Silicon Ceiling 6

70,000 experienced black tech workers unemployed

WASHINGTON --Experienced African-American workers are twice as likely to be unemployed in the computer and technology industries as the general labor force, according to Silicon Ceiling 6, a report by the Coalition for Fair Employment in High Technology.
The annual report is regarded as the most authoritative reference on equal opportunity in high technology and has been quoted on the floor of Congress and in relevant committees over the past six years as well as by at least one presidential candidate.
An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 70,000 African-Americans were unemployed in six computer related occupational groups in September 2004 out of a national total of 445,000 unemployed. The ratio for African-Americans was 8.62 percent compared to 3.82 percent overall.
In September 2005, 68,000 blacks were unemployed in those fields out of a total of 470,000 American workers out of work. The ratio for blacks dropped slightly to 7.89 percent while overall unemployment rose to 4.04 percent.
Report author John Wiliam Templeton, editor of blackmoney.com, said, “The data for African-Americans and the overall population proves that there are more than enough qualified American workers to fill the employment needs of our industries.” He concluded that the last minute Halloween attempt to add 30,000 H1-B visas would create additional unemployment for African-American workers and American workers in general.
Partly as a result of the statistics in previous Silicon Ceiling reports, the H1B limit was returned to its traditional limit of 65,000 per year. However, a change last year allowed another 20,000 graduates of American colleges and this year’s particularly inventive effort would “recapture” unused visas going back to 1991.

Katrina impacts tenth of black workers

WASHINGTON — A tenth of the African-American labor force is potentially affected by Hurricane Katrina, points out blackmoney.com executive editor John William Templeton. Mississippi (39.2 percent black) and Louisiana (32.5 percent black) are the two states with the largest ratio of black citizens. Alabama (26 percent black) is seventh. Together, there are more than 3.6 million African-Americans in the three states -- 871,000 of whom live in poverty
The author of Unfinished Dream: State of Black Business says that more than 70,000 black-owned businesses are in the disaster-stricken states of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. An appendix on the impact and suggested recovery steps from Hurricane Katrina has been added to the 2005 report.
"The hurricane hit America's poorest counties in the Mississippi Delta so the tragedy offers an opportunity to address the long-neglected economic development of the Deep South" said Templeton.  Unfinished Dream is the second annual state of black business report to rate American states on their attractiveness to black-owned businesses.  it was the official guide to the second annual celebration of Black Business Month in August.
More than 1.5 million blacks work in the affected states out of a national total of 16 million African-Americans in the civilian labor force.   As
the damage mounted, the Census Bureau released a report on poverty, income and health insurance thatnoted that blacks nationally were already slipping backward.
  African-American median income fell 1 percent from 2003 to 2004 to $30,134 from $30,442 highest percentage drop of any group compared to national average of $44,389 and $44,482 (0.2).  Median income
has only risen from $23,335 in 1974 over a 30 year period.
  The income group making over $75,000 has grown from 3.3 percent in 1974 to 7.2 percent and the income group making over $100,000 has grown from 1.1 percent to 6.7 percent.
  African-American poverty rate was 24.7 percent in 2003 and 2004-- 9 million people in poverty.
  A fifth or 19.7 percent of African-Americans have no health insurance, 7.2 million.
  Alabama black self-employed  was 20,665 in 2003  from
11,757 in 1997 out of  517,000 workers.  Mississippi's black entrepreneurship was  20,455 in 2003   from 13,635 with a  441,000  black labor force 10.3 percent unemployment rate. Louisiana had 30,767 black self-employed out of a   594,000 labor force 10 percent unemployment rate.
  As the rebuilding occurs, attention should be given to utlizing resources like historically-black colleges and universities to support the development of small businesses which can anchor rebuilding communities.
  Templeton demonstrated that the growth of black-owned restaurants in San Francisco could bring new customers to black business areas in the Bay Area with a campaign called SFSoul.
  The preservation and marketing of the unique culture of the Deep South's black heritage must be an integral part of rebuilding the Gulf Coast, he noted. Fixing the long history of inequity should include the following:

• Direct payments to affected individual families similar to the grants awarded to 911 survivors, an idea favored by new NAACP President Bruce Gordon

• A comprehensive economic development strategy to create employment and entrepreneurship in previously low-income neighborhoods, as called for in Unfinished Dream.

• Turning the black agricultural infrastructure into an agribusiness model that turns farmers into food processors, marketers and exporters

• Creating a research capability at historically black colleges and universities by funding national laboratories to address energy, health, education and nutrition issues

• Requiring reclamation contractors to utilize the talents of displaced workers with a goal of reversing the decline of blacks in the construction industry

Top 50 Blacks in Technology—Vrrginia has ten persons selected to the 50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology list, which is included in Unfinished Dream: State of Black Business, Second Edition. Fifteen selectees are from the greater Washington, D.C. area, including four from Maryland and one from the District. California has seven executives on the list, followed by five from Florida, four from Texas, three from Illinois and New York and two from Georgia.

Bank Blackwell gets federal charter — Bank Blackwell has received a federal banking charter to create a nationwide internet bank. It will operate as a savings and loan and has been approved by the Office of Thrift Supervision to raise an initial $15 million in capital.