Senior Fellow @BrookingsInst • VP of AOF • Sociology Professor • Articles in @washingtonpost @nytimes @Politico @thehill @businessinsider
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Articles by Rashawn Ray
Recent SCOTUS decisions threaten to uproot communities’ voting power
The race to push forward new redistricting maps will diminish the voting power of diverse communities. It is hard to overstate how radically the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais ruling has already diminished the political power of Black voters in the United States. The decision has essentially set a new precedent for redistricting, firmly establishing that there is “no compelling interest” in using race to create a congressional map that increases Black voter representation.
AI surveillance in schools raises safety and equity concerns
Students walking into an American public school today might not immediately realizetheir movements are being monitored. Hallway cameras are familiar enough, but schools are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence tools that go far beyond a lens pointed at a corridor. In 2025, a high schooler in Baltimore was carrying a bag of chips that was flagged by AI software as a potential weapon.
Protest changes policy when communities stay organized
The American promise of free speech and collective action is not merely a constitutional abstraction. It is the mechanism through which every major expansion of civil rights and democratic participation has been achieved. From the labor movement to the suffrage campaigns to the civil rights revolution, organized community power has driven the policy changes that formal institutions were too slow or too to enact on their own.
Black and Latino voters face an affordability gap before the midterm Original
Affordability is a top issue for Americans and will be a key component in the 2026 midterms. Racial and ethnic minorities will be a crucial voting bloc in future elections, and given that they are some of the most vulnerable communities bearing the brunt of economic downturns, their opinions on the economy shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Carceral Shadow: Criminal Justice as a Determinant of Health and Challenges for Policymakers
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Policy Points: The criminal justice system functions as a primary social determinant of health in the United States, generating disproportionate physical, psychological, and chronic health burdens on Black communities and other marginalized groups.
Founders’ focus on naturalization and migration echoes today
The Declaration of Independence accused the British Crown of obstructing naturalization and restricting migration to the colonies, grievances that feel especially relevant today. On this episode of Democracy in Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas sits down with Brookings senior fellows Rashawn Ray and Scott Anderson to trace how American values around immigration and naturalization have evolved since 1776, and what the Founders’ concerns tell us about today’s debates.
Two members of Congress on improving American education
On this episode of The Brookings Current, Brookings Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray sits down with two former teachers-turned-lawmakers: Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. They engage in a candid dialogue on the state of K-12 education amid changing student demographics, the introduction of AI in the classroom, and the challenge of workforce preparation.
Off the court: How one basketball star’s death is saving lives
Research shows that investing in programs and places for youth to participate in sports can reduce gun violence. But what can the people most directly affected do in the wake of tragedy? In this episode, part two of a conversation, Brookings Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray speaks with Taren Weaver-Smith, mother of Darius Lee, a rising basketball star whose life ended by gun violence, and Ron Cottrell, Darius’ coach at Houston Christian University.
ICE is disrupting societal norms and democratic ideals
A growing immigration enforcement crisis faces the nation as communities across the country are being targeted by the aggressive implementation of deportation policy. Several cities facing challenges from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions are filing lawsuits to stop raids in their jurisdictions, limit federal enforcement power, and oversee ICE procedures, including requiring that ICE agents do not wear masks to cover their faces.
Beyond the Bracket: How basketball can prevent gun violence
Can investing in youth sports—especially in certain neighborhoods where children are particularly vulnerable—reduce gun violence? In this episode, Rashawn Ray, senior Brookings Governance Studies fellow, leads a conversation on the role that basketball can play in community building and reducing violent conflict.
Beyond the Bracket: How basketball can prevent gun violence
Can investing in youth sports—especially in certain neighborhoods where children are particularly vulnerable—reduce gun violence? In this episode, Rashawn Ray, senior Brookings Governance Studies fellow, leads a conversation on the role that basketball can play in community building and reducing violent conflict.
How Families Matter Pamela Braboy Jackson and Rashawn Ray
Summary How Families Matter by Pamela Braboy Jackson and Rashawn Ray explores the complex ways that adults experience and define family life in contemporary American society, especially at the intersections of race, gender, and work. The book challenges simplistic public and academic debates about families by centering the perspectives of families themselves, rather than imposing abstract definitions or policy assumptions.
