HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
OP EDITORIAL
OP-ED: Ending Workforce Discrimination is Up to Us By Dwayne Sampson, Founder and President of the Transportation Diversity Council
Harlem Community Newspapers | March 19. 2020
W
6
orkforce discrimination
operate at full capacity to best serve
exists because we often
veterans, women, underrepresented,
fail to disengage from
and underserved workers; groups
our own biases. In every industry
that had been previously overlooked.
and in every sector, headlines glar-
The urgency to transform the
ingly reflect on the grievances of the
pipeline of professionals in my field
21st century workforce: gender pay
to deter workforce discrimination
inequity, racial discrimination and
led me to create the Transportation
Today, TDC is also making
that playing field by working ardu-
tional youth.
old biases, and live up to levelling
ageism. All act as adversarial reali-
Diversity Council (TDC) in 2010 in
cross-country strides and demon-
ously for equal opportunity for the
ties in the fight for economic oppor-
New York. The big idea welded to-
strating its workforce development
most disenfranchised worker—there
tunity and equality.
gether community partnerships with
model in key geographies. Local
are thousands of individuals like
Advocacy against discriminatory
transportation agencies and business-
engagement in communities like
Jason across the United States just
practices could not be more prescient
es—to merge the demands and needs
Anniston, Alabama, is one of TDC’s
waiting to have that one chance to
today as far as working men and
of a sector with individuals who were
markers of success with New Flyer
triumph and excel after unimaginable
women are concerned. Today, the
hungry to work. The lucrative sector
of America, the largest transit bus
hardship. We are here for them. We
American worker faces many chal-
had room for a creative repositioning
manufacturer in the states.
hope to build upon our success stories
lenges as more corporations corrode
to benefit companies and workers,
In various regions, we have been
where mentoring, work readiness, life
the promises of a democracy and
and this called for dedicated and pur-
able to help formerly incarcerated
skills training and support, all factor
global competition strips them of a
poseful action.
workers, like Jason Webster, have
in to help a worker get their foot in the door to contribute to society.
decent living wage. The playing field
Bronx Design and Construction
a shot at turning their life around.
is not level and the absence of diver-
Academy was born in 2011 as a key
Previously behind bars for 16 years,
Throughout 2020, and as we
sity is central in preserving the status
partner to TDC thanks to the NYC
Jason’s rocky beginnings did not pre-
continue to think about what we can
quo of systemic discrimination.
Mayor’s Office and Schools Chan-
vent him from a New Flyer career,
do to empower others, I encourage
During my tenure at the Confer-
cellor Joel Klein. The program set
which kickstarted with programmat-
all entrepreneurs and business own-
ence of Minority Transportation Of-
in motion a unique environment of
ic TDC offerings in emotional intel-
ers to reconfigure their talent pipeline
ficials (COMTO), it became clear to
workforce development for under-
ligence, financial health and special-
to equitably account for diversity.
me that access was the foundation of
served students curious about the
ized training. Preparing America’s
Exposure to opportunity is indeed
economic opportunity. The transpor-
transportation and construction sec-
workforce towards the advancement
everything for the American worker.
tation sector lacked diversity, equity
tor. I’ve had the privilege to invite
of diversity, equity and inclusion
It is the foundation for a democracy
and inclusion, and this was glaringly
students from diverse backgrounds
in our industries requires a holistic
and a change agent when it comes to
obvious to both leadership and em-
and thanks to our quality staff, we’ve
program that is based on empathy,
truly closing the door on discrimina-
ployees. Pathways began to emerge
given hope and have produced
confidence-building, guidance and
tion.
to grow a diverse pool of talent, but
life-changing outcomes to a wide
workforce retention.
it was obvious that a more organi-
range of students, including low-in-
Partners, like New Flyer, under-
zational framework was needed to
come, DACA recipients, and interna-
stand that we need to disengage from
Dwayne Sampson is the Founder and President of the Transportation Diversity Council.
Vol. 25, No 11 March 19, 2020
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