Angela Simms

Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies

Angela Simms is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College-Columbia University. She examines the political economy of United States metropolitan areas through the lens of suburban Black middle-class jurisdictions’ capacity to garner sufficient tax revenue for maintaining high-quality public goods and services. In February 2026, she published the book Fighting for a Foothold: How Government and Markets Undermine Black Middle-Class Suburbia.

Prior to academia, Angela served in the federal government for seven years as a Presidential Management Fellow and legislative analyst at the Office of Management and Budget during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations.

She holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Texas-Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in government from William and Mary.

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March 31, 2026

Dr. Angela Simms on the American Dream, Black Mobility & Unequal Returns

In this episode of Unsolicited Perspectives, Bruce Anthony sits down with Dr. Angela Simms—sociologist, professor, researcher, and author of Fighting for a Foothold—for a powerful conversation about what suburban success really means for Black families in America.Dr. Angela Simms breaks down the gap between the promise of the American Dream and the reality many Black families still face, even after doing everything they were told was supposed to lead to stability: getting the education, earning the income, buying the home, and moving to the “better” neighborhood. From her own childhood growing up Black in a predominantly white suburb to the deeper policy and historical forces that shaped her research, this conversation exposes how inequality doesn’t disappear just because your zip code changes.Bruce and Dr. Simms unpack racialized investment patterns, the unequal returns Black communities receive on hard work and class mobility, why Black suburbs still face structural constrai…

Guest: Angela Simms

Listen to the Episode