ICE: A predictable pattern of tragedy in Minneapolis
SANCHEZ: The training academy for these officers I understand has been slashed from what used to be 22 weeks, which we might argue might not even be enough, just down to 47 days. What does this reduction in training mean on the ground? RAY: The lack of training leads to mistakes, and in law enforcement mistakes get people killed. The watering down of standards for training is extremely troubling and problematic.
ICE: A predictable pattern of tragedy in Minneapolis
SANCHEZ: The training academy for these officers I understand has been slashed from what used to be 22 weeks, which we might argue might not even be enough, just down to 47 days. What does this reduction in training mean on the ground? RAY: The lack of training leads to mistakes, and in law enforcement mistakes get people killed. The watering down of standards for training is extremely troubling and problematic.
ICE expansion has outpaced accountability. What are the remedies?
ICE has deported roughly 540,000 people since Trump took office for his second presidential term in January 2025. On January 7, 2026, an ICE agent killed an American citizen. Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother living in Minneapolis, was shot to death in her vehicle by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Good’s death is now ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
ICE expansion has outpaced accountability. What are the remedies?
ICE has deported roughly 540,000 people since Trump took office for his second presidential term in January 2025. On January 7, 2026, an ICE agent killed an American citizen. Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother living in Minneapolis, was shot to death in her vehicle by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Good’s death is now ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
Is Atlanta’s Cop City the answer to public safety?
Police reform is redefining political accountability for local decision-making across America. In Atlanta, the opening of Cop City, an 85-acre policing facility with a $115 million price tag, marks a pivotal moment in the city’s evolving approach to public safety. Officially known as the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, Cop City represents the use of advanced technology in the professionalization of policing.
The state of police reform: Measuring progress in each state
In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin and three other now former officers, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. However, the legislation never received a vote in the U.S. Senate. Though Democrats and Republicans agreed on a large portion of the legislation, they hit a stalemate on qualified immunity.
How police violence reshapes community health and trust
St. Louis and Baltimore have been the epicenters of the Black Lives Matter movement over the past decade. In August 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri—a suburb outside of St. Louis. In April 2015, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, died in the hospital after being arrested and injured during transport by Baltimore police officers.
Policy agenda for radical reparations
Advanced search Ethnic and Racial Studies Latest Articles Submit an article Journal homepage Full Article Figures & data References Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Read this article /doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2024.2421297?needAccess=true ABSTRACT To confront durable racial inequalities that stem from the afterlives of slavery in the United States, Hunter introduces a framework for radical reparations that characterizes much of the book.
What have Democrats done for Black men?
There is a common chorus that resonates with many Black R&B lovers that comes from Janet Jackson’s, “What have you done for me lately?” Black men’s recent outrage at former President Barack Obama’s comments has stressed how important it is for the Democratic Party to articulate their specific policy prescriptions to enhance opportunity for this demographic. In a previous article, we detailed what the Trump administration did, or did not do, for Black Americans.
Why are Black men mad at Obama?
Former President Barack Obama recently caused an uproar when he called out Black men for what news reports and some polling indicate as less support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. This outcry in the public square has reminded many Black men of their voice and has led them to speak out about their support, concerns, and disinterest in the Harris-Walz campaign and the political field more broadly.
Race is a key factor in the 2024 presidential election
“I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Referring to Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump made this statement at the National Association of Black Journalists. Statements like this one, and others, have made race and racism dominant themes over the last several election cycles, and 2024 has continued that trend, with some important nuances associated with the Democratic presidential nomination of Vice President Harris.
What does it mean to be an American?
Since the founding of the United States in 1776, the definition of who gets to participate in politics and in civic life has been contested. What does it mean to be an American? Are some Americans more “American” than others?
The Sociology of Police Behavior
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The March on Washington was a case for reparations
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said these words during his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech. But these words are rarely the ones included in discussions about his speech. People seem to not realize that in order to get to the “Promised Land” where “little Black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls,” Black Americans must be made whole in the form of repayment for the injustices committed against a disenfranchised and marginalized group of people.
Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative
Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative @BrookingsGov The Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion (RPI) Initiative at Brookings aims to advance concrete policy solutions that combat systemic racism and build a more equitable society for all Americans, with a particular focus on poor, low-income and communities of color.
Upstream Policy Changes to Improve Population Health and Health Equity: A Priority Agenda
Abstract Policy Points Upstream factors—social structures/systems, cultural factors, and public policy—are primary forces that drive downstream patterns and inequities in health that are observed across race and locations. A public policy agenda that aims to address inequities related to the well-being of children, creation and perpetuation of residential segregation, and racial segregation can address upstream factors.
