The Cards
We Are Dealt
Experience how historical policies, systemic practices, and structural inequities shape life outcomes — through the lens of 12 diverse characters navigating 8 life milestones.
How It Works
Choose or receive a character
Select from 12 diverse characters with different starting advantages and disadvantages shaped by historical factors, or let the simulation assign one randomly.
Navigate 8 life milestones
Make decisions across education, housing, criminal justice, career, health, family, finances, and civic engagement — each with 5–6 realistic options.
Track your resources
Watch how your Wealth, Education, Health, Social Capital, and Mental Health shift with each decision and systemic factor.
Reflect on the outcomes
See how your starting position and choices combined to shape your final outcomes, and consider what systemic changes could create more equitable results.
This simulation simplifies complex social dynamics to illustrate key principles. Real-life systemic advantages and disadvantages are far more nuanced. The historical notes throughout the simulation cite actual policies and research that continue to shape present-day outcomes.