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RELEASE: Lawmakers Announce ‘Women of Color Opportunities Act’

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

 

Proposal would focus on improving the educational and economic status of women and girls of color

Saint Paul, MINN. - A legislative package authored by State Representative Rena Moran (DFL - Saint Paul) and several DFL State Senators is targeting the elimination of racial disparities in the educational and economic status of women and girls of color in Minnesota. The ‘Women of Color Opportunities Act’ (WOCOA) will address the education, financial literacy, workforce development, and small business challenges facing Minnesota women and girls in communities of color.

“The Governor has made a strong call to find ways to reduce economic and educational disparities in communities of color,” said Rep. Rena Moran. “I strongly support those efforts, and I want to make sure that we’re not forgetting about the disparity within the disparity while we’re doing it. Black women are leading lights of our community, but they face challenges when it comes to getting a loan, or a job, or running a business. That has to change if we’re going to create true economic equity.”

Women and girls of color in Minnesota face significant challenges and disparities. Currently Minnesota’s African American women earn $0.62 for every dollar a white male earns, for Hispanic women that figure is even lower at $0.57 for every dollar a white male earns. A Hispanic woman working full-time stands to lose about $854,000 over the course of her career because of the gender wage gap.

“Historically, women of many racial backgrounds have been excluded from major financial decision-making for families and business, and that has to change,” said Sen. Patricia Torres Ray (DFL – Minneapolis). “If our girls don’t know how to set financial goals, or responsibly save to pay off debt or for retirement, then it doesn’t matter what other financial benefits we might be able to afford them. If we arm these women with the knowledge they need to improve their own lives, we know from experience they’ll do it.”

The gender wage gap for women of color has had devastating impacts on poverty in Minnesota communities. Over 64% of Minnesota’s African American female-headed households with young children live in poverty, with 53% of Hispanic female-headed households living in poverty.

The Women of Color Opportunities Act features five main components:

  • Academic Success (HF 3031/ SF 2885) - Creates replicable model programs—one for the Twin Cities and one for Greater Minnesota—to help girls of color succeed in school. This approach includes decreasing the school suspension rate for girls of color, increasing on-time high school graduation rates, and encouraging girls of color to pursue postsecondary education.

  • Financial Literacy (HF 3032/ SF 2865) - Gives women and girls of color the knowledge and understanding to make reasonable and appropriate personal financial decisions to lay the groundwork for an economically secure future.

  • STEM Career Training (HF 3033/ SF 2916) - Funds competitive grants to community-based STEM-affiliated organizations experienced in serving girls of color and to elementary and secondary schools that provide STEM instruction, giving girls of color greater access to high tech careers, and jobs of the future.

  • Nontraditional Job Training (HF 3098/ SF 3056) - Funds job-skills training and apprenticeships for women of color in high-wage, high-demand, non-traditional occupations—jobs in skilled trades and STEM.

  • Small Business Lending (HF 3099/ SF 2931) – Removes barriers to credit for women of color by funding micro-loans for start-up, expansion, and retention of small businesses that are owned by women of color in Ramsey County who have been underserved. Preference is given to lower income women of color.

Rep. Rena Moran can be reached by email at Rep.Rena.Moran@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-5158.

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