New Jersey ARRIVE Together program could reform policing as we know it
Individuals who suffer from mental illness are more likely to be injured or killed during police encounters, a problem that is exacerbated by significant racial disparities. New research from Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray assesses New Jersey’s ARRIVE Together pilot, a program that pairs mental health professionals with police for calls involving people suffering from mental health distress.
New Jersey ARRIVE Together program could reform policing as we know it
Individuals who suffer from mental illness are more likely to be injured or killed during police encounters, a problem that is exacerbated by significant racial disparities. New research from assesses New Jersey’s ARRIVE Together pilot, a program that pairs mental health professionals with police for calls involving people suffering from mental health distress.
Beyond the headlines: 8 issues we’re tracking in 2023
From U.S. relations with China, Russia, Iran or Pakistan to issues like the debt ceiling, police violence, or the rise of U.S. industrial policy that can help blue and red places alike, there is no shortage of headline issues to keep track of in 2023. At the same time, there remains a plethora of challenges that will define our reality, yet may never make it onto your newsfeed.
Why is Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover increasing hate speech?
“The bird is freed,” tweeted Elon Musk on October 27, 2022, as a celebratory endnote to his acquisition of Twitter. However, this begs the question, free for which type of birds? By show of his previous political statements, current missteps, and future plans for the platform, this so-called freedom may simply galvanize extremists and further expose racial and religious minorities to hate speech and trauma. Twitter is now a major platform for proponents of hate speech.
Why is Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover increasing hate speech?
“The bird is freed,” tweeted Elon Musk on October 27, 2022, as a celebratory endnote to his acquisition of Twitter. However, this begs the question, free for which type of birds? By show of his previous political statements, current missteps, and future plans for the platform, this so-called freedom may simply galvanize extremists and further expose racial and religious minorities to hate speech and trauma. Twitter is now a major platform for proponents of hate speech.
TechTank Episode 57: What will it take to create inclusive AR/VR for a more diverse metaverse?
In 1992, the term “metaverse” was referenced in Neil Stevenson’s sci-fi novel, “Snow Crash”, which surfaced the dystopian reality of the convergence of physical and virtual worlds. Today, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, focuses on the potential of the “metaverse” and its ability to provide a plethora of immersive and augmented experiences. It’s been predicted that metaverse technologies will be valued at $800 billion by 2025 and perhaps $2.5 trillion by 2030.
Black Lives Matter at 10 years: 8 ways the movement has been highly effective
Since receiving $100 million plus in funding in 2016, the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of organizations and groups aimed to set a collective strategic policy agenda to create racial equity for Black people across the United States, has come under increased scrutiny regarding property purchases and potential financial mismanagement within the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation.
Ensuring equitable access to AR/VR in higher education
Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies are creating new means for education by opening doors for students to learn and teachers to instruct in a more immersive, technological environment. For example, medical school students can engage in experimental surgeries in virtual reality environments and biology pupils are able to engage with plants, mammals, birds, insects, and amphibians via technological simulations.
Reparations are not impractical | Rashawn Ray, Andre Perry
Whilst many have come to accept the principle that a group wronged in the past deserves compensation in the present, a majority still conclude that difficulties in implementing such policies practically justify their absence. In this article, Rashawn Ray and Andre Perry demonstrate why this approach is sorely mistaken.
Spreading hate: How the white supremacist movement continues to mutate in the digital age
On March 31, in honor of the launch of his new book, “Spreading Hate, the Global Rise of White Supremacist Terrorism”, Brookings Senior Fellow Daniel Byman discussed the evolution of the white supremacy movement’s tactics with Brookings Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray and Global Project Against Hate and Extremism Co-Founder Heidi Beirich. The Twitter Spaces panel was moderated by vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program, Suzanne Maloney.
Preventing racial hate crimes means tackling white supremacist ideology
A hate crime occurs nearly every hour in the United States. Saturday afternoon was no different. Payton Gendron, an 18-year-old white man, drove to a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. He then filmed himself shooting 13 people (11 Black and two white), killing 10, including a retired police officer and an 86-year-old woman who had recently visited her husband in a nursing home.
