JOIN THE MOVEMENT

 

The Black community faces a two-dimensional job crisis: the crisis of unemployment and the crisis of low-wage work. The monthly Black unemployment rate has averaged twice that of whites.  In fact, the lowest monthly unemployment rate for Blacks usually exceeds the highest monthly unemployment rate for whites.

 

Our nation is embroiled in debates about race, poverty, and how we move forward to address inequity. Yet too few conversations address one of the most significant factors of injustice – jobs, racism, unemployment, and low-wage work are multipliers of mistreatment. These roadblocks are experienced by families already struggling – deepening the cycle of poverty, causing food insecurity, mental and physical health-related issues, and other challenges associated with unemployment and low-wage work. 

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The US economy no longer works for most workers regardless of race.  Racial disparities still exist, but a radical improvement in the quality of Black life cannot be achieved by simply gaining better access to the labor market for individual Black workers.  What is needed is the building of Black workers’ collective power.  This new approach requires a shift in three ways:

• Black worker activism must be focused upon organizing for power and not just delivering services to individuals

• Black worker activism must be focused upon broad community uplift and not just gaining individual achievement

• Black worker activism must be focused upon collective action and not just individual action

 

Our work exists to build collective power amongst Black workers to achieve liberation by dismantling systemic racism and economic exploitation. We envision a world where Black workers proudly live free, controlling the full value of our labor and the full expression of our culture. If you share this belief we invite you to become engaged in our various campaigns and get connected with a local center near you. 

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