Ramsey County’s Blue Ribbon Commission

1. Ramsey County’s Blue Ribbon Commission Reducing Racial Employment Disparities in Ramsey County Thomas Bales, Madhvi K. Dhaumya, Zsuzsanna Hill, GaigongdinPanmei, Dinesh Singh BRC: Anne O’Connor, Patricia Bradley

2. 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

3. Black Unemployment Rates

4. 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

5. City Profile Population: 608, 660 African American Population: 57,716 Black Unemployment Rate: City Profile Population: 608, 660 African American Population: 57,716 Black Unemployment Rate: 8% in the region (ACS 5yr) Seattle Promising Practices 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

6. 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.

7. City Profile Population: 319, 294 African American Population:156, 454 African American Unemployment: 16.9 % St. Louis Promising Practices Annie Casey Foundation led Job Initiative Program • 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 Outcomes: 6000 entry level/hard to place workers were employed Average wage $ 9.10 per hour Annual earnings increase: $ 4,000

8. St. Louis 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 2006-08 75% participants from TANF

9. City Profile Population:2.3 million African American Population:512,900 African American Unemployment Rate: 10.7 % Dallas 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

10. 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

11. City Profile Population: 305, 704 African American Population: 80,000 African 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 services • Workforce 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)

12. 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 adults 522 new jobs, 39 % filled by Hill residents, 94 % success rate

13. India-New Delhi City Profile Population: 16 million Scheduled Casts: 2,720,000, Scheduled Cast Unemployment Gap: 1.9 % Promising Practices • 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.

14. 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

15. 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