Hayti Reborn-JM forms strategic partnership with nation’s leading coalition committed to hiring and advancing Black Americans without four-year degrees
Durham, NC | October 21, 2022 Hayti Reborn-Justice Movement (JM), the social justice extension to Hayti Reborn, a Durham-based organization created to fight against the dismantling of marginalized communities, has partnered with OneTen, a coalition designed to close the opportunity gap for Black talent in the United States by working with America’s leading executives, companies and talent developers to hire and advance one million Black Americans without four-year degrees into family-sustaining roles.
Through this partnership, Hayti Reborn-JM serves as OneTen's community development lead in the Raleigh-Durham area to support the coalition's efforts to drive employment for Black talent in family-sustaining jobs, providing jobseekers with skills training and working with employers to create new opportunities for Black talent to attain and thrive in well-paying careers that do not require a four-year degree.
“Placing Black talent in jobs is only one aspect. The struggle lies in ensuring those individuals have the help they need to maintain and thrive in those positions," said L.A. Jones, Co-executive director of Hayti Reborn – Justice Movement. “You can’t oppress an entire group of people for centuries then suddenly open the floodgates and expect them to be ready to jump on board and be up to speed with everyone else. Support services such as educational training, health & wellness, and childcare assistance, among others, are important in helping the Black community make a sustainable transition from widespread joblessness to success in the corporate workforce.”
This partnership is more important than ever as while the job market is booming, the racial wealth gap in America remains vast, largely due to the lack of access to quality, well-paying jobs that do not require college degrees: 79% of jobs paying more than $50,000 require a four-year college degree, which automatically excludes the 76% of Black talent over age 25 with relevant experience who don’t have baccalaureate degrees. In an economy where Black people only own 1.5% of America’s wealth, harnessing multi-stakeholder partnerships is vital to spearheading diversity and fostering pathways to earned success.
"There is a missed opportunity when companies don't consider Black talent because of their educational background, particularly when studies demonstrate their unyielding ability to contribute to the workforce,” said Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen. “But we are not only focused on hiring - we are working to transform a system that has long contributed to intergenerational inequity. Together with Hayti Reborn, we’re taking action to make a meaningful, measurable, and lasting impact for Black talent in Raleigh-Durham and create a more equitable society for all.”
To engage Black talent without four-year degrees, Hayti Reborn and OneTen coalition partners in Raleigh-Durham will host a Career Speed Coaching Fair event at the Hayti Heritage Center on October 22, 2022. This event will connect participants with companies including Amgen, Cisco, Delta Air Lines, Hayti Reborn, Gilead Sciences, IBM, and Merck. With the support of representatives from these organizations, participants will receive information about specialized job skills and essential tips on how to be interview-ready. This event is specifically curated for Black talent without four-year degrees in the Raleigh-Durham area. To register for the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/3r9v7w5.
About Hayti Reborn- Justice Movement
The mission of Hayti Reborn- Justice Movement is to organize, lead, and grow a coalition of community participants, social justice and criminal justice partnerships. The vision is to offset the community impact of mass incarceration and systemic racism while bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community.
About OneTen
OneTen is a coalition of leading chief executives and their companies who are coming together to upskill, hire and promote one million Black individuals who do not yet have a four-year degree into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement over the next 10 years. OneTen connects employers with talent developers including leading nonprofits and other skill-credentialing organizations who support development of diverse talent. By creating more equitable and inclusive workforces, we believe we can reach our full potential as a nation of united citizens. OneTen recognizes the unique potential in everyone – every individual, every business, every community – to change the arc of America’s story with Black talent. Join us at OneTen.org, where one can be the difference.