Designing the Next Generation of Place-Based Policies to Address Concentrated Poverty at the Neighborhood Level
On May 11, 2022, Brookings Metro Fellow Tracy Hadden Loh testified to the U.S. House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, during a hearing titled Bringing Prosperity to Left-Behind Communities: Using Targeted Place-based Development to Expand Economic Opportunity.
COVID Mask Wearing: Identity and Materiality
Slick data visualizations and authoritative daily tallies of infection and death statistics allow us to know the COVID-19 pandemic as a global phenomenon, but the local variabilities remain confounding. In the United States and Europe one of the fundamental questions asked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic—immediately after the question “How did things get so bad?”—is the question “How did countries in Asia manage it so well?” Some generalizations seem obvious.
by Fabio Rojas and Rashawn Ray | March 27, 2022 | Winter 2022 To say that the pandemic has been difficult on us all would be an understatement. It’s impacted work, family, and everything in between. And yet, the group that is statistically least likely to die from COVID-19—youth—are impacted by the pandemic in ways that may be immeasurable, particularly as it relates to mental health and other cognitive outcomes. This issue focuses on youth and what it means to come of age during a global pandemic.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows racism has no boundaries
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “undisguised terror,” as described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a matter of days, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands are displaced, and hundreds of thousands are aiming to flee to border countries that accept refugees. Newborn babies are being placed in underground bunkers and men over the age of 18 are barred from leaving and asked instead to pick up arms and fight. There are images of courageous women staying in Ukraine to do the same.
The Lawfare Podcast: Rep. Jamie Raskin Speaks at Brookings on the Future of American Democracy
Published by The Lawfare Institute in Cooperation With Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland has been one of the most prominent voices in Congress speaking about Jan. 6 and the aftermath of the insurrection. He has a uniquely personal relationship with the violence that day: he lost his son shortly before the riot, and went on to serve both as an impeachment manager prosecuting the second impeachment of Donald Trump, and as a member of the House select committee on Jan. 6, on which he still sits.
A policy agenda for Black Americans in 2022
Twitter Join the conversation on Twitter using #BlackHistoryMonth At the start of Joe Biden’s presidency, the United States was facing several simultaneous crises — a raging COVID-19 pandemic, a cratering economy, and national unrest over police violence and systemic racism — all of which have disproportionately affected Black communities. One year later, 6.4 million jobs have been created, dropping the unemployment rate from 6.2% to 3.9%: a new record.
The state of Black America in 2022
Twitter Join the conversation on Twitter using #StateofBlackAmerica At the start of Joe Biden’s presidency, the United States was facing several simultaneous crises — a raging COVID-19 pandemic, a cratering economy, and national unrest over police violence and systemic racism — all of which have disproportionately affected Black communities. One year later, 6.4 million jobs have been created, dropping the unemployment rate from 6.2% to 3.9%: a new record.
Life sentences in Arbery killing, but still far from BLM goal of justice for Black bodies
Arbery case, just like convictions in Floyd and Wright killings, are a condemnation of bias. But they also show how far our nation has to go. Rashawn Ray Opinion contributor On Jan. 7, Travis and Gregory McMichael and William Bryan, three white men, were sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man. In 2020, the McMichaels chased down Arbery while he was out for a jog. Travis McMichael shot him dead, and William Bryan filmed the encounter.
Will Biden’s call for Senate filibuster reform carve out a path for voting rights?
While President Biden and congressional Democratic leadership’s call to modify the filibuster to allow voting rights legislation to pass by a simple majority is in jeopardy, Rashawn Ray weighs in on Biden’s forceful Atlanta speech, explains why the John Lewis Voting Rights and Freedom to Vote acts are so important, and the risks for Democrats and the quality of U.S. democracy if the promises of progress made to Democratic voters in 2020 are broken.
Ahmaud Arbery murderers sentenced to life in prison: 4 essential reads on the case
Two of the three men convicted of murdering unarmed Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery learned on Jan. 7, 2021, that they will likely die behind bars. Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael were sentenced to life in prison without parole at a hearing in Glynn County, Georgia. A third man, William Bryan, was sentenced to life in prison with parole. He must serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars before he is eligible. All three were found guilty on Nov.
Around the Halls: One year since the January 6 insurrection
One year ago this week, a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s political supporters gathered at the White House, and after hearing speeches from President Trump and his allies, marched down Pennsylvania Avenue and committed an act of domestic terrorism against the U.S. Capitol.
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