People of Color Career Fair founded to tackle unemployment disparities
MINNEAPOLIS -- Unemployment rates are low in the state of Minnesota, but not for everyone.
In October, the state's unemployment rate came in at 2.1%. If you break down that percentage by race, it's a different story. It's more than double among African Americans, sitting at 5%. That's according to the latest report from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
"It's our agency's No. 1 goal to create a more equitable economy for Minnesota," Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove said.
That's a goal shared by Sharon Smith-Akinsanya.
"It doesn't make sense that we have a labor workforce shortage on one side, and then on the other side we've got all of these unemployed and underemployed Black Minnesotans," Smith-Akinsanya said.
Smith-Akinsanya wanted to do something to help move the trend in the right direction.
"I thought OK, let's invite top Minnesota employers and awesome professionals," she said. "Let's get them in the room together."
She created that room by founding the People of Color Career Fair in 2016. Since then, Smith-Akinsanya describes the People of Color Fair as "wildly successful." For nearly six years, there's been two annual events.
The most recent fair happened at the end of October. Forty employers committed to interviewing potential employees on the spot, more than 750 people attended, eight interview rooms were constantly full and headshots were being taken. Even with this success, Smith-Akinsanya said there was a problem.
"People were getting hired, people were getting interviewed. Making connections. It's the best networking in town, but what was happening, is I'm just one event," she said. "I can't impact the numbers in that way. Everyone is going to have to pull up beside me and make that change and difference."
Smith-Akinsanya said the solution to change is easy. People just have to do it.
"It all starts at the top," she said. "CEOs need to take a look at their organizations. The CEOs. The buck stops with the CEOs. They have to take a look and make a decision about what they want their workplace to look like and literally put the numbers down. Challenge the teams to get it done and make it happen. That is the only way it is going to happen. When CEOs decide that it must happen."
The next People of Color Fair is April 27. More than 100 employers will be there, and registration is open now.