WSSN Stories

On Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, New Research from LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey Shows Many Americans Remain Unaware of the Pay Gap, Major Inequalities That Hurt Black Women’s Career Advancement

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— PALO ALTO, CA— On, August 22, is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which marks how far Black women had to work into 2019 to make what white men earned in 2018 alone. For a second year, LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey have partnered to conduct new research to measure Americans’ awareness of this pay gap and better understand the experiences of Black women in the workplace, using SurveyMonkey Audience. The results are clear and troubling: Black women face far more barriers to advancement, and only half of Americans think these obstacles still exist.

On average, Black women are paid 39 percent less than white men and 21 percent less than white women. Even when you control for industry, occupation and education, Black women on average are paid less than white men. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, if the pay gap were closed, in a single year, a Black woman working full-time would be able to afford over three years’ worth of groceries, nearly two years of rent, or two and a half years’ worth of childcare.

The new research from LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey shows that many people don’t know Black women are paid less or don’t understand the magnitude of this pay gap. A third of Americans don’t know there’s a pay gap between Black women and white men—and 42 percent of people who are aware of this pay gap underestimate its size. Moreover, half of Americans don’t know there’s a pay gap between Black women and white women.

“While many Americans don’t realize the pay gap for Black women exists, Black women and their families certainly feel the effects. If the pay gap were closed, the average Black woman would earn almost $950,000 more over the course of her career—a staggering figure, especially when you consider nearly 4 in 10 Americans say they’d struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense,” said Rachel Thomas, co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.Org.

“Just like last year, our research shows that awareness about the pay gap for Black women remains too low,” said Sarah Cho, Director of Research at SurveyMonkey. “We’re also seeing that Black women have far less access to opportunity in the form of job training and interactions with senior leaders. We hope this research encourages companies to dig deeper into the interconnected factors that contribute to this disparity so we can all make progress in narrowing the gap.”

The pay gap Black women face is only one piece of the story. This new research highlights that Black women also experience a lack of access to opportunity:

• Less access to senior leaders: White men report having access to senior leaders at three times the rate of Black women—and white women at twice the rate of Black women.
• Less mentorship and sponsorship: Fewer Black women have had a mentor or sponsor at some point in their career: 19 percent, compared to 27 percent of white women and 31 percent of white men.
• Less access to training: Fewer Black women have ever received job or executive leadership training in their career: 19 percent, compared to 30 percent of white women and 33 percent of white men.

These findings are also supported by research from LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace study, which shows that Black women face more barriers to advancement and get less support:

• Less likely to be promoted: Despite doing their part and asking for raises as often as men and white women, Black women are less likely to be promoted. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 60 Black women are promoted.
• Less support from managers: Only 25 percent of Black women report that their manager helps them navigate organizational politics, compared to 39 percent of white women and 41 percent of men. Black women are also less likely to get help balancing their work and personal lives (39 percent of Black women, compared to 48 percent of white women and 44 percent of men). 
• Less likely for managers to promote their accomplishments: 35 percent of Black women say that their managers promote their contributions to others, compared to 46 percent of white women and 46 percent of men. Black women are also less likely to get opportunities to showcase their work.
• Experience everyday discrimination/microaggressions: 40 percent of Black women report having their judgment questioned in their area of expertise, compared to 36 percent of white women and 27 percent of men. And 42 percent of Black women are asked to provide evidence of their competence, compared to 29 percent of white women and 16 percent of men.

In this year’s SurveyMonkey and LeanIn.Org study, over a third of Americans said they believe offering leadership training, increasing wage transparency, and creating flexible workplace policies are effective ways to provide opportunities to help women and men advance equally. To address obstacles that can contribute to the pay gap and prevent Black women from advancing, LeanIn.Org is issuing a series of recommendations for companies based on findings from Women in the Workplace:

Put processes in place to ensure that employees doing the same work are being paid the same

• Don’t ask job candidates about their current compensation, which is illegal in some states and can perpetuate pay disparities
• Be transparent about the pay ranges for different roles so all employees know what to expect
• Audit compensation data regularly to maintain fairness—and review the data by gender and race to ensure Black women are being paid fairly

Ensure the performance review process is fair

• Require diverse slates of candidates for promotions (only 26% of companies currently do this)
• Set clear performance evaluation criteria before the review process begins—and put safeguards in place to make sure they’re applied consistently
• Track outcomes of promotions by gender and race to make sure Black women are being treated fairly (only 18% of companies currently do this)

