Dear Job Corps staff,
Job Corps Is Committed to Equity.
On his first day in office, President Joseph Biden issued the executive order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities. In response, the U.S. Department of Labor released its first Equity Action Plan in April, summarizing the department’s efforts to address barriers to services for underserved, marginalized and excluded communities.
These two documents provide guidance for our efforts and action items for our core belief: Equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy, and diversity is one of our country’s greatest strengths.
Of course, the Job Corps program has been walking the talk in this area for a long time now. We just celebrated our 58th birthday (Aug. 20). The idea that built this program in 1964 was equity. It’s the beating heart of Job Corps. In the video below, Janelle Johnson, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion officer for the Employment and Training Administration, helps me explain.