Walk for Economic Sanity — Devon Malcolm Reid's Journey Across America to Understand Money, Power & Human Possibility

Evanston, IL
Joined February 2015
Walk for Economic Sanity — My Journey Across America to Understand Money, Power & Human Possibility My name is Devon Malcolm Reid. I experienced homelessness in my youth. Both of my parents were incarcerated. I know what it means to fall through the cracks of a system that tells you there's no money to help — while somehow always finding money for the things it prioritizes. I refused to accept that story. At 24 years old, I became the youngest City Clerk ever elected in Evanston, Illinois. I went on to serve on the Evanston City Council, where I focused relentlessly on economic justice — in a city nationally recognized as the first in America to implement a reparations program. I've seen firsthand what's possible when a community dares to reimagine what government can do. Now I'm taking that question on the road. On Friday, March 20th, 2026, I will begin walking from Howard & Asbury in Evanston, Illinois — pushing a 150-pound supply cart on a fully wheelchair-accessible route — on a journey that will take me through Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Washington D.C., and ultimately end in South Carolina, where my family is from, and where so many Black families from Evanston trace their roots. This is the Walk for Economic Sanity. The walk is built around one big, urgent question: Why, in the wealthiest nation in human history, do so many people still suffer from poverty, lack of healthcare, unaffordable childcare, and joblessness — and why are we told we simply cannot afford to fix it? The framework I'm exploring is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) — a lens that fundamentally challenges how we think about government spending, debt, and what is truly possible. MMT isn't a left or right idea. It's a description of how money actually works in a country that issues its own currency. And understanding it may be the key to unlocking universal healthcare, universal pre-K and childcare, a federal jobs guarantee, and so much more. Along the way, I hope to be sitting down with some of the most important economic thinkers in America, including: ​L. Randall Wray — one of the founding architects of MMT, at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College in New York ​Pavlina Tcherneva — also at the Levy Economics Institute, the leading scholar on the federal job guarantee ​Stephanie Kelton — bestselling author of The Deficit Myth and MMT's most prominent public voice. gofund.me/c945f5970 patreon.com/Devonmalcolmreid…
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Walk for Economic Sanity — My Journey Across America to Understand Money, Power & Human Possibility. Please consider supporting the effort gofund.me/c945f5970 My name is Devon Malcolm Reid. I experienced homelessness in my youth. Both of my parents were incarcerated. I know what it means to fall through the cracks of a system that tells you there's no money to help — while somehow always finding money for the things it prioritizes. I refused to accept that story. At 24 years old, I became the youngest City Clerk ever elected in Evanston, Illinois. I went on to serve on the Evanston City Council, where I focused relentlessly on economic justice — in a city nationally recognized as the first in America to implement a reparations program. I've seen firsthand what's possible when a community dares to reimagine what government can do. Now I'm taking that question on the road. On Friday, March 20th, 2026, I will begin walking from Howard & Asbury in Evanston, Illinois — pushing a 150-pound supply cart on a fully wheelchair-accessible route — on a journey that will take me through Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Washington D.C., and ultimately end in South Carolina, where my family is from, and where so many Black families from Evanston trace their roots. This is the Walk for Economic Sanity. The walk is built around one big, urgent question: Why, in the wealthiest nation in human history, do so many people still suffer from poverty, lack of healthcare, unaffordable childcare, and joblessness — and why are we told we simply cannot afford to fix it? The framework I'm exploring is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) — a lens that fundamentally challenges how we think about government spending, debt, and what is truly possible. MMT isn't a left or right idea. It's a description of how money actually works in a country that issues its own currency. And understanding it may be the key to unlocking universal healthcare, universal pre-K and childcare, a federal jobs guarantee, and so much more. Along the way, I hope to be sitting down with some of the most important economic thinkers in America, including: ​L. Randall Wray — one of the founding architects of MMT, at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College in New York ​Pavlina Tcherneva — also at the Levy Economics Institute, the leading scholar on the federal job guarantee ​Stephanie Kelton — bestselling author of The Deficit Myth and MMT's most prominent public voice. gofund.me/c945f5970 patreon.com/Devonmalcolmreid…. #takeawalk #modernmonetarytheory #MMT #MentalHealth #Economicsanity
