STUDY LOOKS AT THE EFFECT OF RACE AND EDUCATION ON EMPLOYMENT

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN MAPLE HEIGHTS

@Kathlee35244437 NOW LET'S TALK OHIO!! Cleveland Unemployment 10.4%, East Cleveland 10.2%, Lorian 10.3%, Maple Heights 9.8%, Youngstown 9.2%

— Kathleen Gibson (@Kathlee35244437) June 21, 2014

NEWSLETTER: NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, DECEMBER 18, 2013

Opening ReMARCs Last week, I joined Rev. Al Sharpton along with other civil rights groups, retail executives and the Retail Council of New York State to unveil a newly-created "Customers' Bill of Rights" aimed at protecting customers from "shop-and-frisk" practices. The bill of rights, which is in direct response to several incidences of alleged racial profiling at major New York retailers, includes key practices for retailers to follow and informs customers of what they can expect when they visit store locations.  Several national retailers have agreed to post the bill of rights in their stores by next week. We initially gathered last month to discuss the issue of loss prevention and racial profiling during a retail forum that was attended by Mark Lee, CEO of Barneys and senior executives from Macy's, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, The Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. The bill of rights is the result of our subsequent task force meetings and is the first collective action to address this issue. The statement at the heart of the bill of rights clearly articulates our position:  "Profiling is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated." We know that this issue is not isolated to New York.  Moving forward, we remain committed to working with the retailers to make recommendations on the creation of high standard, best-in-industry store security protocols and cultural sensitivity efforts that can be adopted by retailers across the country. To view a copy of the Customers' Bill of Rights, visit the Retail Council of New York State.

To Be Equal “Our victory in defeating apartheid was your victory too. We know that our pride in regaining our dignity is shared by you. To you, and to all of the American people who supported the anti-apartheid struggle, we thank you from the bottom of our heart for your solidarity, and for having cared.” - Nelson Mandela, September 1998, New York City

What Mandela Meant to America As the world mourns the passing and celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela, America is especially indebted to the great leader for his inspiration and solidarity in our shared struggle for human freedom, equal opportunity and justice for all. Nelson Mandela’s heroic struggle for a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa inspired freedom-loving people around the world but was especially intertwined with the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement in America.  African Americans felt a special relationship with Mandela, a man who, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., endured years of persecution and discrimination in pursuit of freedom and equal opportunity for his people. Both Mandela and King were  unafraid to agitate for justice and equality, but each ultimately changed the course of history through the power of reconciliation and unity.  Though Dr. King was 11 years younger, Mandela often spoke of his admiration for America’s fallen civil rights champion.  In fact, in his 1993 Nobel Peace Prize speech, Mandela praised King, saying,  “It will not be presumptuous of us if we also add, among our predecessors, the name of another outstanding Nobel Peace Prize winner, the late African-American statesman and internationalist, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He, too, grappled with and died in the effort to make a contribution to the just solution of the same great issues of the day which we have had to face as South Africans.” READ MORE

Partner Spotlight AFRICAN AMERICAN DENOMINATION, OTHER FAITH AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS CALL FOR A “MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE” HONORING PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2013   On Sunday, December 15, 2013, African American organizations, churches and community members across the country led a “moment of remembrance” dedicated to Nelson Mandela, his life and his legacy through a number of special activities such as: a Minute of Silence; Liturgy; Youth Presentation/Recitation of Mandela quotes; Dance ministry performance/dedication; and other events. It is impossible to think about Nelson Mandela without thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr. While separated by great physical distance, the walk to freedom for Blacks in America and Blacks in South Africa was fueled by an inextricable spiritual connection personified in the lives of these two men who changed the world for the better. As a freedom fighter and a unifier, Mandela reminded us, “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, [we] can be that generation.” He understood that bitterness and hatred were poison to the soul. As President of South Africa, he modeled forgiveness and reconciliation in a way that left the world in awe. For his noble fight, his personification of forgiveness and his ongoing inspiration to create a better future, we pause in national unity to honor, salute and remember Nelson Mandela. Mandela’s life serves as an inspiration to people everywhere to continue the fight for freedom and equal opportunity. As we pause on Sunday, let us pledge to continue the unfinished business to which this great, yet humble, servant dedicated himself. LEARN MORE

Mel Watt Confirmed to Lead FHFA   The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency by a vote of 57 to 41. National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement applauding Rep. Watt's confirmation. “We applaud the confirmation of Rep. Mel Watt as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).    With more than four decades of experience in housing and finance and a strong grasp of the issues confronting home owners and banks, we believe Rep. Watt is the right man at the right time to lead the FHFA and help it fulfill its mission to promote a strong and sustainable housing market. “Rep. Watt has earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and from stakeholders in the finance and housing industry.  His integrity and focus on solutions will serve him well as he works to rebuild a still-fragile housing market and advance policies to help struggling home owners and those still hoping to achieve the American dream.” LEARN MORE

