FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 23, 2014
Contact:
Riana King, riana.king@younginvincibles.org, 213.221.7326
Maria Beltran, maria.beltran@younginvincibles.org, 213.221.7326
Colin Seeberger, colin.seeberger@younginvincibles.org, 214-223-2913

Young Invincibles Releases California Report on Racial Inequality In Education, and Its Impact on Job Prospects and Wages

[LOS ANGELES] — This morning, Young Invincibles released the California edition of its recent report, Closing the Race Gap, which takes an unprecedented look at racial disparities in the job market, and provides solutions to alleviate them.

The California report finds that young Latino adults, for example, often have similar job prospects as their white peers at every level of education attained, but face a disparity in their wages.  The median income of young Latino adults, for example, is $20,000; the median income of young white adults is $29,000. A Young Invincibles national report found that young black young adults typically need two more levels of education than their white peers to have the same job prospects.

The California report details a series of policy recommendations that the California legislature should adopt to address these racial disparities, and boost job prospects and wages. Recommendations include improving college admissions policies to increase diversity, and boosting funding for Cal Grants to make college more accessible for everyone.

“Education has the potential to improve job prospects and wages for young people of color. These policy recommendations are not a cure-all to the institutional racism that contributes to the employment and wage gap, but they serve as critical steps to help individuals compete on an uneven playing field,” said Linda Leu, California Policy and Research Director at Young Invincibles.

Below is a chart demonstrating the wage gap that persists among young white adults, young black adults and young Latino adults.

Please be in touch with any questions.

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Young Invincibles is a national organization committed to amplifying the voices of young adults, ages 18 to 34, and expanding economic opportunity for our generation. Young Invincibles ensures that young adults are represented in today’s most pressing societal debates through cutting-edge policy research and analysis, and innovative campaigns designed to educate, inform and mobilize our generation to change the status quo.