The degree to which opportunity becomes equal for all will determine either the triumph or the epilogue of the American Dream. The Ten Across transect includes some of the most diverse and enduring contributions to America’s national culture– as well as compelling examples of its greatest failures around race, ethnicity, class and justice.
Monuments to mobility, 20th century freeways were threaded through pre-existing cities and neighborhoods. Intentionally positioned as tools of segregation and division, highway infrastructure in Ten Across cities such as Houston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans etched deep socio-economic scars which are still felt today.
People, primarily minority, displaced by 20th century freeway construction in Los Angeles
Education is a key vehicle for upward mobility and a measure of our commitment to full societal inclusion and opportunity.
Ten Across states among the lowest 25 state high school graduation rates
Ten Across states among the lowest 10 state high school graduation rates
Ten Across states with higher dropout rates among black and latinx students than white students
The prevalence of poverty along the Ten Across transect is a worrisome bellwether for the rest of the country. High population and economic growth rates mask the fact that, for many, employment is restricted to low-wage service jobs that further widen the economic divide.
Ten Across states’ portion of the 20 US metros with highest ratios of low wage to high wage earners
The concentration and growth of the petrochemical industry in Louisiana is a commercial success with serious tradeoffs. Communities proximate to these facilities, especially in “Cancer Alley”, have deep, unresolved concerns about exposure to toxins.
Percent decrease in chemical plants nationwide releasing a level of toxic emissions high enough for EPA reporting since 1988
Percent increase in Louisiana chemical plants with similar EPA toxicity reporting since 1988
San Antonio’s rich multi-cultural heritage has long been undermined by serious racial and economic inequities. Since 2017, the city’s Budget Equity Tool has helped prioritize departmental spending that benefits the communities with the highest need.
Budget Equity Tool. City of San Antonio.
proportion of large metro areas along I-10 ranked in the top 5 of 2014’s most income-segregated in U.S. (San Antonio, Houston)