Train employees to identify and challenge bias

• Less than a third of employees say managers often challenge biased language and behavior when they see or hear it. Unconscious bias training can equip managers to be part of the solution (less than 50% of managers currently receive it) 
• Employees involved in hiring and promotions should receive unconscious bias training to help them make more objective decisions (less than 20% of companies require unconscious bias training for employees involved in hiring and promotions) 
• Lean In’s 50 Ways to Fight Bias program highlights 50 specific examples of workplace bias and offers research-backed recommendations for what to do (available at no cost to companies)

Double down on mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership training

• Ensure formal mentorship and sponsorship programs are opening doors for Black women
• Encourage informal interactions between Black women and more senior colleagues—these types of personal connections can be more effective than formal programs and propel careers
• Track participation in leadership training by gender and race to make sure Black women are fairly represented

At leanin.org/bwepd, visitors can find the full findings, as well as resources to combat gender bias in the workplace. To learn more about the study, visit the SurveyMonkey blog.

KEY FINDINGS FROM 2019 BLACK WOMEN’S EQUAL PAY SURVEY CONDUCTED BY LEANIN.ORG AND SURVEYMONKEY:

Many people don’t realize that Black women are paid less for similar work. A third of Americans (34%) don’t know that Black women, on average, are paid less than white men—and half of Americans (53%) don’t know that Black women, on average, are paid less than white women.

Even when people know there’s a pay gap, it’s bigger than they realize. A Black woman makes 61 cents for every dollar a white man makes. Even when people know the pay gap exists, 42% of them underestimate its size.

Black women’s awareness of the pay gap is higher, and many see wage transparency as key to workplace equity. 69% of Black women are aware that white men, on average, are paid more than them. When asked what companies can do to provide equal opportunities for advancement for men and women alike, 40% of Black women selected wage transparency as their top solution..

The pay gap is only part of the problem. Black women get far less support at work. Compared to white men, Black women are significantly less likely to have ever received job or executive leadership training (white men: 33%, Black women: 19%) and to have had a mentor or sponsor at some point in their career (white men: 31%, Black women: 19% ). Most notably, Black women are almost three times less likely to have ever had access to senior leaders (white men: 44%, Black women: 16%). A similar disparity holds when you compare Black women to white women—in all cases, Black women get less support.

Most people are overly optimistic about the state of Black women. Only half of Americans (51%) think there are still obstacles that make it harder for Black women to advance. Not surprisingly, more than two-thirds of Black women (71%) say significant obstacles still exist.  

SOURCE LeanIn.Org

(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.

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]

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.” 

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.

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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.

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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. 

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Well, I tell you why? Sin! You going around doing everything from A-Z and you want to know why God hasn’t answered your prayers. Don’t you know unconfessed sin separates you from God causing God not to even hear your prayers! He says in [Ezekiel 14:3] “Should I let them inquire of me at all?”  It’s not that the Lord’s hand is shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated you from your God; and yours sins have hidden his face from you, so that He will not hear.” You see, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” [Psalm 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12]  Wondering why God has not answered your prayers! Ain’t No need of Wondering!

What makes it even worst, not only do you have sin in your life, “When you ask, you ask amiss?  “You ask wrongly… You adulterous people, says the Lord! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us?  Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [James 4:3-10]. Wondering why God has not answered your prayers! Ain’t No need of Wondering!

And, most importantly, you must belong to God before you can communicate with Him. Jesus said, “He who belongs to the Father hear what God says [John 8:47]. The bottom line: As Christians, we need to put God first in our lives to have an effective prayer life. If you’re doing that, God does hear your prayers, and he answers them. You just have to trust God that He’s giving you the best answer for you- for your life- and for all eternity. As [Proverbs 3: 5-6] says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.

