Did you know that the full name of the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his stirring “I have a dream” speech, was The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom?

The goals of the march included a broadened Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal Fair Employment Practices Act barring discrimination in all employment and a “program to train and place all unemployed workers…on meaningful and dignified jobs at decent wages”.

The need for training to help people who are unemployed or underemployed find meaningful work which pays living wages remains to this day. The journey toward equity also continues.

The leading partners in Minnesota’s CareerForce system have committed to equity in all they do.  

• Our vision is to become known as the trusted talent resource driving economic prosperity for everyone living in Minnesota.
• Our mission is to facilitate thriving career solutions for individuals, employers, communities and Minnesota.
• Our values support the work we do together.
  • COLLABORATION: The work we do together matters. It matters to the people and communities we serve, to Minnesota and to each other.
  • EQUITY: We meet people where they are in life. We deliver what’s needed for ongoing success. We make everyone feel included, valued and respected.
  • PASSION: People can find happiness and fulfillment through work. We’re passionate about making that happen for them.
  • EMPOWERMENT: We empower individuals, organizations and Minnesota communities. We strive to make life better for people every day.
  • INNOVATION: Innovative thinking leads to new ideas. New ideas lead to powerful solutions. Powerful solutions lead to prosperous outcomes.

Dr King’s civil rights agenda included a focus on jobs because it was one of the many places that African Americans—and others—face discrimination. The 1964 Civil Rights Act, passed after the March for Jobs and Freedom, eliminated legalized racial discrimination in hiring, public accommodations, education and transportation. In keeping with the Civil Rights Act and with the values that Dr King championed, CareerForce staff and partners are committed to equity in employment—and to helping all career seekers find success.

Maureen Ramirez is the Director of DEED’s Office for Economic Opportunity. Liz Jennings is a CareerForce Workforce Strategy Consultant for the metro area.

Sources and more information:

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/march-washington-jobs-and-freedom

https://www.crmvet.org/docs/moworg2.pdf

https://www.careerforcemn.com/vision-mission-values

https://www.careerforcemn.com/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

https://mn.gov/deed/about/what-we-do/objectives-plans/strategic.jsp