Black American unemployment in 2010 soared more than 16%. As we begin 2011, there should a more effective and concentrated national plan to significantly increase the overall employment of Black Americans in 2011. The December 2010 consumer spending reports document not only increased spending by all Americans during the holiday season, but also displays another economic indicator that the U.S. economy continues to rebound. Yet, the financial plight and sustainability of African American workers and households still face enormous challenges even amidst the recovery of the American economy.
The
unemployment statistics reported monthly by the U.S. Department of Labor only
tell a portion of the real economic hurdles facing the African American
community. In far too many cities
and towns, Black unemployment rates are double the unemployment rates of
Whites. Interestingly, the
Department of Labor uses the category “Civilian non-institutional population”
to cite the population numbers in calculating labor statistics. Because of the massive increase in the
overall incarceration rates of African Americans, the unemployment is actually
higher for us than is statistically calculated by the Department of Labor. Black incarceration rates are nearly
seven times the imprisonment rates of Whites in the United States. Of course with several million African
Americans in the criminal justice system either in prison or on parole, the
goal of attaining good, productive permanent employment is made much more
difficult.
The
issues of globalization and the tremendous advances in technology during the
last decade have changed the dynamics of the world economy. American jobs with the best pay scale
will increasingly be linked to the global marketplace and to the new
innovations in technology. The
good news is that African Americans and others have an opportunity to level the
economic playing field in both attaining good paying jobs and starting up new
businesses to the extent to which African Americans and others prepare to take
advantage of the job creation and business development opportunities now at
hand.
But, as I
have continued to stress, preparation to become financially viable and
productive requires a good education, proper networking, and a strong
determination to be successful. At
a time when we should be eradicating poverty and social suffering from our communities
by demanding and providing the best educational systems and institutions for
our children and young adults, it is as if that too many of us have been lulled
into a state of hopelessness. That
is exactly why when I have the good fortune to meet young, intelligent, up and
coming brothers and sisters in the African American communities who are
striving to make a difference educationally and economically to improve the
quality of life, I am always encouraged.
The
priorities for 2011 have to include developing and determining effective
educational options for African American parents and students, increasing
support for Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) and
strengthening the National Association For Equal Opportunity in Higher
Education (NAFEO), innovating and launching African American owned businesses
that have both local and global reach into the marketplace, and supporting
sustainable economic development in our communities with a focus on job
training and long term employment programs and projects.
According
to the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency, there
is a new focus on growing the minority business community in the United
States. In other words, to grow
employment in our communities, we must grow the development of new businesses
in our communities. U.S. Commerce
Secretary Gary Locke recently announced the appointment of 25 individuals to
serve on the National Advisory Council for Minority Business Enterprises. This new council is led by the MBDA and
is the first such federal advisory council that will be focused on promoting
minority businesses since the early 1970’s. Thus, another milestone for the Obama Administration. David A. Hinson, the MBDA National
Director, is an accomplished expert on minority business development in the
African American and other minority communities. Hinson stated, “The nation’s 5.8 million minority-owned
firms have significant untapped potential that can benefit the United
States. The advisory council has
an opportunity to shape future policies and programs that will set the
foundation for the growth of $100 million companies across all industries that
are owned and operated by U.S. minorities.”
The outlook, therefore, in 2011 is more promising than it was two years ago. Opportunity is on the horizon for African American businesses and workers. But, let’s stay focus. Let’s be prepared. Our long fight for freedom, justice, and equality has to result in more employment and thus empowerment. Let’s continue to fight.
Dr. Benjamin
F. Chavis is senior advisor for the Black Alliance for Educational Options and
president of Education Online Services Corporation.
