St. Paul - So much of America’s progress would not have been possible without the transformational work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, the Center for Economic Inclusion recognizes Dr. King’s work to more equitably pay workers in the service sectors.
Are You A Racial Equity Navigator?
Tawanna Black
By Tawanna A. Black, Founder & CEO
Have you had to navigate any potholes lately? Perhaps you even took a drive down a winding road and had to navigate tree branches that had fallen after our early spring snow fall, while also looking above to ensure that low hanging branches were not scraping the roof of your car…WATCH OUT! Don’t swerve too far to the right or you’ll hit the car in the next lane, and don’t you see the officer sitting in the parking lot up the street, he’ll give you a ticket if you’re not careful!
Navigating the Potholes of Racism
As I drove to the office this week, and navigated the terrain, I was reminded not only of our work helping employers dismantle systemic racism, but of the experience of Black women, pushing hard to achieve our personal dreams, the dreams of our families, and the dreams of our communities, while navigating the visible and invisible pot holes of racism, sexism, conscious and unconscious bias rooted in capitalism that often jump up out of nowhere to force us into new lanes, vehicles, and opportunities.
I continued the drive and thought about how important it is to have other drivers who are not only looking out for themselves, and the obstacles in their own lanes, but also watching my lane, and the obstacles that might cause me to slow down, speed up, pick up a passenger or two, or change lanes all together. As a large recycling truck who had much greater visibility than I did in my vehicle pulled alongside me, I began to consider how much I value those fellow drivers who have a heightened consciousness about the limited view their fellow drivers have of upcoming obstacles…how much I value those drivers who put their bright lights on so that others can see challenges up ahead, and those who bring their plows out to clear debris so that others can keep moving.
In this journey of building racially equitable and inclusive regional economies, we need each other, the same way we need each other as we navigate snowy, pothole, and tree branch filled roads and sidewalks. While policies and practices are important, dismantling systems of oppression and building anti-racist organizations require much, much more.
Share Your Resources
If you have information, power, money, or assets, information, or knowledge it must be shared with people in a position to create change, who need those resources to accelerate progress. Relationships must be kindled, curated, and deepened across race, sector, neighborhood, and class in meaningful ways that transform our very way of being. Our formal and informal decision-making must begin to change to invite others to not only provide input, but to make the decisions, distributing power and accountability. And we must begin to interrogate our beliefs about one another that have undergirded generations of biased and racist policies and practices, actions, and inactions. We must ask ourselves what is true, and how know it’s true; why we believe what we believe about people who live, work, and play differently than we do, and how we can challenge our assumptions when making decisions that impact people’s lives, communities, and livelihoods.
Stay on the Journey
These four conditions of systems change: Resource Flows, Relationships & Connections, Power Dynamics, and Mental Models, have a significantly greater impact on our everyday interactions than policies and practices, just as the fallen tree branches and the actions of our neighbors have on our ability to safely navigate sidewalks and roads after a winter storm on an early spring day. The potholes of racism won’t go away on their own. It’s going to take ALL OF US. I hope we can count on you to stay on the journey!
In solidarity~
Tawanna
2023 Legislature: Breakthrough Year for Racial Equity and Inclusion in Minnesota?
By Tawanna Black, Founder & CEO
Tawanna Black
When the 2023 Minnesota Legislature was called to order on January 3, lawmakers and advocates throughout the state turned their attention to top priorities, including allocation of the unprecedented $17.6 billion budget surplus and drafting a two-year budget.
Both the surplus and budget represent historic opportunities to drive economic growth through job creation and increased GDP by making substantive, structural, and equitable investments in Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian individuals and communities across our state.
At the Center for Economic Inclusion, we’re committed to closing racial employment, income, and wealth gaps, and building racially inclusive and equitable regional economies. The Center equips public- and private-sector employers and policy makers to dismantle systemic racism and institutionalize anti-racist policies in shared accountability and solidarity with Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian communities.
History proves that when racial equity and economic inclusion are not prioritized in policymaking, the result is often inequitable policies, loss in economic growth, and harmful impacts to Black, Indigenous, Latino, and Asian communities that can ripple for generations.
We are headed in the right direction. Over the last decade, Minnesota’s Legislature has increased the number of data-informed policies and investments focused on closing stagnant racial employment, income, and wealth gaps. The state Legislature is also more racially diverse now than at any point in its 174-year history. These policymakers are positioning Minnesota to win by leveraging their diverse lived experiences, perspectives, and that of their constituents as they legislate.
The future of Minnesota’s economic growth and competitiveness relies upon the willingness of policymakers to enact and invest in anti-racist policies and solutions. To support policy makers in building an equitable, just, and prosperous economy, this legislative session we are advocating for the following policies.
Policy: Racial Equity Impact Notes (Read More)
The Center and a coalition of partners will continue advocating for Racial Equity Impact Notes, a tool similar to a budget or environmental impact note, that empowers policy makers to assess the impacts of a proposed policy or investment on closing or widening racial disparities. In 2022, the Center conducted research on the results of similar impact notes in other states and partnered with leaders across the state to develop strategies we will recommend to Minnesota’s Legislature to actively engage Minnesotan’s in more data-informed, transparent, and consistent analysis of policies aimed at building the most inclusive, competitive, and prosperous state in the country.
Policy: $10M Direct Appropriation for Job Creation (Read More)
The Center is uniquely positioned and dedicated to create inclusive regional economies for Minnesotans of color. We have demonstrated our capacity and commitment to develop groundbreaking and actionable research, data-informed tools, and frameworks, including our Racial Equity Dividends Index, Vanguard Accelerator, Indicators for and Inclusive Regional Economy, Vanguard Research, Racial Equity Impact Notes Research and equity consulting services. With a track record of success, we are uniquely positioned to continue helping Minnesota employers take actions to build anti-racist and equitable workplaces, and helping state policymakers facilitate cross-sector, community-driven development.
After just five years, we’ve helped many Black-owned businesses create and grow jobs statewide and have created almost 30 jobs at the Center itself. An investment in the Center for Economic Inclusion’s job creation strategies will pay multi-generational dividends for all Minnesotans.
Policy: Increase State of Minnesota Procurement Preference and Equity Select Cap
We advocate for increasing the percentage when contracting with the State of Minnesota from 6% to 12% and raising the limit for non-competitive contracting from $25,000 to $100,000. The State of Minnesota currently allows the Commissioner of the Department of Administration to award a 6% preference to businesses owned by women, minorities, economically disadvantaged, and persons with substantial disabilities. These groups are also eligible for the Equity Select program which allows the state to directly contract with businesses up to $25,000.
While these goals have allowed for increased contracting with the groups identified, research shows there is more capacity to contract with these businesses. This is why we support the Department of Administration’s proposed policy to increase the preference to 12% and direct contracting amount to $100,000.
The legislative session is short. Minnesota’s problems are historic and systemic. We have to make the time count. We invite you to join us in partnership and collective action.
Let’s keep building!
For more information, read about our policy priorities.
