Jobs and Justice 4 All

It’s Labor Day weekend and according to Angela Glover Blackwell Executive Director of PolicyLink, unemployment in the African American community has been a problem for six decades. We are talking about sixty years of wealth being drained from our families and communities. We can ask why, but we know the answer. In a country where unarmed black men are gunned down and choked to death in broad daylight by officers who are supposed to protect our communities. We know that we still have a problem with race.

Unemployment in the African American community is not about individual choices. It’s about Corporations who have had discriminatory hiring practices for more than sixty years. It’s about a Justice System that has used the War on Drugs and over policing to dismantle our families by putting more African Americans behind bars that we had in Slavery. It’s about people not having any reason to believe they will get a fair shot if they apply to jobs.

What’s the answer? We need to be in full control over the resources and policies that govern our community. The first step is building a voter block so that decision makers understand they are accountable to us. The second step is passing reforms that remove barriers to employment and Democracy so that everyone in our community can vote and have a fair shot at a job.

Over the next few months we will be on the doors talking about the issues that people care about and getting people to the polls. If you are looking for a job and need some volunteer hours, join us on the doors. Volunteering is a great way to build experience and expand your network. Also, it keeps you busy while waiting for a call back. If you need help with your job search, below are some links that will be helpful.

The struggle continues,
Justin Terrell

 

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