Economic Mobility
In Indianapolis, there is a growing gap between the affluent and poor, and race has a profound impact on opportunity. We believe all people can rise out of poverty by acquiring skills that lead to living-wage jobs, and if they are not held back by inequitable policies.
- 2.4 million jobs are likely to go unfilled by 2025 because 71 percent of Marion County residents do not have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
- More than 30,000 people ages 16-24, are not in school, enlisted or employed in Indianapolis.
- Working African American and Hispanic/Latinx families in Indianapolis are more than twice as likely to experience material poverty than their white counterparts.
OUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE:
- Aligning CICF scholarships to support individuals seeking degrees, certificates and other credentials that lead to meaningful career opportunities
- Raising awareness of and addressing the racial disparities in educational outcomes
- Engaging “opportunity youth” between the ages of 16-24 in programs that promote education or career pathways
- Championing policies that support economic justice
Hear more about this leadership initiative from Andrew Black, director of community leadership.