TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES".

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>>> THE BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HIT A RECORD LOW OF 5% LAST MONTH.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.

IT COMES THREE YEARS AFTER THE BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SPIKED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO NEARLY 17%.

THE DATA COMES AS ECONOMISTS ANTICIPATE THE LABOR MARKET WILL BEGIN COOLING.

JOINING US TO BREAKDOWN THE IMPACT ON CHICAGO WORKERS IS THE CEO OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT NETWORK, AND DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING WITH EQUITY AND TRANSPORTATION.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> ALONSO, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST FACTOR IS, I ASK MYSELF, WHO DID THEY COUNT?

SO, OUR ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE OF A REGULAR 9:00 TO 5:00.

WE JUST TOOK A WALK OVER TO SPRINGFIELD AND WE COULD SEE INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE SAYING, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OUTSIDE OF THIS REGULAR 9:00 TO 5:00, AND ALONG WITH THAT, WHEN WE ACTUALLY SEE THOSE NUMBERS, WE SEE THE UPTICK ON BLACK WOMEN.

ACTUALLY, MORE BLACK WOMEN ARE NOW EMPLOYED, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST GIVE HOMAGE TO THAT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC THERE WAS A DOWNTICK IN THAT AND ALSO A DOWNTICK IN BLACK MALES BEING EMPLOYED.

SO NOW, WE HAVE SOLUTIONS WHERE ALL OF US ARE ACTUALLY COUNTED.

TRYING TO MAKE SURE ALL OF US ARE GETTING HIRED.

>> WE HAVE A GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT HAS REACHED A HISTORIC LOW SINCE 1970s.

BRENDA, ARE YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THE POPULATIONS OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU WORK WITH QUICK?

>> NO.

YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING, BUT THERE STILL ARE THESE POPULATIONS, THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS STILL 3 TO 4 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL STANDARD.

I WORK IN NORTH LAWNDALE, AND WE ARE ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE REDUCTION OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, NO.

IT IS INTERESTING THAT IT IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT CERTAINLY, THERE ARE THESE CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE CONTINUES TO BE VERY HIGH.

>> ALONSO, MANY BLACK AND LATINO WORKERS TEND TO HAVE BETTER EMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE GIG ECONOMY.

IS THAT WORK SUSTAINABLE?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK THAT WORK IS SUSTAINABLE.

YOU CAN LOOK RIGHT NOW AT THE LEGISLATION THAT IS TRYING TO BE PASSED IN CHICAGO, WHERE THERE ARE TRYING TO REMOVE DRIVERS FROM CERTAIN AREAS.

AND ALSO, THE CITY SECTOR, THEY ARE ACTUALLY GETTING OFF OF THOSE FARES, THOSE FARES ARE GOING DOWN.

BUT, THAT IS TRUE WITH EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW?

I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AS BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

WE HAVE TO REALLY GET TO THE POINT THAT WE CAME OVER HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WE MUST ALWAYS QUESTION WHAT NUMBERS ARE BEING COUNTED, AND IN WHAT PLACE DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT.

>> SO, YOU ARE SAYING WITH THE INCOME PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO EARN FROM THOSE JOBS -- >> THE INCOME THEY ARE ABLE TO EARN, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL ACTUALLY PROVIDE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

IT IS EASY TO COME INTO A JOB, BUT WE JUST SAW THEY TOUTED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MINIMUM INCOME.

THEY HAVE RAISED THAT UP.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE NOW PLAYING THREE DOLLARS FOR A DOZEN OF EGGS.

SO, HOW DOES THIS PLAY OUT?

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, OF THOSE POSITIONS.

YOU GET THOSE POSITIONS, BUT YOU HAVE TEMP AGENCIES THAT DON'T ALLOW YOU TO STAY ON LONGER THAN 90 DAYS.

SO, YOU GO RIGHT BACK OUT INTO THE SYSTEM.

AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH REAL, ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.

>> BRENDA, GO AHEAD.

>> I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT POINT, AS WELL, THAT PEOPLE AREN'T BEING COUNTED THE SAME ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY.

THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR RAISING MONEY AND SUPPORTING THEMSELVES.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, OR, YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER IS REALLY INTO TIKTOK, I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU CALL IT.