I want you to know that you are not the first person to have your prayers go unanswered. In fact, the Bible is filled with stories of men and women who prayed to God in the moment of crisis, and God for reasons sometimes explained and more often not explained – why He didn’t answer their prayers. Habakkuk struggled with the unanswered pray. He cried out, “O Lord, how long shall I cry and you will not hear?” Job struggled with unanswered pray. In Job 31:35 he says, “Oh, that I had one to hear me! Oh, that the Almighty would answer me!” King David struggled with unanswered pray. In Psalm 13, he said, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me, forever? How long will you hide your face from me”? Habakkuk, Job, David, all echo the frustrations that many of us have had at one time or another when it seems as if God is not answering our prayers. “Three times God told Paul “No.”  Paul prayed for God to remove the thorn in his flesh” so that he could get on with his ministry. And each time God said No! Can you image that? The apostle Paul probably the greatest Christian who ever lived, prayed about this need in his life, found that God did not, would not, answer his prayers until he continued to persist, then God finally gave him an explanation. “… “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Listen, though we may rebel against this idea, God doesn’t always work the way we want Him to. Just because we don’t see Him immediately answer our prayers in the way we expect, doesn’t mean He isn’t working in our lives. Often, we want things that will ultimately be bad for us. And we like to use God to get what we want, the way we want it, and when we want it. But time and time again in Scripture we see that God is not in a hurry. For 400 years, the Israelites prayed for the deliverance that God gave them through Moses. God is the master of time and therefore the master of timing. Even Jesus knew this.  Periodically, we’ll hear Jesus say, “His hour had not come,” and the Scriptures often mention events happening “in the fullness of time.” As the saying goes, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for.” So if God is silent, pray for His peace. Pray for His will to be done. And pray that He gives you the kind of faith that will wait.

As Job said, “I don’t understand this at all, but I’m hanging on to you, Lord, and I’m not going to let go.” [Job 13:15]. That’s the place to which God wants to bring us and sometimes unanswered prayer is the only way to get us there.

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy” [Colossians 1:9-11].

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” [Ephesians 3:20-21].

Nearly 21,000 Californians Apply for 14 Seats

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO,CA— Today, the California State Auditor announced that nearly 21,000 Californians applied to serve on the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission, of which more than 17,600 are tentatively eligible. The initial application period for the 14 seats closed on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. 

“We’ve said since the beginning that we were working to form a deep and broad pool of applicants for California’s second Citizens Redistricting Commission,” said California State Auditor Elaine M. Howle, whose office is charged with creating the new Commission. “We are thrilled to report that we met that goal with thousands of diverse applicants—race/ethnicity, geographic, gender, and economic backgrounds. We received nearly 21,000 applicants who are reflective of California’s talent and diversity.”

The application process was open to registered California voters who voted in at least two of the last three general elections and had consistent party affiliation for five years.

Howle continued, “The work of the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission safeguards the integrity of California’s elections by giving the power to the people and making sure voters have a voice in selecting their representatives. Now, the tentatively eligible applicants from the initial pool will continue through to the next round of review and fill out the supplemental application. With so many applicants, our Applicant Review Panel has a big job ahead, but we’re up for it.”

Eligible applicants must now complete the supplemental application, which is online atshapecaliforniasfuture.auditor.ca.gov. The supplemental application period begins August 21, 2019 and runs through September 20, 2019. The supplemental application is only available to applicants who submitted an online application during the initial application period and were found eligible. The State Auditor has provided a training video to assist all applicants in completing their supplemental application and providing all information required.

“I thank every single Californian who participated in this process and took the time to apply,” said Howle. “We highly encourage all members of the public to continue participating in this important process over the next several months by checking the Shape California’s Future website for updates and providing online public comment on these applicants so that your voice is heard.”

More information about the supplemental application and the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission selection process is available at shapecaliforniasfuture.auditor.ca.gov or by calling (833) 421–7550. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @ShapeCAFuture for recent updates.

About the 2020 Citizens Redistricting Commission

Every ten years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts. 

In 2008, California voters passed the Voters FIRST Act authorizing the creation of an independent Commission comprised of 14 members. The 2020 Commission will include five Democrats, five Republicans, and four who are either registered without, or “independent” of, any political party (decline-to-state or no party preference) or with another party. The Commission is responsible for drawing the lines of each district. The supplemental application period for new Commission members runs from August 21, 2019, through September 20, 2019, and is open to qualifying applicants who submitted an online application during the initial application period.

The California State Auditor’s Office is a state entity that is independent of the executive branch and legislative control. The purpose of the California State Auditor’s Office is to improve California government by assuring the performance, accountability, and transparency that its citizens deserve. For more information on the State Auditor’s Office, please visit www.Auditor.ca.gov.

John M. Futch, Jr. was born June 15, 1950 in Merced, California. He was the oldest of four children; born into an Air Force family with parents who lovingly instilled in him a sense of structure and a strong work ethic.

