What we’re learning as the pilot launches
On March 20, Leah Hamilton, MSW, PhD -- Senior Fellow in Guaranteed Income at the Jain Family Institute and Primary Investigator for HudsonUP -- gave a virtual presentation to the local community about her preliminary research results from our universal basic income pilot in Hudson, NY.
Dr. Hamilton, an Associate Professor of Social Work at Appalachian State University who specializes in universal basic income and economic justice, has been working with the participants of HudsonUP to find out what their experiences have been in the pilot so far. In her conversations with these participants, she has asked about their goals before entering the pilot, their goals now, and how receiving $500 per month (and knowing that income will continue to come for the next five years) has impacted their lives.
Many participants told Dr. Hamilton that the pilot has made a positive impact on their lives so far. "It [the pilot] helped me get my new place after separating from a toxic relationship after [many] years," one person said. Another person said, "I do feel like I have, now, the ability to look for another job that kind of has longevity, because I'm not as scared anymore."
As the pilot continues, Dr. Hamilton will continue to talk with participants and learn about how receiving $500 per month is affecting their day-to-day lives.
HudsonUP is also working with guaranteed income researchers Dr. Amy Castro Baker and Dr. Stacia West, who have years of experience working with basic income pilots. Dr. Baker and Dr. West are the co-Primary Investigators for the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration, a two-year basic income pilot program that has had positive impacts on residents of Stockton, CA who participated in the pilot. They are also co-Directors of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research. Dr. Baker is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy & Practice, and Dr. West is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's College of Social Work.
Watch the presentation here.
