A national data-based research report that reviewed socioeconomic racial gaps in each of the 50 states finds that Minnesota is among the worst states in the country for outcomes for its Black citizens.
The story was published four years after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The horrific event prompted business, political and philanthropic leaders across the state to resolve to initiate systemic changes to address longstanding racial inequities.
“We can see that one incident did not change the infrastructure of the community. Minnesota is still quite divided. We need lasting change,” said Lambers Fisher, licensed marriage and family therapist, DEI trainer, author and host of The Diversity Dude podcast on the shelettamakesmelaugh.com platform.
The Worst States for Black Americans: Every State Ranked story comes from 24/7 Wall St. See the report here: https://247wallst.com/population-and-social-characteristics/2024/05/02/the-worst-states-for-black-americans-every-state-ranked-2/
The financial news and data journalism site created an eight-point index to assess race-based gaps in socioeconomic outcomes. The state-by-state comparisons are based on statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Worst States for Black Americans: Every State Ranked used data to measure gaps in Black and white median household income, poverty, adult high school/bachelor’s degree attainment, homeownership, unemployment, prisoners under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities and the age-adjusted mortality rate.
Some of the statistical findings about the racial gaps in Minnesota show:
Median household income: $49,738 (Black); $87,692 (white)
Homeownership rate: 28.4% (Black); 76.8% (white)
Unemployment rate: 8.6% (Black); 3.4% (white)
“After the George Floyd reckoning, people with socioeconomic power still have it; people expressing frustration are still expressing it,” Fisher said. “Until we start financially investing in communities with education, home loans, programs to bring people into the workforce in different ways, we won’t see significant lasting change. There is greater awareness but nothing more.”
Minnesota ranked third among the worst states, topped only by Iowa at number two and Wisconsin at the top of the list.
For context, the 24/7 Wall St analysis notes that “Many of the lowest ranking states… are in the Midwest, where millions of Black Americans moved during the Great Migration. But redlining…created segregated neighborhoods, enforcing racial disparity. To this day, the gap in homeownership rates in the worst states for Black Americans is significantly higher than the 28 points gap nationwide (71.7% white homeownership rate vs 43.1% for Blacks). In Minnesota, for example, the gap is 48.4 points.”
Despite this latest report detailing Minnesota’s stubborn racial disparities, Fisher said that he remains “hopeful” because of his ongoing DEI training work with people of all cultures and races.
“The statistics are irrefutable, but I hear many people saying, what opportunities do we have to change them,” he said. “Progress is slow but there is increased awareness. We have to be willing to initiate uncomfortable conversations for lasting change and the betterment of everyone.”
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