ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
As an urgent response to swelling economic anxiety and wealth inequality in America, comedian Trae Crowder goes on a journey to explore a radical idea of giving free cash to every citizen—no strings attached.

SYNOPSIS
Trae Crowder grew up in the rural town of Celina, Tennessee. When he was 10, the town’s factories, and economic backbone, shut down and went abroad. As a result, Trae grew up poor and on welfare. Decades later, Celina is still dealing with the ripple effects of the factory closure, leaving many of its residents living on the edge. A gay man living with a life-threatening heart condition squeaks by on disability, an Army vet struggling to raise his two granddaughters after his opioid-addicted son loses custody, a mother of four barely gets by while her husband is in jail for unsettled debts, and a vice mayor working two jobs who still lacks security. Everyday people share their truths about what it takes to survive and thrive in an inequitable society. They represent countless Americans living paycheck to paycheck across the country.

On his journey to fully understand Universal Basic Income (UBI), Trae engages in a candid conversation with 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang who’s proposing giving a $1,000 per month to every citizen between the ages of 18 to 64. With Yang’s rising popularity, he’s brought UBI into the mainstream political conversation as a means to address a tsunami of unemployment headed our way due to the rise of automation and A.I. The film eventually follows three single black mothers who are currently participating in a groundbreaking basic income pilot program in Jackson, Mississippi. How does the extra cash impact the lives of these mothers and their current welfare benefits? Is UBI more effective at pivoting families out of poverty? Can it help boost small town economies from the ground up? Perhaps, UBI is an investment in America’s most important infrastructure: families.

INHERENT GOOD is a meditation: on people, the future of America, and the inherent good within all of us that makes UBI an idea worthy of serious contemplation.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Steve Borst
PRODUCER Rennie Soga, Chris Panizzon
CO-PRODUCER Trae Crowder

WEBSITE inherentgood.com/