May 6, 2015 Page 5 Urban League Roadmap for Progress Report looks at dismantling racial inequities Dismantling the state’s legacy of racial inequity is key to the future growth and prosperity of all Oregon, concludes a com- prehensive overview of the status of black Oregonians statewide that was published Tuesday by the Urban League of Portland. The State of Black Oregon 2015 re- port, the result of a two-year program of research, provides an updated look at how people of color are doing in schools, jobs, and both urban and rural communities throughout the state. Among the findings are that the dis- parities in employment, health, education achievement, and housing instability have persisted or gotten worse since the first State of Black Oregon report was released in 2009. And that the wealth gap between blacks and whites has widened even fur- ther. For example, 30 percent of black fam- ilies live below poverty levels, compared with 11.7 percent of white families. Black families face more than double the rate of food insecurity as well, with 44.1 percent of black families affected, compared with 18.7 percent of white families. Other disparities include a rate of in- carceration for black Oregonians that is six times higher than their white counter- parts, and nearly double the rate of black unemployment in the State of Oregon when compared with the white majority; That rate rises to nearly triple in the city Filling the Gap C ontinued from P age 1 with at least two other local colleges on credit transfers, but no other special trans- fer deals were announced yet. Tiffany Kraft, a higher education con- sultant for the Service Employees Inter- national Union, has helped work to hold schools like Heald accountable. She pointed out that the recent govern- ment action against shady business prac- tice like aggressive recruiting, graduate underemployment, low faculty pay and outrageous administrative costs at for-prof- it colleges like Heald is long overdue. “They make sure their tuition is the max GI bill,” she said. In considering what’s next, Kraft said students shouldn’t forget about good old fashioned community college. “You can get a better degree for a hell of a lot less”, she said, noting that community colleges employ many of the same quality instructors as four year public and private schools. prove health outcomes for black women and children by investing in the crucial first 1,000 days of life. “As Oregon works to build a healthy and prosperous state, we risk failing to fulfill our potential and our promise if we do not dismantle the legacy of inequity and institutional neglect of communities of color,” said Michael Alexander, Urban League of Portland president and chief ex- ecutive officer. “We acknowledge that we have made some progress. However, public and pri- vate systems still operate in ways that per- petuate income and racial inequality. This Subscribe! 503-288-0033 Michael Alexander of Portland, where Black unemployment is at 20.7 percent compared with 7.6 percent for whites. The 2015 report also lays out an ambi- tious policy agenda - including a compre- hensive jobs plan and a proposal to im- is confirmed by the findings of our State of Black Oregon 2015,” he said. The 200 page report also features 18 essays from leaders throughout Oregon on issues including universal childcare, health equity, gentrification and entrepreneurship. There are 21 case studies from across the state, from Medford in the south, to rural Pendleton in the east to Astoria and the central gentrifying urban centers. Taken together, the report is a road- map to address longstanding inequities in employment, education, housing, health, criminal justice and wealth creation - and to pave the way for success. Fill Out & Send To: Attn: Subscriptions, PO Box 3137, Portland OR 97208 $45.00 for 3 months • $80.00 for 6 mo. • $125.00 for 1 year (please include check with this subscription form) Name: Telephone: Address: or email subscriptions@portlandobserver.com