On Tuesday evening, CSUB held their Kegley Institute of Ethics 20th Annual Fall Lecture with Dr. Manuel Pastor called “Looking Forward: Centering Equity and Building Community in a Changing America” to discuss the need to address social and economic inequalities in the U.S., especially as they impact low-income and marginalized communities in Kern County.
Dr. Pastor emphasized how demographic and economic shifts—like the increase in mixed-status families, job growth with low wages in Kern County, and significant income inequality—create social disruptions that contribute to political polarization and challenges for immigrant and minority communities.
On the topic of Kern County’s economic challenges, Dr. Pastor mentioned that while the county has seen significant job growth, much of it has been in low-wage positions.
“Kern County has grown more jobs than both California and the United States since the 1980s, but these are often low-wage jobs that don’t provide the stability or upward mobility that workers need. This paradox of job growth without economic prosperity is a key source of unease,” he said.
He explained, contributes to economic disparities and creates underlying social and political tensions in the community.
Dr. Pastor also explained that counties like Kern County, the undocumented people are “woven into the fabric of community life.”
He continued, “When we talk about deportations, we’re not just discussing individuals, but the potential separation of entire families, many of whom include U.S. citizens. This is not just an immigration issue; it’s a community issue that affects us all.”
He explained that in Kern County, more U.S. citizen family members and lawful permanent residents live with undocumented individuals than the number of undocumented residents themselves. This means that when people consider deportation policies, they are not just talking about individual cases but the potential for large-scale family separation that impacts citizen children, spouses, and communities.
“Kern County has a chance to model a new way forward. Solidarity economics, rooted in mutual respect and investment in one another, is the kind of framework that can transform a community. We need policies that are as interdependent as our lives—education, economic equity, and racial justice all interconnected,” he said.
Dr. Pastor is a distinguished professor at the University of Southern California (USC), where he teaches Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity. He also directs USC’s Equity Research Institute, focusing on issues of economic, environmental, and social justice, particularly as they affect low-income communities. Dr. Pastor has authored 18 books, including Charging Forward: Valley Electric Vehicles in a Just Future, which examines equitable solutions for the electric vehicle industry, Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter, and South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A..
