OP EDITORIAL
HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
Ending Workforce Discrimination is Up to Us By Dwayne Sampson, Founder and President of the Transportation Diversity Council
Harlem Community Newspapers | March 12. 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 and
that had been previously overlooked.
in every sector, headlines glaringly
The urgency to transform the
reflect on the grievances of the 21st
pipeline of professionals in my field
century workforce: gender pay ineq-
to deter workforce discrimination
Today, TDC is also making
that playing field by working ardu-
uity, racial discrimination and age-
led me to create the Transportation
cross-country strides and demon-
ously for equal opportunity for the
ism. All act as adversarial realities
Diversity Council (TDC) in 2010 in
strating its workforce development
most disenfranchised worker—there
in the fight for economic opportunity
New York. The big idea welded to-
model in key geographies. Local
are thousands of individuals like
and equality.
gether community partnerships with
engagement in communities like
Jason across the United States just
Advocacy against discriminatory
transportation agencies and business-
Anniston, Alabama, is one of TDC’s
waiting to have that one chance to
practices could not be more prescient
es—to merge the demands and needs
markers of success with New Flyer
triumph and excel after unimaginable
today as far as working men and
of a sector with individuals who were
of America, the largest transit bus
hardship. We are here for them. We
women are concerned. Today, the
hungry to work. The lucrative sector
manufacturer in the states.
hope to build upon our success sto-
American worker faces many chal-
had room for a creative repositioning
In various regions, we have been
ries where mentoring, work readi-
lenges as more corporations corrode
to benefit companies and workers,
able to help formerly incarcerated
ness, life skills training and support,
the promises of a democracy and
and this called for dedicated and pur-
workers, like Jason Webster, have
all factor in to help a worker get their
global competition strips them of a
poseful action.
a shot at turning their life around.
foot in the door to contribute to society.
decent living wage. The playing field
Bronx Design and Construction
Previously behind bars for 16 years,
is not level and the absence of diver-
Academy was born in 2011 as a key
Jason’s rocky beginnings did not pre-
Throughout 2020, and as we
sity is central in preserving the status
partner to TDC thanks to the NYC
vent him from a New Flyer career,
continue to think about what we can
quo of systemic discrimination.
Mayor’s Office and Schools Chancel-
which kickstarted with programmat-
do to empower others, I encourage
During my tenure at the Confer-
lor Joel Klein. The program set in mo-
ic TDC offerings in emotional intel-
all entrepreneurs and business own-
ence of Minority Transportation Of-
tion a unique environment of work-
ligence, financial health and special-
ers to reconfigure their talent pipeline
ficials (COMTO), it became clear to
force development for underserved
ized training. Preparing America’s
to equitably account for diversity.
me that access was the foundation of
students curious about the transporta-
workforce towards the advancement
Exposure to opportunity is indeed
economic opportunity. The transpor-
tion and construction sector. I’ve had
of diversity, equity and inclusion
everything for the American worker.
tation sector lacked diversity, equity
the privilege to invite students from
in our industries requires a holistic
It is the foundation for a democracy
and inclusion, and this was glaringly
diverse backgrounds and thanks to
program that is based on empathy,
and a change agent when it comes to
obvious to both leadership and em-
our quality staff, we’ve given hope
confidence-building, guidance and
truly closing the door on discrimina-
ployees. Pathways began to emerge
and have produced life-changing
workforce retention.
tion.
to grow a diverse pool of talent, but
outcomes to a wide range of students,
Partners, like New Flyer, under-
Dwayne Sampson is the Founder
it was obvious that a more organi-
including low-income, DACA recipi-
stand that we need to disengage from
and President of the Transportation
zational framework was needed to
ents, and international youth.
old biases, and live up to levelling
Diversity Council.
Vol. 25, No 10 March 12, 2020
subscription information page 22
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