THE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES, JUST BECAUSE TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT HASN'T BEEN ACCEPTABLE FOR THEM.

>> HOW CAN FOLKS GET AHEAD WITH THAT TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT?

>> I THINK SOME OF THE BARRIERS CERTAINLY IS FOOD.

A LOT OF FOLKS, A LOT OF EMPLOYERS THAT ARE JUST HESITANT TO GIVE FOOD TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAIR HIRING.

PEOPLE WHO ARE AGED -- WE ARE NOT KIND TO OUR ELDERLY.

THERE ARE PEOPLE 60 AND OLDER LOOKING FOR WORK.

SO, THAT IS NOT EVEN SOMETHING THEY CAN CHANGE.

BUT, WHAT WE CAN DO IS CHANGE THE MIND-SET BY SEEING THE VALUE THAT THEY HAVE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

THEY ALSO I THINK HAVE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.

SO THOSE COMBINED, ALONG WITH UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, WILL CONTINUE TO TRIBUTE TO ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS.

>> ALONSO, YOU MENTIONED WITH THE INFORMAL ECONOMY, THE FOLKS THAT YOU WORK WITH FIND THEMSELVES OUT THERE OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL 9:00 TO 5:00.

WHAT DO SOME OF THOSE JOBS LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT SUPPORTS DO YOU PROVIDE TO THOSE WORKERS?

>> I WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH AN EXTENSION OF WHAT SHE SAID, WE HAVE TO MOVE THE BARRIERS.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE LEAST OF US ARE GETTING THERE.

WE HAVE TO MOVE THE BARRIERS.

THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT UP TIKTOK, OR YOUNG INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO BECOME ENTREPRENEURS.

OR RIGHT NOW, ILLINOIS HAS THE THIRD HIGHEST FOR INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO -- NOT ONLY IN THE JOB MARKET, BUT ENTERING INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

SO, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT FORMAL WORKERS, WE HAVE TO SAY, WELL, IT WAS SAYING THAT WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO ENTER THE JOB MARKET BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A GED.

WELL, WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER BECAUSE WITHIN THAT BARRIER, THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, RIGHT?

WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER, TO ALLOW THEM TO GET INTO THIS JOB MARKET.

BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE ALL ARE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SURVIVE ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

WE, AS A PEOPLE, WERE NOT EVEN COUNTED.

YOU KNOW?

WE ACTUALLY JUST STARTED BEING COUNTED >> IN THE LABOR FORCE.

>> IN THE LABOR FORCE.

>> WE WEREN'T COUNTED UNTIL 1972.

YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD'VE JOKED ABOUT IT.

BUT, WE WERE IN THE LABOR FORCE FOR OVER 40 YEARS, RIGHT?

>> A VERY LONG TIME.

>> RIGHT THERE, SAYING THEY ARE NOT COUNTING THE FORMAL WORKERS, RIGHT?

JUST IMAGINE THE INDIVIDUAL, HE GETS ARRESTED, OR SHE GETS ARRESTED, AND THEY GO TO JAIL.

AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY WORK FOR A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY WHEN THEY ARE INCARCERATED.

BUT, THE MOMENT THEY ARE RELEASED, THEY ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE TO WORK FOR A 500 COMPANY.

WE HAVE TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS.

THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THESE SKILL SETS.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN GET HIRED IMPROVE THAT QUALITY OF LIFE.

>> BRENDA, WE HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.

WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HIM DO WITH THIS?

>> TO REALLY WORK WITH EMPLOYERS TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DIFFERENT TIME.

TO COME UP WITH INCLUSIVE HIRING POLICIES.

IF SO, ASK THE QUESTION, IS A DEGREE REQUIRED?

OR, IS IT SKILL SETS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT?

IF WE CONSIDER THAT, IT WILL OPEN UP A WHOLE LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS.

SO, IT IS UPSCALING AND ALLOWING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

IF THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CRIME AND THE ACTUAL JOB THEY ARE APPLYING FOR?

IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP?

AND IF THERE ISN'T, WHY NOT GIVE THIS INDIVIDUAL AN OPPORTUNITY?

SO, I WOULD WANT TO CHALLENGE THE MAYOR TO THINK ABOUT MORE