On July 29, the Post-Dispatch reported, “African Americans in the St. Louis region are more than three times as likely to be in poverty as whites here,” according to a study by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.
The county executive has said he will have his staff request the data, which they already have because it would be the same data his director of innovation used to compile the 2013 Strategic Plan. The county executive adopted the strategic plan with other council members on October 29, 2013 in a unanimous vote. The Strategic Plan warned of concentrations of poverty in North County.
Last week, the 2015 State of St. Louis Workforce Report was released focusing on STEM industries. It says, on page 49 at the end of the report, that employers value diversity in the workplace. I am glad they bothered to ask. That question must make somebody feel good, because STEM industries have seen stagnant participation from African Americans and women as a percentage of the industry workers.
We are past the time of people saying they want diversity.
On July 31 the Post reported, “The St. Louis County Family Court deprives juveniles of constitutional rights, treats black youths more harshly than whites and is rife with conflicts of interest,” according to the Department of Justice.
The county executive tweeted that he does not control the courts. Technically true, but their budget does come from St. Louis County, which is currently a share of $26 million – a budget he must submit to the County Council. So, in truth, he must submit a plan to address operations in the court system.
Why he tries to escape from his responsibility to lead is beyond me. After all, money is both the carrot and the stick in government.
We are past the time of corporate Democrats escaping their duties to stand up and resolve problems.
This all follows the July 17 St. Louis Federal Reserve report that of the 150,000 jobs created in their district, 75 percent were low-paying jobs in low-paying industries. Now, St. Louis County is the economic engine for both the state and the Federal Reserve District.
So here we have a problem, which is systemic institutional racism. It’s the modern equivalent of redlining neighborhoods. The black community in St. Louis has limited options for education and employment. And then they have to deal with an injustice system that preys on them.
How many studies do you need before action is taken? Doesn’t any of this suggest that there should be a conversation about the minimum wage? We should start first with raising the minimum wage.
We are past the time to stay silent and not have the conversations that shackle our every decision.
Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D-University City) represents District 14 in the Missouri Senate.
