On October 16 the African American Leadership Forum (AALF) led a press conference to publicly challenge Minnesota government, private and philanthropic leaders and African American communities to prioritize and commit significant new resources to eliminating the gross income inequality between Black and White Minnesotans.
Racial inequality has become the dominant and persistent reality for Minnesotans of African descent. Insisting that the regression of economic parity is not an intractable problem, AALF will share five measures that it believes can be accomplished without reliance on further research and can be implemented within and across public and private sectors.
AALF, joined by the Minneapolis Urban League and a cross section of multi‐cultural, intergenerational and faith‐based voices, wants to send a message to the private sector, policy makers, philanthropic leaders and others that African Americans cannot continue to exist in the shadows of a state whose economic recovery has outpaced the nation. Minnesota now has the distinction of lagging behind Mississippi in terms of the Black‐White income gap, which is at odds with Minnesota’s image of forward-thinking government, progressive corporate leadership, generous philanthropic partnerships and active civic engagement on matters of equity, fairness and quality of life.
This call to action also is directed to African American individuals, families and businesses, community and faith leaders to take charge and prepare for opportunities — particularly in areas of employment and business.
About the AALF
The African American Leadership Forum (AALF) is a movement of more than 1,200 African American leaders in the Twin Cities who unite to address challenges, create solutions, and build a vibrant and sustainable community. Represented by leaders in business, nonprofits, government, education, health, religion, politics, philanthropy, the arts, and grassroots organizing, the AALF convenes community members to find ways to collaborate for social change and champion policies and practices that support strong Black families.
About the Minneapolis Urban League
The Minneapolis Urban League (MUL) is a community‐based organization that has been a vibrant affiliate of the National Urban League (NUL) since 1926. The mission of the MUL is to link low-income individuals, African descendants, and other people of color to opportunities that result in economic success, heightened personal productivity and prosperity, and improved community engagement, while effectively advocating for policies that eradicate racial disparities.
— Information provided by the AALF and MUL. For further information contact Jeff Hassan: email jahassan@aalftc.org or call 612-532‐3694.
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