The African-American unemployment and poverty rates in our city are staggering in their depth and longevity. Historic discrimination, lack of opportunity and lack of access to relevant job training are major factors in this reality.
In May, a disparity study was published, quantifying just how much the City of St. Louis failed the African-American community, in particular, in providing inclusion, training and opportunity when it comes to employment and contracting.
The disparity study laid this out in profound detail, revealing that African-American firms were cut out of over $74 million in contracts over five years. This staggering realization, which clearly revealed pervasive financial injustice in awarding contracts and promoting workforce diversity, went public without any organized protest or widespread media coverage.
Some who consider themselves part of the progressive community may be disconnected from the poverty and sense of hopelessness that discriminatory practices of the past have caused. When a city is stagnant like St. Louis has been for many years, opportunities for advancement are scarce.
As a leader, it is my duty to provide opportunities and bring St. Louis to a place of fairness. When the new NFL stadium project was brought before me, I viewed it as an opportunity to address some of the urgent needs of the economy and the historic failures by city government regarding the African-American community.
Now is the time, through legislation, to begin to address and change the disparities that were made evident in the disparity study. That is why we wrote a minority inclusion plan that will set a new standard for all future taxpayer-funded projects.
Standing on the sidelines and criticizing efforts to open up employment and job-training opportunities and assuring a fair playing field for St Louis’ minority- and women-owned businesses is a luxury I cannot afford. It’s a luxury the impoverished families and record number of unemployed African-American youth throughout our city cannot afford.
I’ve heard from many employed and upwardly mobile individuals that we don’t need the $950 million investment from “non-city money” in our city. The opponents should be reminded that they have a job and enjoy many of the luxuries that many families throughout our city will never know unless we work to demand opportunities for them.
This is what myself, Alderman Sam Moore, Alderman Antonio French and others worked to include in the stadium proposal a robust minority inclusion plan. Passing up opportunities to train and employ African-American youth and increase the household income of families living below the poverty line isn’t a “progressive stance.” It is regressive for the African-American community.
In 1982 Nancy Reagan’s solution to the growing drug problem throughout America’s inner cities was to “Just Say No.” This well-funded campaign, like many before and after it, failed because it didn’t offer anything of substance for the kids to “say yes” to. Faced with 185 murders and so-called “black-on-black” crime, we now hear the rallying cry to “Just Put Down the Pistol.” If we are serious about helping the families and children throughout our city, we need to give them an opportunity not only to “Just Put Down the Pistol,” but at the same time to “Pick Up a Paycheck.”
The crusades for fandom or political relevance must take a backseat to opening up opportunities for families and youth throughout our city. Whenever you push the envelope, as we have done with this inclusion plan, there will always be groups of detractors that warn of potential pitfalls. This has been the case throughout the long and turbulent history of the fight for equality.
Lewis Reed is president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
