Recruiting black teachers. Providing career coaches to black high schoolers. Supporting apprenticeship programs and leadership development programs for black workers. Improving diversity in state contracts.
A Black Advisory Commission formed by Gov. Charlie Baker in 2017 released its recommendations on Wednesday, with myriad proposals for improving education, helping workers and increasing opportunities for black-owned businesses.
Baker pledged to spend $10 million annually implementing the recommendations, with the potential for more money in the future as the state replicates programs that are successful.
"Our goal here is to be intentional, to create programming in education, skill development, contracting, purchasing and development space that is intentionally designed to create opportunities for people from this community," Baker said at an event releasing the report at The Boston Foundation. "We believe this is not only feasible and possible under existing statutes, rules and regulations, but in many ways is a big missed opportunity if we don't do it."
State Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Springfield, said it is important to recognize the problems facing the black community, even at a time when much of the state is doing well. While parts of the economy are booming, Williams said, "For some, it is absolutely a nightmare."
Williams was effusive in his praise of Baker, who he said is "acting like he represents all communities, black or brown."
State Rep. Russell Holmes, D-Boston, former chairman of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, said, "We need to have a black perspective."
For example, Holmes said the state may be number one in education, but his Boston community, with the highest percentage of black people in the state, until recently did not have a top-level public school.
The recommendations focused mainly on education and business. Commission Chairwoman Deborah Enos said this is only the first set of priorities, and future reports are expected to address other topics like health care, housing and public safety.
On education, some of the recommendations include recruiting more black teachers, improving the literacy curriculum in poor communities, increasing access to pre-college programs for black students and strengthening career planning resources in urban schools.
The workforce recommendations suggest ways to help blacks advance professionally. This includes boosting internship and apprenticeship programs for students and young adults, increasing access to adult education, recruiting black candidates for leadership roles in state government, and investing in leadership training programs that work with black employees.
A number of recommendations also relate to ways to make black-owned businesses more competitive. This includes expanding programs that take diversity into account when awarding state contracts and creating opportunities for black business owners to expand their social and professional networks.
"When opportunity's doors are open, there are so many people waiting to get in," Enos said.