A British friend told me, "It's bizarre that 'black' and 'poor' are seen as synonymous in the US."

[JHan]

3. Things in the U.K. aren't so peachy either

In the States, the problem is unfortunately seen through a very narrow lens:

Like last year, when problems facing afro americans was reduced to problems "in the ghetto" and prisons, when the impact of social injustice are far reaching - from educated middle class and lower middle class Afro Americans who still find it tough to get capital to expand their business, to educated Afro Americans who can't get a job, Afro-Americans who -despite where they live - get harassed by police, Afro-American small business owners who face a bureaucratic nightmare at the state level when even trying to start a business. For young educated afro - american men and women, there's still a possibility of getting shafted or facing the race/gender paygap in salary negotiations ( as JustAnotherGen mentioned in this thread Things like tax relief and simplifying tax codes, a more open economy with access to new markets, supporting entrepreneurs, and providing support for small businesses also matter for black people. W.r.t to education, even a priority on free college won't be a magical fix if the formative years of education aren't given much attention. These are all connected to attitudes , contribute to income inequity, the resources available to communities and how those resources are managed, and how the concerns of afro americans are treated and perceived. If there's no recognition of the complex challenges experienced by many PoC, we'll see the continued perpetuation of harmful stereotypes such as you mentioned.

EDIT: And to expand more on resources and how they impact communities, just take a simple thing like infrastructure investment, which Obama was determined to put through but he was blocked by Republicans. Crumbling infrastructure affects not just poor areas but urban communities, and there is a multiplier effect on jobs and health. Roads, airports, water systems and telecommunications are all essential in eliminating poverty and providing opportunities. Better roads and transport systems mean access to better employment options, even better healthcare. It provides citizens with options. An area can be permanently depressed or become dissipated if infrastructure is ignored, which in turn affects opportunities to create wealth ( And social mobility).