Bill Spriggs: The Relentless Optimist
Bill Spriggs was an incredible optimist who was relentless in his pursuit of success. Learn how his approach to life inspired many, even after his death.
Betsey Stevenson
Former Member of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers & Chief Economist at Labor. Current academic economist at Michigan. Always an economist at home.
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It's hard to process the death of @WSpriggs, but the best way to start is by re-reading his open letter to economists. [1/x] https://t.co/qyH39vGdqV
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 8, 2023 -
I got to know Bill when he was Assistant Secretary of Economic Policy at the U.S. DOL and I was the Chief Economist. The truth is that I would sometimes get frustrated at Bill. He was relentless. It took maturity for me to realize that being relentless was his secret to success.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 8, 2023 -
He was an incredible optimist. At least that's the only way I can imagine he got through a lifetime of racism that he encountered in economics.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
His open letter to economists was a masterpiece. I am embarrassed that it opened my eyes to things that I had been blind to and I am grateful that Bill was relentless in his efforts to educate economists about the deep seated racism in the profession.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
"Among the kinder economists, the “deficiency” in African Americans is caused by systemic policies that disadvantage Black people’s participation in the economy as equals."
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
That sentence changed me. And that was his goal. He said "I hope we economists will focus on how we achieve systemic change. And we will have a better discipline"
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
He fought to change how people saw race and racism every day. Even in the face of "the constant micro-aggression that African American economists endure at every meeting, and in reading every paper, and in reading every reviewer’s comments."
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
I hope that his family knows how big his legacy is. Because it is growing bigger and will continue to grow because he planted seeds.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
On a small note, when I saw him at the OECD meeting in May he noted that I had flown to Paris on Mother's Day. He said that as a mother, I could make that choice, but he wouldn't dare leave his family on Mother's Day. I love how much Bill valued mothers.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
In a beautiful interview on the Iowa Civil Rights Podcast, the podcasters focus on his dad. Bill immediately says "I have a mother too" and then he proceeds to talk about his mother's life. I was touched by his commitment to honoring his mother's legacy. https://t.co/Q7mgZDd4bA
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023 -
Take a moment to appreciate all @WSpriggs gave us and to appreciate those around you.
— Betsey Stevenson (@BetseyStevenson) June 9, 2023