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Walk for Economic Sanity — Devon Malcolm Reid's Journey Across America to Understand Money, Power & Human Possibility Please consider contributing to the effort: gofund.me/891a8b078 My name is Devon Malcolm Reid. I grew up homeless. Both of my parents were incarcerated. I know what it means to fall through the cracks of a system that tells you there's no money to help — while somehow always finding money for the things it prioritizes. I refused to accept that story. At 24 years old, I became the youngest City Clerk ever elected in Evanston, Illinois. I went on to serve on the Evanston City Council, where I focused relentlessly on economic justice — in a city nationally recognized as the first in America to implement a reparations program. I've seen firsthand what's possible when a community dares to reimagine what government can do. Now I'm taking that question on the road. On Friday, March 20th, 2026, I will begin walking from Howard & Asbury in Evanston, Illinois — pushing a 150-pound supply cart on a fully wheelchair-accessible route — on a journey that will take me through Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Washington D.C., and ultimately end in South Carolina, where my family is from, and where so many Black families from Evanston trace their roots. This is the Walk for Economic Sanity. The walk is built around one big, urgent question: Why, in the wealthiest nation in human history, do so many people still suffer from poverty, lack of healthcare, unaffordable childcare, and joblessness — and why are we told we simply cannot afford to fix it? The framework I'm exploring is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) — a lens that fundamentally challenges how we think about government spending, debt, and what is truly possible. MMT isn't a left or right idea. It's a description of how money actually works in a country that issues its own currency. And understanding it may be the key to unlocking universal healthcare, universal pre-K and childcare, a federal jobs guarantee, and so much more. Along the way, I hope to be sitting down with some of the most important economic thinkers in America, including: L. Randall Wray — one of the founding architects of MMT, at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College in New York Pavlina Tcherneva — also at the Levy Economics Institute, the leading scholar on the federal job guarantee Stephanie Kelton — bestselling author of The Deficit Myth and MMT's most prominent public voice. Nathan Tankus — influential MMT researcher and writer based in New York City Scholars and economists in Cleveland, Washington D.C., and beyond Officials at the Federal Reserve And most importantly — regular people, in every city I pass through, living the real consequences of economic decisions made without them I'll be documenting every mile, every conversation, every blister and breakthrough on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook under my name — Devon Malcolm Reid. No polish. No spin. Just the road, the people, and the truth about how money works and who it's working for. This walk is also deeply personal. I'm 250 pounds. My health and mental health have been challenged. My finances have been stretched. I'm not hiding any of that. This walk is my answer — to the country, to my community, and to myself. I want to be clear: this isn't about one community, one policy, or one political party. This is about all of us. The single mother who can't afford childcare. The veteran who can't find work. The family bankrupted by medical bills. These are not individual failures. They are policy choices — and policy choices can be changed. The walk ends in South Carolina — a return to roots, a closing of a circle, and a reminder that the people most harmed by our economic system have always known something was wrong. It's time the rest of America caught up.