He was a natural leader as the big brother in a traveling family. He kept the siblings unified as they traveled around the world – imparting in them an unbreakable alliance.

Through all the transitions John, Terry, Lois and Stan relied on each other. They relied on the solid foundation of a loving family. And the kids relied on John’s innate leadership.

John was always in charge. He was the oldest and carried the most responsibility. Mature. Articulate. Brilliant. Confident. These are words that described John at an early age.

It was no shock that John finished high school at the age of 16 without sacrificing extracurricular activities. He played football, wrestled and ran track. He was accomplished at a young age – willing to tackle any challenge. John exemplified a sense of fearlessness and strength that only grew as he did.

John moved across the country to Washington DC to start a position at the FBI at the age of 17. There, he worked as a fingerprint examiner and met his beautiful wife Liz.

On a sweltering day, he stumbled into a police trailer looking for air conditioning and found an employment opportunity. He became a Metro DC Police Officer, who helped ensure safety following the peak of the Civil Rights movement.

He was a peace keeper, a husband and a father who worked diligently to provide for his children; Marcus and Adrienne.

John retired from the police force due to injury and drove his young family back to California with a license plate that read, “Broke.” He continuously played Elton John’s song “Bennie and the Jets” on the eight-track.

John, Liz, Marcus and Adrienne made their home in Southern California, close to his siblings and parents. When John Futch Sr. was on his death bed, he lit a renewed fire in John Jr. He challenged John to further his education.
John pursued his academic goals. His intelligence combined with his boldness created a synergy that forged an esteemed community leader.

John enrolled at the California State University of San Bernardino. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science; and his master’s degree in Social Sciences at CSUSB. John continued with his passion for education as an administrator at CSUSB. He dedicated his work to honoring culture and diversity.

John was instrumental in providing a platform for Native American educators, artists and performers. He played a vital role in bringing San Manuel’s California Native American Day Children’s Program to CSUSB. The San Manuel Pow Wow, the Tribe’s largest event of the year, is hosted at CSUSB thanks in large part to John.

His service in education continued when he was elected as a Trustee with the San Bernardino Community College District. The “Friends of John Futch Textbook Scholarship” was launched in 2007 to help provide book scholarships for students, with a preference for students with community service involvement, first generation college students and historically underserved students.

John M. Futch was a name in the community that was synonymous with action, advancement and assurance. He worked as a trusted Chief of Staff to his close friend and, then, Board of Supervisor James Ramos.

Most recently, John was elected as the President of the San Bernardino Branch of the NAACP. He led the group with a focus on communication and service to the community.

John was dedicated to helping others and pursued various avenues of civic engagement, awareness and advocacy.

He served as a liaison to law enforcement as a trusted member of the Sheriff’s Information Exchange Committee. In his role, John fostered in meaningful conversations about community engagement and cultural diversity education.

John provided exemplary motivation for his son and grandson. Marcus Futch Sr. serves as a peace officer with Desert Hot Springs Police; and Marcus Futch Jr. is attending the Fullerton Police Academy. They continue the family legacy of selflessness, service and sacrifice.

John M. Futch passed away on August 11, 2019. He imparted on all of us a duty to participate, to advocate and to communicate. We honor his legacy by serving others and being our brothers’ keepers.

His celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 24 from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM at CSUSB Santos San Manuel Student Union, located at 5500 University Parkway in San Bernardino.

By John Coleman

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SAN BERNARDINO, CA— You missed it.  No one kept count, but, probably more than 100 people, including family and friends of Grand-ma Emma Shaw! They celebrated her 107th birthday with her at the Shirrells Park Community Center in San Bernardino. The party took place on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

The person of honor, Mrs. Emma Shaw, was born on August 9,1912,  in rural Louisiana. In her childhood, she often missed school to help her family pick cotton. In her adult years, she gave birth to 13 children (including two who died being born).

Mrs. Shaw worked  into her 60s at whatever jobs she could get. She has lived and worked in  Louisiana,  Las Vegas,  Palm Springs and San Bernardino. She also raised six generations of church and community leaders. She is a SHERO!

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Throughout the celebration, Mrs. Shaw sat quietly and attentively, responsive to the constant flow of people wanting to photo-record this moment in history. Her ‘throne’, her wheel-chair at a  decorated table soon overflowing with cards and flowers and love.   

Many magic moments! You missed it.  I’m grateful that I didn’t!