In conjunction with the release of Steve Phillip's new book, Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else?: Playing Offense in the Fight for Racial Justice in America, Democracy in Color presents a three-part podcast series exploring one crucial question.

The Myth of Meritocracy—In the first part of this special podcast series, three young people share their thoughts on the overrepresentation of white men in positions of power and influence. We ask them: is this reality the result of meritocracy or something else?

The History and Science of Inequality—In the second part, Steve and Sharline turn to historical and scientific research to explore the existing justifications of inequality. They trace a throughline from slavery and Reconstruction to elite universities and modern-day DEI backlash. They also unpack how systems of power were deliberately engineered to defend “natural inequality” and how definitions of “merit” were rewritten to protect them.

Draining the Money Management SWAMP—In the final installment of the series, Robert Raben, founder and president of Raben and executive director of the Diverse Asset Managers Initiative (DAMI), sheds light on one arena where power operates largely out of public view: asset management and investing.