Ramsey County’s Blue Ribbon Commission

Reducing Racial Employment Disparities in Ramsey County

BRC: Anne O’Connor, Patricia Bradley

Thomas Bales, Madhvi K. Dhaumya, Zsuzsanna Hill, Gaigongdin Panmei, Dinesh Singh

Background

• Why we chose• Which group?• From best to promising

• What this is about• Data• Case studies• Leadership• Recommendations

• What do we hope to accomplish• A new direction of thinking

Black Unemployment Rates

Why Inclusion and Equity Matters for the Blue Ribbon Commission?

• African American Unemployment Rate is 22.5 % in Ramsey County

• In 25 years one in four Minnesota’s will be a person of color

• Blacks are three times as likely as Whites to be without jobs

• Equity and inclusion directly effects economic sustainability

SeattleCity ProfilePopulation: 608, 660African American Population: 57,716Black Unemployment Rate: Promising Practices

City ProfilePopulation: 608, 660African American Population: 57,716Black Unemployment Rate: 8% in the region (ACS 5yr)

To address this leadership challenge, Seattle has taken steps to developed collaborative partnerships to:• Reframe the city’s identity to solve racial

disparities• Round tables• Public participation

• Add anti-discrimination language to Seattle’s municipal code

Seattle

• That every individual is entitled to feel safe and be safe in his or her person, home, and community.

• That a vibrant downtown is important to the entire city by contributing to the economic vitality and social welfare of all residents over the long-term

• That every individual is equally entitled to due process protections

• That a human rights “lens” requires a careful review of government actions to protect vulnerable or marginalized populations.

St. Louis

Annie Casey Foundation led Job Initiative Program

Outcomes: 6000 entry level/hard to place workers were employedAverage wage $ 9.10 per hourAnnual earnings increase: $ 4,000

• Create a one stop center for workforce development, public sector intermediary and build strong coalitions

• Three Key Components• Engaging employers• Retention and

advancement• Systems reform

City ProfilePopulation: 319, 294African American Population:156, 454African American Unemployment: 16.9 %Promising Practices

Center for Working Families (CWF)

• CWF coalition proves that right opportunities, incentives and supports can significantly improve employment prospects• By providing the following services• Employment and education• Financial education• Asset building• Income and work support

Outcomes: 3840 total participants in 2006-0875% participants from TANF

St. Louis

DallasCity ProfilePopulation:2.3 millionAfrican American Population:512,900African American Unemployment Rate: 10.7 %Promising Practices

The Turn Around Agenda:• Rebuild Communities from inside out• Improve and enrich the lives of urban

families from the community up

Strategy-Public School Outreach:• Mentoring, life skills education, High School

Heroes-student leadership program, The Six Pillars of Character

Dallas

Outcomes:• 70 partnerships in public schools• 4000 students have access to TTA services• 50,000 youth and families impacted positively

through PTA’s programs

National Church Adopt –a-School Initiative

Better Kids=Stronger Families=Transformed Communities

City ProfilePopulation: 305, 704African American Population: 80,000African American Unemployment: 16 %

Pittsburgh

Promising Practices

Hill House Association (inclusive community organizer):• Strategic areas: Early Childhood development, youth

services, family and workforce development, senior and neighborhood servicesWorkforce Development and First Source Hiring Center: • Multi-level approach model, job readiness, soft

skill training, case management• Private-Community partnership: Consol Energy Center (CBA agreement)

Pittsburgh

Kassi after-school program: • Leadership Academy for young adults, cultural

and social activities. Serves 120 students daily

Three Rivers Workforce Development Board• Job Ready Pittsburgh-6 weeks internship program

Outcomes: Supporting 500,000 children and 70,000 adults522 new jobs, 39 % filled by Hill residents, 94 % success rate

India-New Delhi City ProfilePopulation: 16 millionScheduled Casts: 2,720,000,Scheduled Cast Unemployment Gap: 1.9 %

NDPL (New Delhi Power Ltd), Affirmative Action: • 4 E Model – Education, Employability, Employment & Entrepreneurship• Positive Discrimination Preference shall be given to Scheduled Castes

candidates in areas of employment and career advancement.NDPL prefers Scheduled Castes entrepreneurs for

inclusion in its contracts.Outcomes:Positive impact on business, reduce school drop-out,

student mentoring, provides scholarship for Scheduled Cast children.

Promising Practices

Recommended Leadership Strategies

Leadership should come from top to bottom

Cross-sector collaboration: government, businesses, intermediaries, community leadership

Help the African American community to overcome barriers

in Ramsey County in:• Education• Employment• Workforce development• Criminal justice pattern• Housing

Recommended Leadership Strategies• Reframing a city’s identity to develop equity

• Create private public partnerships for workforce development

• Collaboration with FBCO’s to rebuild the community from inside out

• Corporate and social responsibility certification

• Nonprofit strategies to develop the disadvantaged

• Two pronged affirmative action based on 4 E’s model and positive discrimination