Xochitl Gonzalez

Xochitl Gonzalez is a bestselling author, journalist, and 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist in Commentary. A native of Brooklyn, she writes about class, inequality, and politics, and spoke at TED Democracy Philadelphia about how the wealth gap shapes political participation and threatens democracy.

Wealth Inequality Is Deepening the Distance Between Americans and Democracy

Writer Xochitl Gonzalez argues that wealth inequality threatens democracy not only by leaving financially struggling Americans feeling shut out of politics, but also by giving billionaires reason to benefit from undemocratic arrangements. Drawing on research into the psychology of social class, she says growing up with or without money shapes people’s sense of agency and security—and their ideas about what good leadership looks like.

TEDOct 13, 20265 min read