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UBI in the US ‘not just an idea’ – it’s achievable

Basic income is becoming a bipartisan issue in the US, with Covid child tax credit showing that it can be done

UBI in the US ‘not just an idea’ – it’s achievable
US activist group MomsRising asks Congress to expand child tax credit and increase support for women and children on Valentine's Day 2024 | Paul Morigi/Getty Images. All rights reserved
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Shafeka Hashash is the associate director of Guaranteed Income at the Economic Security Project, an advocacy organisation working to address financial insecurity in the US. We caught up with Shafeka at the 22nd Basic Income Guarantee Conference in San Francisco, California to discuss the recent explosion in basic income-related activism in the US and what the future holds there for the movement.

Beyond Trafficking and Slavery: What does a guaranteed income mean to you?

Shafeka: For me, a guaranteed income is about everyday people, not billionaires, getting the equity they deserve after having been deprioritised in the economy for so long. It’s about enabling people to put food on the table for their families, as well as supporting them to go beyond that and achieve the things they've been dreaming about.