Centering race equity within youth workforce development: utilizing critical race theory

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has exacerbated stark racial and class inequities long present in the United States and other countries. As a field, workforce development supports and serves individuals at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities, with youth being a particularly important target population. The workforce development field can benefit from critically considering how racial equity can be formalized within activities. We offer Critical Race Theory (CRT) to advance theoretical understanding of the intersection of race and workforce development practice and use data from our recent research to examine how workforce development can approach efforts to further racial equity. First, we briefly review the literature related to racial disparities in employment and workforce training. We then describe CRT and its potential application to workforce systems. Finally, we present data from a recent study of local workforce development boards and conclude with suggestions to further race equity in employment and training for youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Race equity
• critical race theory
• workforce development
• youth workforce development
• NEET youth‌

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding statement

This work was supported by the Initiative on Cities, Boston University.

Additional information

Funding

Race equity efforts require sufficient funding for systems that are meant to serve lower income populations which are disproportionately people of color. The current workforce system is underfunded (Holzer, 2021). Systemic racism typically results in numerous funding disparities; services meant to serve disadvantaged populations are not funded at the levels needed to achieve success, thereby perpetuating racial disparities. The business community, which receives extensive benefits from a workforce system, must be major funding partners in workforce initiatives.

Notes on contributors

Adrianna Spindle-Jackson

Adrianna Spindle-Jackson is a doctoral candidate at the Boston University School of Social Work. Her research focuses on housing justice and community engagement through research that promotes equitable, sustainable housing for all, with a focus on improving the outcomes for young adults in historically marginalized communities.

Shamekka Kuykendall

Shamekka Kuykendall is the Assistant Deputy Director of Workforce Development at Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Facilitator for the Online Master’s of Social Work program at Boston University and a part-time human services researcher. Shamekka holds a BA in Ethnic Studies from Mills College, a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington, and both Masters and PhD in Social Policy from Brandeis University.

Milagros Ramirez

Milagros Ramirez is currently a Senior Research Coordinator for the New York City Department of Social Services and a Facilitator for the Online Master’s of Social Work Program at Boston University. Milagros holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from Syracuse University and is a doctoral candidate at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Mary Elizabeth Collins

Mary Elizabeth Collins is Professor of Social Welfare Policy at Boston University School of Social Work. She conducts research on policy supports for youth in care and other vulnerable young people to gain access to education, employment and housing.