The Urban League of Louisiana officially launched the SEE CHANGE Collective and accompanying action plan, a data-driven, community-oriented and outcomes-focused initiative committed to identifying policy and practice solutions to close the racial wealth gap for Blacks, Hispanics, and Latinos in Greater New Orleans through homeownership, business ownership and entrepreneurship, and income and wages. By 2050, the greater New Orleans region stands to realize a $43 billion gain in economic output by closing the racial wealth gap. 

To help jumpstart this initiative, Congressman Troy Carter (LA-02) has secured a $1.2M request to fund apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships through the Urban League of Louisiana, which directly aligns with some of the income and wage actions outlined in the SEE CHANGE Action Plan.

“The wealth gap between Black and Hispanic Louisianians and our white neighbors is one of the biggest barriers we face to achieving a more just, healthy, and equitable society,” said Congressman Carter. “This racial wealth gap is both a social justice and an economic issue, and we must tackle it by leveling the playing field in homeownership, business opportunities, and with fair wages. I am proud to stand with the Urban League of Louisiana in these efforts, and am optimistic that my $1.2 million Community Funding Project request for ULLA’s Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programming will be approved swiftly and start making a positive change for career seekers in Louisiana.”

Hear from Senator Troy Carter and more at the

SEE CHANGE Collective Launch event:

As part of the SEE CHANGE Collective, the Urban League of Louisiana assembled a Steering Committee comprised of community and business leaders representing a range of organizations, personal experiences, and areas of expertise. Over the course of several months, Committee members came together to develop a common understanding of the racial wealth gap in the Greater New Orleans and worked to identify high-level strategies to close the gap. This all culminated into the SEE CHANGE Collective Action Plan. 

The SEE CHANGE Action Plan, among other items, calls for efforts to:

• Coalesce regional banks to add alternative credit data to their portfolio products to increase the number of mortgage-ready Black, Hispanic, and Latino aspiring homeowners;
• Create housing equity roadmaps in parishes where they don’t exist and to reform the appraisal certification system through removing or modifying the current apprenticeship requirement to increase the number of affordable homes available to purchase by Blacks, Hispanics and Latinos;
• Advocate for translations in app systems and websites for licensure and permit agencies to increase the profitability of Black, Hispanic and Latino-owned businesses in stable industries; and,
• Advocate for a ballot referendum to put a minimum wage vote to citizens as one way to help increase access to family sustaining wages for Black, Hispanic, and Latino people in the region.

READ THE SEE CHANGE ACTION PLAN NOW

GET INVOLVED!

To learn more about SEE CHANGE and to get involved in closing the racial wealth gap, visit 

urbanleaguela.org/seechange

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ABOUT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA

The mission of the Urban League of Louisiana is to assist African Americans and other communities seeking equity to secure economic self-reliance, parity, and civil rights. For more than 80 years, we have implemented our mission through programs in the areas of EDUCATION and YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC POLICY and ADVOCACY initiatives.

www.urbanleaguela.org