic women have sustained higher unemployment rates than their White and Asian counterparts.
Job Growth & Future Outlook
The Cadence Institute examines recent U.S. job growth and unemployment trends to understand what they mean for American workers, economic stability, and the policy choices shaping the future of the labor market.
Equity at Risk
The Disproportionate Impact of 2025 Federal DOGE Cuts on Communities of Color explores how sweeping federal spending reductions have intensified racial and socioeconomic inequities across the United States. Drawing on national data and case studies from the Bronx, Riviera Beach, and Watts, this policy brief reveals how cuts to education, healthcare, and environmental programs are reshaping opportunity and well-being in historically marginalized communities.
Impact of HIV/AIDS Funding Cuts
The Cadence Institute for Policy & Society conducted a national analysis of how recent and proposed reductions in HIV/AIDS funding are reshaping the public health landscape in the United States. The research examines the immediate and long-term consequences of these funding cuts on prevention, treatment, housing, and research programs that sustain LGBTQ+ and other vulnerable communities.
Get In Touch
Community Updates
Interested in conducting interdisciplinary research with the Cadence Institute for Policy & Society ? Contact us. We are looking to build a community of scholars, including those like Dr. Edward Summers, who are passionate about advancing research that matters, such as HIV/AIDS funding and developing insightful policy briefs for the Society.
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