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Urban League Receives $150k The Urban League of the Upstate (Greensville, SC)  announced on December 9th, it will be the receiving nearly $150,000 for education and employment programs in the second quarter of their fiscal year. “With the season of giving being in full swing, we are happy to announce that the Greenville and Spartanburg communities are showing their increased support”, said Jil Littlejohn, President/CEO. The main core of the Urban League focuses on education and employment. Five of the agencies programs received funding from 3M, Hollingsworth, Jolley Foundation, Mary Black Foundation, Symmes Foundation and TD Bank, that will allow them to increase and expand capacity.  Thanks to the Symmes Foundation we can continue to provide services in Greenville County at Berea High, Carolina High, Greenville High, Hillcrest High, JL Mann High, Mauldin High, Southside High, Wade Hampton High, and Woodmont High.  A generous donation of $30,000 from the Mary Black Foundation in Spartanburg County school districts will allow the Urban League to increase capacity for Project Ready. JM Smith Foundation also supported the Spartanburg operations. LEARN MORE

PROBLEMS WITH OUTSOURCING AND PUBLIC MERGERS

Cities have turned to outsourcing  and mergers as a  panacea  to financial budget constraints  [a result of,  to some degree, poor  government policies and a lack of intelligent, creative urban planning].   Unfortunately, this has led to other problems; specifically, higher unemployment rates among the poor and "people of color". 

It's   bad enough (even insulting at times)  that predominantly African American communities are under-represented in the workforce (public and private), but increasingly devastating are the ongoing threats ... "outsourcing" and "public mergers".

Aside from the issue of a lack of minority contractors, does outsourcing release a city from regulations and laws designed to protect certain groups from being discriminated against in hiring? 

Are these private companies [that we've outsourced to] scrutinized for their hiring practices?  It shouldn't matter if you are public or private, if you are receiving tax payer dollars, public monies, you should be bound by the same state affirmative action programs, anti-discrimination laws, EEOC regulations, etc. [A word to the wise ... those cities who band together to use the same private company,  ... you better make damn sure those regulations and laws are being complied with.]  

African Americans need to take a look at  the companies their city contracts with. 

African Americans (esp. in  predominantly Black neighborhoods) also need to take a close look at:  who is delivering their mail and packages;  who is reading their gas and electric meters; who the cable guy is; who represents them; who teaches their children; ... Where I live, I see a lot of white males in these roles (with the exception of teachers who are mostly white females).

What is most alarming is that more and more Blacks (esp. Black males) are disappearing from the [full-time] workforce.  While this is alarming, it is not surprising.  The "system" has created problems (social, financial, political, legal, structural) that is unique, offensive, and devastating  to African Americans and other "people of color".  In the mix  [laws that give certain groups (dominated by whites)  an advantage,  our unjust legal/justice system, overcriminalization,  the for-profit prison system, and law enforcement (which is predominantly white and designed to act in one's own best  interests)  which has the power to completely destroy an individuals life], and you  get some understanding why Blacks and other "people of color"  have higher unemployment rates than other racial/ethnic groups.

It's high time we  address these issues, and also come up with intelligent and creative ways to insure that "people of color" are properly represented in every industry in the workforce.

RELATED:

Top 6 Outsourcing Disadvantages: Outsourcing Disadvantages: Reasons That Outsourcing is Bad for Your Company  By James Bucki

How Employers Weed Out Unemployed Job Applicants .. 1/14/2011


Employment Law Outsourcing Checklist (Mar 2006)


What is White Supremacy?

Michelle Alexander at Riverside: New Jim Crow convict under-caste 

 

Police addicted to drug money: Column

[BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLER] Jonathan Ferrell: Supposed to Die?

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS

NEWSLETTER FROM SHERROD BROWN RE:  JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS

Servicemembers – already armed with the discipline and skills needed to strengthen the 21st century economy – should not have to struggle to find a job when their military service ends. These heroes who fought for our country shouldn’t have to fight for work when they come home.

And yet, unfortunately many do. As citizens, we have a responsibility to do something about the thousands of older veterans who are jobless or underemployed.

That’s why the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) – a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor training initiative – is so important.

Last year, Congress passed the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which honors our government’s obligation to our veterans. VRAP is a critical component of the law.

VRAP provides unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 the opportunity to pursue training for new careers in high demand occupations.

While the entire list of VRAP high-demand occupations can be found on the VA website, some include:

• Welders, chemical plant operators, painters
• Law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians
• Construction, electrical technicians, flight attendants
• Paralegals, legal secretaries, administrative support
• Teachers aides, library technicians, counselors

These opportunities are wide-ranging. And in fact, as of July 12, more than 31,000 applications nationwide have been received for the VRAP program. However, the program is limited to 99,000 participants through March 31, 2014.

Because applicants will be approved on a first come, first serve basis, we all must do everything we can to spread the word to eligible veterans in Ohio. This is a great opportunity that Ohio veterans deserve.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in order to qualify for the program, a veteran must:

• Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Be unemployed
• Have an other than dishonorable discharge
• Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
• Not be in receipt of VA compensation
• Not be enrolled in a Federal or state job training program

And while participants are required to be enrolled in a VA-approved education program, here in Ohio, we’re lucky to have 23 community and technical colleges that have already been approved.

Each of these schools offers programs which lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, and include training for a high-demand occupation. Veterans can enroll at each of these colleges using VRAP assistance.

We need to spread the word about training programs, like VRAP, that will help provide our veterans with the necessary skills to find good paying jobs.

By raising awareness of veterans' jobs services and better coordinating the range of resources available to them, we can help improve job prospects for America’s heroes.

To find out more about the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, please visit http://www.benefits.va.gov/VOW/. If you’re ready to apply, VRAP applications are available here.

If you have any other questions regarding veteran services, please contact my office at 888-896-OHIO (6446) or visit www.brown.senate.gov for additional information.

Sincerely,



Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator