Local

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- The applicants – up to 500,000 gold mine workers who suffered from diseases contracted from working in the mines – settled the class action lawsuit to receive R5 billion (over $350 million USD) on 3 May 2018 as compensation for the harm caused them. The news is that the court has now approved that settlement making it final and binding.

The silicosis and tuberculosis class action is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. 

The aim is to compensate former and current mineworkers from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, eSwatini, Mozambique, Lesotho and Malawi who contracted silicosis or tuberculosis on a gold mine owned or operated by Anglo America South Africa, Goldfields, Harmony, African Rainbow Minerals, AngloGold Ashanti and Sibanye Stillwater from 1965 to date. If the parties had continued with litigation as opposed to settling, it could easily take another ten years to finalise the litigation. The LRC has lost five of its thirteen class representatives – these people passed away.   Two of them passed away in the past six months. The settlement shows an acknowledgement from both sides that achieving an outcome beneficial to the mine workers was urgently required. 

Both sides came to the negotiating table with utmost good faith and achieved a settlement that will likely benefit hundreds of thousands of former and current gold mine workers and their dependents.

Why is this important?

Judge Vally perhaps puts it best when he states that: “This case encapsulates the tragic and sad aspect of gold mining in South Africa. Gold mining has a long history in this country. At one level it has produced great wealth for a few and … as allowed for the development of the country in general (by virtue of, amongst others, the foreign exchange and taxes earned through this industry) and of its richest province in particular. Yet, at the same time, it has produced untold pain, suffering, physical harm and death for hundreds of thousands of people who worked in these mines.”

In short, this is a step towards compensating those who paid for the wealth of this country with their bodies and their dignity.

Give us an example of how the victims were impacted by silicosis?

Silicosis is an irreversible, incurable and painful lung disease. Silicosis is caused by breathing in silica dust and is particularly associated with dust exposure in gold mines. It is an incurable occupational lung disease caused by prolonged and/or intensive inhalation of tiny respirable particles of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. In the most serious cases, silicosis may lead to heart failure, lung cancer or progressive massive fibrosis.

Silicosis is a latent and progressive disease. Mineworkers that contract silicosis are generally unable to continue working on a mine. They may find further employment depending on the progression of their disease, mostly if a person is only suffering from radiological silicosis. Most mineworkers suffer a loss of earnings and income which has wider implications for the children and families of mineworkers. There is also a specific gender perspective in that most silicotic mineworkers will have to be cared for by their wives or daughters who bear the brunt of caring and breadwinning. 

How much money will the average victim receive?

The benefit depends on the degree of disease. In respect of silicosis the awards are as follows:

(1) Silicosis Class 1. Sufferers have mild lung function impairment i.e. less than 10% lung function impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R70,000 (about $5,000 USD).

(2) Silicosis Class 2. Sufferers have moderate lung function impairment i.e. more than 10% and less than 40% lung impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R 150 000 (about $11,000 USD).

(3) Silicosis Class 3. Sufferers have serious lung function impairment –  i.e. more than 40% lung impairment. The Trust benefit for this category of silicosis is R250,000 (about $18,000 USD).

(4) The trust deed also provides for a special award of up to R500,000 (about $36,000 USD), payable at the discretion of the trustees, to any person who is certified as having Silicosis Class 3. Such a person must have at least 10 years cumulative employment; must have undertaken risk work on one or more qualifying mine(s) during the qualifying period; and must have at least one of the following disease processes: progressive massive fibrosis for mineworkers aged less than 50 years; lung cancer; cor pulmonale; or massive fibrosis involving the lungs or oesophagus. 

(5) For dependents of deceased mineworkers who died as a result of silicosis or tuberculosis between 1965 and today, the award is between R50,000 – R100,000 (about $3,500 – $7,000 USD).

What does this mean for other groups of South African citizens who have been harmed through mining or other industrial activity?

This matter sets a precedent on several levels. The mining companies who have settled accepted historical responsibility for companies that it owns or operates. In addition, the nature of the joint process between the mining companies to achieve a settlement between them is an extraordinary achievement. Six massive companies, each with their own executive management, boards and shareholders came together to arrange how they would divide liability between them and then sought to negotiate with the claimants in good faith. The model used in the negotiation of this settlement may well set the standard for future litigation in this area. Certainly the advancement of the law in parent company liability will benefit future litigation.

How does this award relate to similar awards in the US and other parts of the world?

The awards to beneficiaries are comparable to other settlements. It is difficult to compare the settlement to others due to the broad scope of this settlement, including several African countries and an unknown number of claimants. The companies have provided security in the amount of R5 billion. However, the actual liability is open ended. The trust will run for 12 years with a further year to close out payment of claims. As long as eligible claimants enter the trust, they will be paid and the companies will be liable even if the final amount exceeds R5 billion. The settlement is unprecedented in its scope and ambition. 

Are other African countries likely to follow suit in compensating victims of silicosis or other health problems created through industrial activities?

As indicated above, the settlement included mineworkers from other African countries that contracted silicosis or tuberculosis while working on a South African goldmine. I am hesitant to comment on what may happen in other countries but certainly the litigation and settlement process in this litigation will assist those matter should they be instituted.

What role did the LRC play in getting justice for the workers?

The LRC was intricately involved in the silicosis litigation and did all the groundwork that lay the foundation for the class action. LRC  dedicated significant time and resources over the course of more than 15 years, pursuing litigation on behalf of mineworkers who contracted silicosis at mines owned or operated by Anglo American South Africa Ltd (AASA).

The LRC, Legal Aid South Africa (Legal Aid) and the London based law firm, Leigh Day, collaborated with a view to formulating a legal strategy designed to secure silicosis compensation for South African gold miners generally.

In order to resolve overarching issues relating to negligence, wrongfulness and causation, the LRC, Leigh Day and Legal Aid pursued a series of individual actions that could be run as “test cases.” The cases selected were all linked to the President Steyn Mine owned by AASA, and is referred to as the President Steyn litigation or Blom litigation.

The President Steyn litigation proceeded to arbitration during September 2012 and was finally settled during September 2013. During this time, several applications for certification of an industry-wide silicosis class action were instituted by RSI and AK. Following extensive negotiations between the LRC on the one hand and RSI and AK on the other, and in order to pursue the goal of developing a scheme that would compensate all persons who contracted silicosis working at an AASA goldmine, the LRC agreed to consolidate its class certification application against AASA with the industry-wide applications of RSI and AK. The LRC therefore became an integral part of the plaintiffs’ team. The LRC contributed extensive scientific and industry related research and information, which it obtained during the course of the President Steyn litigation, for purposes of the certification application and the negotiations.

In addition, the LRC dedicated staff to the class action including in-house counsel, attorneys, paralegals and researchers. The LRC team was integral to the litigation arguing that parent companies should be liable for mines that were owned in part, even a small share, operated or controlled by a larger company, with a particular focus on Anglo America South Africa. The LRC also argued for the development of the common law to allow for damages for pain and suffering to fall in the deceased mineworker’s estate to benefit the dependents. As a general rule, specific damages, i.e. damages that can be quantified, such as medical expenses, loss of earnings etc. are transmissible to a deceased estate. However, impairment of dignity, pain and suffering etc. do not fall in a deceased estate. The LRC lead the case to achieve justice for dependents of mineworkers who died as a result of silicosis and argued that the law should be developed to allow dependents to get the full benefit they would have been entitled to had the mineworker not died. We won this point in the High Court and continued to argue this point during negotiations.

Are there other cases that the LRC is working on to benefit large numbers of South Africans?

We have several applications in the pipeline which, if we are successful, will benefit all South Africans. I have two main areas of litigation going with counsel in the Constitutional Litigation Unit, banking and mass surveillance. We have two ongoing matters against all the major banks in South Africa. The first relates to the practice of set-off by which debts are recovered by using another account held by the debtor at the same financial institution to which a debt is owed. The National Credit Act does not allow set-off except in terms of an agreement and subject to strict regulation such as consent and notification. The banks have taken mention of set-off out of all agreements and claim they are entitled to set-off debts in terms of the common law without an agreement with the debtor and without notification. This often leaves distressed debtors and mostly likely the lowest income consumer without any money to provide basic necessities during the month and exacerbates the cycle of debt. We won this matter in the High Court which found banks may not use set off except in terms of the National Credit Act. We are waiting to see if the banks appeal.

In respect of mass surveillance, we are working on three cases that strategically fit together to declare mass surveillance and storage of metadata unconstitutional as it violates the right to privacy. In addition, we are challenging the law that permits interception of communication to the extent that it does not require notification to the subject of surveillance after the need for surveillance concludes. We are asking the court to order parliament to include post-surveillance notification.

How should we think about this case in the bigger context?

The settlement is important first and foremost for the mineworkers suffering from an incurable and progressive disease or their dependents that cared for them during their illness. The settlement aims to bring an end to litigation surrounding silicosis in particular and also tuberculosis contracted while working on a goldmine. The settlement has been crafted in such a way that any former or current mineworker that contracted silicosis on a settling mine will be compensated, irrespective of which country they are from. At heart, the agreement is aimed at compensating the class members who suffered harm over many decades while in the employ of one or more of the settling companies.

The settlement and the judgment also sets a precedent providing guidance for future class actions. Class actions are novel in South Africa. There have been only about five applications for certification of a class action and this is the first class action settlement. In addition, it is extremely important to set a precedent for redress and compensation of mineworkers who were harmed while working on the various mines in South Africa.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Last week, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino) took his Job for a Day tour of the Inland Empire to Anita’s Snack Foods in San Bernardino. Aguilar spent the day packing and preparing Anita’s products for shipments, providing him an opportunity to learn more about the business and hear from Inland Empire residents who work there.

“Companies like Anita’s are creating good jobs in our community by focusing on quality and innovation, and I wanted to see up close what’s made their business a success. My Job for a Day tour is all about spending time with working people and learning how I can better serve Inland Empire businesses and families, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to do that at a business with such deep roots in Southern California,” said Aguilar.

“It was a great pleasure to have Congressman Aguilar visit and work in the facility. It was great to hear that we all shared the same passion and point of view on the need to develop our workforce. The Congressman’s willingness to meet the team and jump into some of our daily jobs shows his commitment and dedication to the people of San Bernardino County,” said Mauro Gomez, Vice President of Sales at Anita’s Snack Foods.

Aguilar began his Job for a Day in 2017 to work side by side with the employees and small businesses who drive the Inland Empire economy. This is the tour’s fourth stop in 2019, and twelfth stop overall.

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—They have their mind made up and they’re not going to change for you, or me… or even God. They are just like the people in [Jeremiah 44]. Although, Jeremiah warned the people that God was upset with their behavior, it didn’t make a difference at all. They responded: “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD!”  They had made up their minds. They like what they were doing, and they had no intention of stopping for Jeremiah or God… or anyone. I want you to know as  [Deuteronmy 32:35] says, such behavior shall cause, “Your foot to slide in due time.” I beseech you, therefore, to recognize the nature of such foolishness and fear the consequences.

As [Proverbs 14:12] says, “There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but in the end thereof it leads to death.” Don’t be a fool! Haggai message was simple. It was a message of priority: “Put first things first!” His message was blunt. He pulled no punches and wasted no words. Haggai said stop making excuses, cease being selfish! God sought to warn the people to heed His words. Twice Haggai instructed the people, ‘Consider your ways [Haggai 1:5-7]. Which they did not. Therefore they were rebuked of the Lord because they were selfish and self-centered…  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get rebuked by the Lord. I don’t want God to call for a drought for me as he did for the Jews. He called for a drought upon the land, the mountains, the corn, the new wine, the oil, and upon that which the ground would bring forth. Upon men, upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands. The Lord did that. Why? Because of a stiff-necked, selfish, self-centered people. He caused the heaven to be stayed from dew and the earth to be stayed from her fruit [Haggai 1:10]. All because they wanted to do things their way and not God’s way. I tell you, we must put aside the things we desire, put aside our self-centered ways, and put the work of the Lord first. The psalmist declared: “I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to your testimonies” [Psalms 119:59].

Out of God’s love and mercy, He sends His prophets and preaches to remind us of His faithfulness – and in turn, to remind us as His people to be faithful and obedient as well. He has given us His Word to sound the alarm. Not only did God warn them, but He also offered promises through His servant Haggai to motivate them to follow Him. We are not free to do as we please! We belong to God [Ezekiel 18:4]. Our lives belong to the Lord [Romans 14:7-8]. For the whole duty of man is to serve God [Ecclesiastes 12:13]. It’s not about you, but God…  Oh, that you would consider it!

For He said to me; “I will not tolerate this stubborn, hardhead stiff-necked spirit any longer.” He wants us to be warned that there is an end to his patience. There is a resistance to the Holy Spirit that goes so long and so far. Rid yourself of self!  Because I tell you, your life will be Hell before going to Hell!

Listen, I don’t make this stuff up. [Isaiah 30:1] says, “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me.” “Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites…” [Matthew 23:14]. “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of Hell?” [Matthew 23:33]… Know that the end has come upon you, and I will send My anger against you saith the Lord; I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations.  My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; but I will repay your ways, and your abominations will be in your midst, then you shall know that I am the LORD [Ezekiel 7:3-8]. Therefore, consider how far you have fallen and repent. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place [Revelation2:5].

“So, this I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God…” [Ephesians 4: 17-21]

 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” [Deuteronomy 30:19-20]

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—-ENN)—- SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Addressing California’s homeless crisis is the responsibility of the community at large. San Bernardino County has identified over 2,600 homeless individuals during the San Bernardino County 2019 Point-in-Time Homeless Count. 

Shelia, who has been homeless for 5 years, called our office for help and my staff immediately connected organizations throughout the region to find housing for Shelia. This model of collaboration should be replicated both state and nation-wide to address the issue. The entire community must work together to return dignity, support, and respect for our homeless neighbors.

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)—- On June 22, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the outcome of a settlement with Equifax, one of the three major credit monitoring firms in the United States. 

The settlement requires Equifax to pay somewhere between $500 and $700 million in restitution for a 2017 data breach that affected about 147 million people across the United States, according to Jacqueline Connor, a privacy attorney with the FTC. The amount of the settlement is the highest in U.S. history for a data breach and the number of people impacted represents almost half the United States’ population.  That’s nearly every adult in the country who has credit. 

In California alone, Hackers were able to access and expose the personal information of about 15 million people.

 “Our credit status impacts nearly every aspect of our lives – from purchasing a home or a car to finding a job,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “The same Americans who had to immediately protect themselves from fraudsters or identify thieves will have to be vigilant for the rest of their lives. We encourage every eligible person to apply for the relief they are entitled to as part of our settlement.”

About $300 million of the settlement amount will go to making payments to Americans affected by the breach. Equifax will pay another $275 million in fines to close the investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and to end legal action by states who filed lawsuits against the company.

The hackers, who have not yet been identified, penetrated Equifax’s data files and were able to steal social security numbers, credit card numbers, addresses and other personal data. The breach affected all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. 

To compensate victims, Equifax has set up a website (EquifaxBreachSettlement.com) where you can first check to see if you were affected by the breach. Then, you can apply for a check payment of “up to” $125, or you can choose free credit monitoring with all three major credit bureaus for up to four years, a value of a little over $950. When that period is over, you can choose to opt in for free credit monitoring by Equifax for another six years. 

Because “millions of people” affected have filed claims for the $125 payment option since the settlement announcement, the FTC, which is responsible for consumer protection across the country, says applying for a cash payment is not the best way to go. So, as an alternative, Equifax is primarily now offering free credit monitoring to its customers affected by the data breach. If you’re already signed up for a free credit monitoring service and intend to keep it for the next six months, then you can apply for the $125 payment.

“The pot of money that pays for that part of the settlement is $31 million,” the FTC said in a statement. “A large number of claims for cash instead of credit monitoring means only one thing: Each person who takes the money option will wind up only getting a small amount of money. Nowhere near the $125 they could have gotten if there hadn’t been such an enormous number of claims filed.”

For Equifax to have paid out the full $125 to each person affected, a number of no more than 248,000 people would have needed to apply. If all 147 million  people end up filing a claim, individual payouts would shrivel down to around .22 cents per person.

The cost for Equifax’s  credit monitoring service is $19.99 a month, according to the company’s website. If every victim of the breach signs up, it could cost Equifax up to $2 billion to cover the costs.

Victims of identity theft or other fraud resulting directly from the breach who have documentation to back up their claim, will receive compensation of $25 an hour (for up to 20 hours) of the time they took to resolve the problem. They will be eligible for up to another 10 hours of $25-an-hour payments for the time they took to research or purchase protection services, including freezing their credit, after the fraud happened. 

Those who incurred legal expenses or spent money on credit monitoring, notaries and other approved fines as a result of the hack, are eligible for up to $20,000 per person in reimbursements. They will also be required to show proof that their claims are valid. 

The deadline to file all claims is Jan. 22, 2020.

For people who have already requested a $125 payment and would now like to opt for free credit monitoring instead, look out for an email from Equifax. The company will allow you to change your choice. 

Some consumer advocates and legislators around the country say the settlement didn’t go far enough. 

“Equifax’s data breach put over 100 million Americans at risk by exposing their Social Security numbers and other personal information,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), chair of the House Energy and Commerce committee, in a press release. “This settlement does not come close to making consumers whole and, once again, shows the limitations on the FTC’s ability to seek strong penalties and effective redress for consumers.”

News of data breaches of financial institutions and credit monitoring agencies is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. 

Paige Thompson, a Seattle-based hacker, was arrested by the FBI last Monday after she bragged on social media about hacking Capital One and leaking 100 million consumers’ data. 

Thompson, who previously worked for Amazon Web Services, bragged about her hacking exploits on Twitter under the username “Erratic.” 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— REDLANDS, CA – Music Changing Lives, (MCL) will host their 4^th annual “Ball 4 A Cause,” a celebrity basketball game to support their music and arts program for local youth. The game will take place at the Redlands Community Center, located at 111 W. Lugonia Ave. Redlands, CA 92374 on Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 12pm-1pm.

This exciting event will include an incredible half-time show with live performances, special guests, studio tours, raffles and activities for the entire family. Red carpet festivities and media interviews take place from 12pm-1pm and guests are encouraged to arrive early.

CEO of Music Changing Lives, Josiah Bruny, explains that, “Access to music and art programs are so critical for youth, as we have seen first-hand the impact and changes made within our student’s lives time and time again.  This fundraiser helps us to continue to change lives through the arts and we hope to have the entire community show up and show out again this year.”  

Tickets for this event are only $10, and can be purchased at the door or online at  https://ball4acause2019.eventbrite.com.  Admission for children 12 years old and younger is free.  Tickets will sell out, so purchase yours soon! Celebrity artists and special guests, to be announced.

Proceeds from this event will directly benefit programs that keep music and art alive and accessible for the children in the community.

Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are available. For more information on sponsorship, media or general event information, please contact 951-992-0721 or email MusicChangingLives@gmail.com.

---

Music Changing Lives is an innovative after-school program whose mission is, “to offer the highest quality music and art enrichment programs to underprivileged and at-risk youth, between the ages of 5-19 years old, helping them improve their chances of achieving a positive and successful future.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— MORENO VALLEY, CA—- As overt and deadly racism continues to rise all over the world, local civil rights leaders, community leaders, and social workers launch the Center Against Racism & Trauma (CART) in the Inland Empire. The mission of CART is to eliminate racism in all of its forms and provide healing for all suffering from its trauma.

“This is not a research or documentation center, this is an action center,” said Corey Jackson, Director of CART and civil rights leader. 

CART is designed to actively fight against racism by offering counter narratives to the racist propaganda of the day and training a new generation of youth in anti-racism ideology and strategies.

CART is also dedicated to initiating conversations of racism, oppression, and marginalization, while providing opportunities for affected people to heal from the ravages of historical and intergenerational trauma that racism causes.  

This first strategy that CART will be providing is a public blog t hat will focus on current racist actions all over the world, and anti-racist videos to further educate the public and help prevent the spread of racism. 

“We chose the anniversary of Emmett Till’s lynching, to ensure that everyone can see how dangerous and evil racism is. Emmett Till laying in that coffin is exactly what racism looks like in our nation and in our souls,” said Jernine Williams, Director of Research.

---

Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941 – August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African American who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman in her family’s grocery store.

Cause of death?: ?Lynching

Resting place?: ?Burr Oak Cemetery?; ?Alsip, Illinois

Died?: ?August 28, 1955 (aged 14); ?Money, Mississippi

Born?: ?Emmett Louis Till; July 25, 1941; ?Chicago, IL

To access CART content, please go to: www.DestroyRacism.org

The Joint Center released groundbreaking survey data on the future of work and race, hosted a future of work convening in Chicago, and continued our monthly jobs analysis. Details below.

Economic Studies: Future of Work

On July 24, the Joint Center releasedRacial Differences on the Future of Work: A Survey of the American Workforce. The report highlights the findings of a Joint Center survey of over 2,000 Black, Latino, White, and Asian Americans on their perspectives on the changing economy. Key findings include:

• People of color have a significant interest in education and training. Asian Americans, African Americans, and Latinos were all more likely than Whites to be interested in obtaining education or training from all the provided options, including an in-person college degree program, online college, community college, a trade union, and a GED.

• All four groups cited financial constraints as the biggest barrier to obtaining additional training. The least cited barrier was feeling personally incapable of acquiring new skills.

• A significant majority of Americans support free education or training as a response to job displacement (see graph above). 

• With regard to the most impactful steps schools can take to prepare children for the future economy, African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans were much more likely than Whites to prioritize teaching computer programming. 

?Read the report here.

The report was covered in Bloomberg,Communications of the ACM, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education,EdWeek,GW Hatchet,Inside Higher Ed, Political Hispanic, and #RolandMartinUnfiltered. 

Joint Center President Spencer Overton wrote an op-ed for The Hill calling for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to focus on the future of work priorities identified by people of color in the survey.

Spencer also presented the Joint Center’s findings from the report during a panel at the 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN.

The Joint Center held a future of work convening in Chicago in partnership with Comcast-NBCUniversal Foundation.The event brought together practitioners, community leaders, workforce groups, the business community, and policy students from the University of Chicago to discuss the implications of the changing nature of work on African Americans in Chicago. More details here.

Taking Action for Low-Income Workers: Spencer and Joint Center Workforce Policy Director Harin Contractor partnered with the National Skills Coalition to co-author an essay in a new compendium entitled Taking Action: Positioning Low-Income Workers to Succeed in a Changing Economy. The publication offers strategies to address disparities and equip low-income individuals with the education and skills needed to succeed in the changing workforce, and was funded by Annie E. Casey Foundation and The Joyce Foundation. Read it here. 

Joint Center Economic Policy Director Jessica Fulton participated in a convening focused on the unique challenges women will face in the future of work. Harin attended the Center for American Progress’s Workforce Equity Conversation Series, an invite-only workshop with over 20 representatives from think tanks and foundations. 

The Future of Work & the Black Rural South: Spencer shared findings and obtained feedback on the Joint Center’s research on the future of work and the Black Rural South at a USDA session at the Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s Mississippi Policy Conference in Tunica, MS. He also shared and obtained feedback on the research as a keynote speaker to over 25 local elected and emerging leaders at the One Voice Mississippi Black Leadership Institute. For a 4-page summary of the research (including graphs), click here.

At the Black Economic Alliance’s Future of Work session on Martha’s Vineyard, Spencer was the opening speaker and provided an overview of the impact of automation, upskilling, and geography on Black workers. Later that same week, Spencer spoke at the Black Economic Forum and discussed steps Black private sector executives should take to help Black workers transition to better jobs in the new economy.

---

Jobs Analysis

Employment Situation Report: Harin hosted analysis on the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report. Our latest chats included:

May 2019: Howard University’s Assistant Professor of Economics Jevay Grooms and Georgia Budget and Policy Institute’s Senior Policy Analyst Alex Camardelle, and Harin discussed that while Black unemployment continues to decrease, many Black workers continue to lack access to health benefits.

June 2019: CLASP Policy Analyst Parker Gilkesson and Alabama A&M University Visiting Professor Dr. Kristen E. Broady, and Harin discussed the importance of SNAP benefits.

July 2019: Harin conducted a solo-session due to the July 4 holiday. He shared that education plays a stronger role for African Americans’ attachment to the labor force than for Whites. However, African Americans have higher unemployment rates at every educational attainment level compared to their White counterparts.

August 2019: Omidyar Network Senior Manager of Reimagining Capitalism Joelle Gamble, Groundwork Collaborative Policy & Research Director Janelle Jones, and Harin discussed how African Americans are underrepresented in industries that tend to pay higher than average wages.
Find their conversations here.

---

In Case You Missed It

Comcast-NBCUniversal announced an expansion of its Internet Essentials program, which will provide high-speed internet to qualified households at an affordable rate. The step is significant because access to high-speed broadband is critical for the future of work in Black communities (e.g., work, education, and skill building), but currently almost 28 percent of African Americans lack access to broadband at home. 

The African American Mayors Association released a white paper on the future of work’s effect on Black and Latino workers in three cities: Gary, IN, Columbia, SC, and Long Beach, CA. Read it here.

McKinsey Global Institute released a report on the future of work in America including analysis on its impact on places, people, and companies. The report finds that 23.1 percent of Black workers could be displaced by 2030 (4.6 million workers). Learn more about McKinsey’s take on Black worker displacement on pages 60-64 here.

Marcus Casey and Sarah Nzau of the Brookings Institution wrote about how artificial intelligence will disrupt the future of work, and how automation will affect the middle class. 

Opportunity@Work CEO and Co-Founder Byron Auguste wrote an op-ed offering guidance on how to build a lifelong learning strategy in the wake of automation. Read it here.

Current CEO of San Francisco Conservation Corps Will Be 1^st Woman of Color President in Organization’s 26 Year History

OAKLAND,CA— The Greenlining Institute has chosen Debra Gore-Mann to be the racial equity organization’s new president – the third leader in Greenlining’s 26-year history and the first woman to lead the organization.

Gore-Mann has led the San Francisco Conservation Corps – America’s first urban municipal youth corps – for the past four years. Chosen from a large field of outstanding candidates considered over the course of the search, she brings a wealth of nonprofit and business experience to her new position at Greenlining, with a resume that includes experience in investment banking, an engineering degree and an M.B.A. from Stanford. She will assume the post Oct. 1.

Gore-Mann brings a multi-dimensional perspective to the role, having been raised in a low-income, biracial family (African American & Japanese), being the first generation in her family to go to college and part of the first generation to receive a basketball scholarship for women student athletes at Stanford University under Title IX, the federal law requiring gender equity in federally funded college sports. She studied engineering and then joined the Graduate School of Business at Stanford to earn her M.B.A., where she was the only African American woman in a class of 400 graduate students. Her experiences give her a depth of understanding of what it takes to serve historically underserved and underrepresented people.

“We were impressed by Debra’s vision and dynamism,” said Greenlining Board Co-Chair Ortensia Lopez. “She is intimately familiar with seeing change, being change and building community. Greenlining has grown remarkably over the last decade, and the challenges our nation faces are complex. With her wide variety of experience, we believe Debra is the right person to take us to the next level and to bring new energy and excitement to the fight for racial equity in these challenging times.”

“Debra is the right person with the right experience at an important time in the life of our organization,” said Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Transition Committee Co-Chair. “She brings an important intersectional perspective and experience working with the very communities we serve.”
 

“I think I speak for everyone at The Greenlining Institute in thanking Orson Aguilar for his leadership and tireless dedication to the organization,” Gore-Mann said. “I am humbled to be able to follow such a legacy leader who worked for over 20 years to help build Greenlining into the strong and vibrant organization it is. I am incredibly excited to assume this role, and know that if we stand together, learn together, and educate each other, we will prosper together.”

Begun as an informal, multiethnic coalition of civil rights groups in the 1980s and formally incorporated as an organization in 1993, Greenlining has emerged as a leading advocate for racial equity in a variety of fields, from banking to tech and the fight against climate change. Its Leadership Academy has trained over 1,000 young leaders, and its graduates have taken on leadership positions as elected officials, heads of nonprofit organizations, a sitting California Supreme Court Justice and other influential roles. The Greenlining 360 Center in downtown Oakland has become a hub for grassroots community organizing, regularly hosting a variety of community meetings and events. 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Akoma Unity Center to receive $140,000 grant from More Attractive Communities (MAC) Foundation towards the beautification of Anne Shirrells Park on the Westside of San Bernardino. Akoma Unity Center (Akoma) is located in the heart of the Westside in Anne Shirrells Park. The Beautification of Anne Shirrells Park aims to inspire and recharge the community’s spirit, while boosting the financial resilience of this neighborhood —giving residents a sense of pride and ownership.  

This project is made possible, largely due to the support of MAC Foundation whose mission is to support San Bernardino’s underserved communities by creating curb appeal to physical local businesses, organizations, parks and recreation facilities. Akoma is seeking additional support from the City of San Bernardino and other stakeholders to contribute to the Beautification Project. 

Improvement plans include: refurbishing the basketball court, improving landscaping and irrigation of the Anne Shirrells Garden, creating a Zen Garden inside the gated area of Akoma Unity Center, along with a new volleyball and tether ball court. Each space serves a purpose for the youth and families of the West side of San Bernardino and those who visit Akoma Unity Center. In addition, MAC is sponsoring the painting of a vibrant mural on the building facing California St. Akoma has partnered with a home-grown muralist to create a welcoming art scape that encompasses the culture and values of this neighborhood.  

“Murals have been noted to be extremely impactful in bridging communities and creating pride. We at Akoma Unity Center are extremely grateful to the MAC Foundation and all philanthropic organizations who will find it deep in their generous hearts to give to this worthy community project. As Executive Director of Akoma Unity Center, it is my heartfelt mission to bring about change and improvements to the very much marginalized Westside of San Bernardino. It takes strong leadership, insight, and understanding of community development in order to forge revitalization within a community where People feel no hope. Akoma Unity Center welcomes all community collaborations with this Beautification project” says Executive Director, Kimberly Calvin.  

Akoma has previously received support from CA ReLeaf through the 2019 Arbor Week Grant which assisted with planting the Shirrells Garden bountiful orchard of fruit trees.  

Akoma Unity Center is a 501 C(3) Non-Profit organization committed to providing children with high quality, nocost afterschool structured recreation, and development programs in a safe and supervised environment. If you would like to learn more information about Akoma Unity Center, please visit our website at www.akomaunitycenter.org or call (909) 217-7956. 

• 

• 

Pictured: Anne Shirrells Park basketball court. Left, is the basketball court in its current state, right, is mock up image of the newly remodled basketball court.