By Michele Jacobs The lives of too many young people in Metro Atlanta hang in the balance. Over 50,000 16–24-year-olds in our region are out of school and not connected to work which could have lifelong negative impacts on earnings, housing stability, mental health and other factors. But, there is…

By Sapna Mehta As the nation edges closer to a possible rail strike, President Biden is calling on Congress to intervene. That move came after four unions representing 55 percent of the rail workforce rejected a tentative agreement that averted an earlier strike. A shutdown of U.S. railroads would impact…

By Margrit Allen I am a lifelong Detroiter. During my earlier career, I had the opportunity to work in schools and with nonprofits focused on reengaging disconnected youth and supporting the reentry of those coming home from incarceration. My time spent doing this work led me to question the rationale…

By Emily Andrews and Nat Baldino Recent worker unrest, waves of strikes, and the Great Resignation are clarion calls for better job quality. America is awash in jobs that pay low wages and offer little to no benefits, insufficient hours, and unstable schedules. …

We applaud our national leaders for pledging to invest federal resources to support youth employment, including workforce development, transitional jobs, and paid work activities. Despite their promises, we have not seen results. And we’re tired of waiting. It’s been a hellish 18 months to say the least. With upticks in…

By Yolanda Gordon Note: Yolanda Gordon, who lives in Fort Mill, S.C., is a member of CLASP’s Community Partnership Group, which is is a diverse collective of activists from across the United States who partner with nonprofits to ensure that their work is grounded in the expertise and experiences of…

By Alex Camardelle, Ph.D. and Molly Bashay Since this country’s inception, the human, civil, and economic rights of Black workers have been violated. A racist hiring market is and always has been a major contributor to lower labor force participation and higher unemployment rates among Black workers. On average, white…

By Carolyn Hull What would it be like if I became a teacher? A scientist? A firefighter? What if I worked in tech or the business world? Or behind the scenes on a movie or television set? Big dreams and career questions like these loom large for young Angelenos. …

By Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson and Dr. Olivia Golden “No child should have to worry where her next meal will come from or whether she will have a place to sleep each night in the wealthiest nation on earth.” The words of Marian Wright Edelman, who mentored both of us…