A. Mechele Dickerson

I am a law professor at the University of Texas School of Law. I study how political leaders in this country have neglected the financial needs of the American middle class and how they also are ignoring the needs of young adults, particularly men.

My new book, The Middle-Class New Deal, breaks down the policies that have decimated working families and proposes a bold agenda to reverse this trend. My first book, Homeownership and America's Financial Underclass, examines the systemic barriers that make it harder for young adults to achieve financial stability through homeownership.

I have testified before Congress on housing affordability and my research has been featured in national and international media outlets. Raised by two public school educators, I watched my parents save diligently on modest salaries to buy homes, send their children to college, and prepare for retirement. My lived experience shaped my interest in economic mobility and the policies that help—or hinder—people who work hard, play by the rules, and just want a decent and stable life.