| Black, White and Green: Community Conversations on Race and Economic Progress |
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KETC/Channel 9 and FOCUS St. Louis are partnering to create discussion opportunities around race and economic progress in the St. Louis region. We are offering community groups detailed conversation guides and a video introduction to initiate sustained community dialogue on race and economics through April 2007. The dialogues will be grounded in the economic impact of racial disparities in health, education, employment, and housing in the St. Louis region. Our goal is to motivate individuals to share thoughts and develop possible solutions.
These conversations are an outgrowth of the KETC/Channel 9 and FOCUS St. Louis Deliberation Day project, which has explored critical St. Louis issues during the past two years. This year’s project stems from racial divisions in the region. Consider these facts:
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Blacks in the St. Louis region are three times more likely to be unemployed and twice as likely to pay more than they can afford for housing than Whites.
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The graduation rate for Blacks in the region is 73.4 percent while it is 85.5 percent for Whites.
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The region’s Black median household income is just more than $27,000 and almost $49,000 annually for Whites.
The conversations will provide a way for residents to become informed about these issues, honestly discuss possible solutions, and begin to address disparities. More than 30 groups have already signed up for Black, White and Green: Community Conversations on Race and Economic Progress. These groups represent church groups; civic, business, and young professional organizations; high school and college classes; nonprofits; neighborhood associations; and corporations throughout the region. In late April, participating groups will be invited to meet at a regional Black, White and Green summit to further discuss solutions to racial disparities.
Download the Discussion Guides:
Tell Us if You Are Hosting a Discussion:
For more information on this project contact Amy Shaw at KETC/Channel 9 at ashaw@ketc.org or 314-512-9041 or Nikki Weinstein at FOCUS St. Louis at nikkiw@focus-stl.org or 314-622-1250 x102.
| KETC Channel 9 in Partnership with FOCUS St. Louis |
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