Press release, “Texas Coalition Decries Continued Racial Disparities, Calls for Full Employment for All Communities in the State,” March 5, 2015 (received by email 1t 3:03 p.m. from Daniel Barrera, Dallas-area communications coordinator, Texas Organizing Project)

For immediate release: March 5, 2015

Media contact: Daniel Barrera

Texas Coalition Decries Continued Racial Disparities, Calls for Full Employment for All Communities in the State

On eve of monthly jobs numbers, a new economic report shows that the recovery is not reaching communities of color in Texas

DALLAS – A coalition of Texas community-based organizations and labor unions held a tele-press conference today highlighting a new report that shows continued enormous racial disparities in wages and jobs in Texas. Although the economy is adding jobs, the unemployment rate among blacks in Texas is 9.5% -- far more than double white unemployment -- and wages have fallen for black workers in Texas since 2000.

During today’s tele-press conference, the coalition called on the Dallas Federal Reserve Board, who will choose the next Fed President, to prioritize full employment and rising wages for all communities. Richard Fisher was one of the loudest voices that called on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to prevent wages from rising. If reports are accurate that the board is searching for another president who shares Fisher’s views, it would have a disastrous affect on countless working families across the region who are still struggling to recover from the recent economic recession.

The call featured a Texas Organizing Project member and representatives from the Texas AFL-CIO. Unemployed workers as well as union leaders spoke about the real state of the economy and call for a transparent process for appointing the next Dallas Federal Reserve President.