According to the text, African American families living in urban areas experience various

challenges. The first inherent result of urbanization is racial isolation hyper segregation, which

yields adverse outcomes, including concentrated poverty. Lack of economic opportunities in

such areas leads to a cycle of poverty and reduces upward economic mobility. Concentrated

poverty leads to social and behavioural disorders in children leading to higher school dropout

rates. Reduced life expectancy, increased crimes and poor health are other results of isolation

that African Americans face in urban centres.

Forming unique subcultures is another challenge facing African Americans in urban

setups. Such sub-cultures include mistrust and eye contact avoidance, attracting negative

interpretations by other communities. Such subcultures attract negative descriptive terms,

including ghetto, low-income and crime-ridden areas. Consequently, African Americans in urban

areas need more social capital and exposure to life-changing opportunities.

Segregated urban schools experience under-resourcing. African American students in such

institutions need access to quality education, reducing their ability to excel academically.

According to the text, urban schools may have the best intentions, but a lack of proper resources

and learning materials undermines their ability to perform. Reduced chances of good

performance are because such schools have higher teacher-student ratios, have less access to

social work, have lower-salaried teachers and are more likely to have tutors with provisional

certifications. According to the text, such environments reduce the likelihood of African

Americans attaining post-high school education.

Reduced manufacturing jobs due to globalization is yet another challenge facing African

American urban dwellers. Most manufacturing jobs do not require high levels of education and

thus favour African Americans. African Americans historically moved to urban centres to get
such jobs. However, American cities are becoming harbours of service and knowledge-based

jobs. The factors in the paragraphs above limit the ability of African Americans in urban areas to

attain education, and the de-urbanization of American urban centres thus renders them

unemployable.

Policies prioritizing community engagement and promoting affordable housing and

infrastructure could address the issue of isolation. A new approach to this effect may subsidize

housing in urban centres, develop workforce development programmes, and problem loans and

grants to entrepreneurs within urban localities. Formulating policies that encourage volunteerism

and civic participation may increase community engagement and reduce the development of

adverse sub-cultures. Every Student Succeeds Act is an example of an approach that may help

African American families deal with their educational challenges. The Act requires schools to

deploy qualified teachers and take student performance accountability.