This content was made possible with funding by the Ford Foundation, as part of an in-depth reporting project on inequality across the United States. All content is editorially independent, and overseen by our special series editor, Alastair Gee, from the Guardian’s west coast bureau in Oakland. You can reach him at alastair.gee@theguardian.com.

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Unless otherwise stated, all statements and materials, including any statements regarding specific legislation, reflect the views of the individual contributors and not those of the Ford Foundation or the Guardian.