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Walk for Economic Sanity — Day 2 Gary Indiana My Journey Across America to Understand Money, Power & Human Possibility My name is Devon Malcolm Reid. I experienced homelessness in my youth. Both of my parents were incarcerated. I know what it means to fall through the cracks of a system that tells you there's no money to help — while somehow always finding money for the things it prioritizes. I refused to accept that story. At 24 years old, I became the youngest City Clerk ever elected in Evanston, Illinois. I went on to serve on the Evanston City Council, where I focused relentlessly on economic justice — in a city nationally recognized as the first in America to implement a reparations program. I've seen firsthand what's possible when a community dares to reimagine what government can do. Now I'm taking that question on the road. On Friday, March 20th, 2026, I will begin walking from Howard & Asbury in Evanston, Illinois — pushing a 150-pound supply cart on a fully wheelchair-accessible route — on a journey that will take me through Chicago, Cleveland, New York City, Washington D.C., and ultimately end in South Carolina, where my family is from, and where so many Black families from Evanston trace their roots. This is the Walk for Economic Sanity. The walk is built around one big, urgent question: Why, in the wealthiest nation in human history, do so many people still suffer from poverty, lack of healthcare, unaffordable childcare, and joblessness — and why are we told we simply cannot afford to fix it? The framework I'm exploring is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) — a lens that fundamentally challenges how we think about government spending, debt, and what is truly possible. MMT isn't a left or right idea. It's a description of how money actually works in a country that issues its own currency. And understanding it may be the key to unlocking universal healthcare, universal pre-K and childcare, a federal jobs guarantee, and so much more. Along the way, I hope to be sitting down with some of the most important economic thinkers in America, including: ​L. Randall Wray — one of the founding architects of MMT, at the Levy Economics Institute at Bard College in New York ​Pavlina Tcherneva — also at the Levy Economics Institute, the leading scholar on the federal job guarantee ​Stephanie Kelton — bestselling author of The Deficit Myth and MMT's most prominent public voice. gofund.me/c945f5970 patreon.com/Devonmalcolmreid…
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Walk across America Day 1. 28 Miles Evanston, IL to Whiting, Indiana. Follow Along for the journey and support the effort on Gofundme! gofund.me/c945f5970
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
Great news! Last night the Evanston City Council approved the special use for our proposal to open an OKAY Cannabis and West Town Bakery at 100 Chicago Ave. We're grateful for the support of Councilmember @devonmreid and the broader community. More soon! 🚀
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It's disheartening to read reports of +50 Black & POC students who fled war-torn Ukraine to now be jailed & detained in Poland. We are calling for their immediate release and holistic assistance for the ongoing trauma they're experiencing! #BlackInUkraine #ReleaseBlackStudents
While the world's universities rightly offer places to Ukrainian students, at least 4 of their African counterparts, from the same Unis, have been jailed in Poland just for crossing the border to escape a war 🧵
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So many thank you's to @TomDart, Dr. Jones Tapia, Mr. Miller, Ms. Sisco, Ms. Ansari, and all the Officers for coordinating and welcome us into #CookCountyJail. CCJ has been beyond supportive of our voter reg efforts to ensure all eligible voters are ready for the #2018Elections
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
Challenger To Evanston City Clerk Remains On Ballot: A man wrongfully arrested while campaigning for city clerk in… m.tbnn.it/MwVm0X
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
Evanston City Clerk candidate Devon Reid is speaking at the ETHS walkout right now – at Evanston, IL
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The adjective "trump" got trumped by Trump, we should use it sparingly. Let's get those lexiconic muscles working
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Updated poll numbers 231,556,622 eligible voters 46.9% didn't vote 25.6% voted for Clinton 25.5% voted for Trump 1.7% voted for Johnson
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Thank you #CommunityRenewalSociety for training our organizers for the past 3 days to understand and build power
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
What a room. 😍😍😍😍 @ChicagoVotes forever.
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.@govrauner please sign #AVRinIL and make our democracy more secure and efficient
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
Many thanks to @layla_says and Devon Reid from @ChicagoVotes for talking #votingrights, #AVR, and youth voter turnout with me!
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Devon Malcolm Reid retweeted
Replying to @SpeakerRyan
MT @SpeakerRyan: Hey @USHouseHistory, when was last time #SpeakerOfTheHouse sported a beard? @rumpfshaker be like🙋🏻
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RT to spread the word: #CelebrateNVRD by registering to vote → vote.usa.gov #GetRegistered
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