
In "The Sum of Us," Heather McGhee reveals how racism costs everyone - not just minorities. This New York Times bestseller introduces the powerful "Solidarity Dividend" concept that's reshaping policy discussions nationwide. What if America's greatest untapped resource is simply our ability to come together?
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What if I told you that America once had some of the world's most magnificent public swimming pools-grand resort-style facilities where entire communities gathered-and then deliberately destroyed them? In the 1950s, rather than allow Black children to swim alongside white children, towns across America chose to drain their pools, fill them with concrete, or let them decay into weeds. This wasn't just about swimming. It was about a choice that continues to define American life: would we rather have nothing than share something with people who don't look like us? This question sits at the heart of why the wealthiest nation on earth can't seem to provide its citizens with affordable healthcare, debt-free college, or functioning infrastructure. The drained pool isn't just history-it's a metaphor for how racism has drained America's capacity to invest in collective prosperity, leaving everyone worse off.