A Conversation on Equity and Access: Q&A with the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) is an independent, nonprofit research and policy institute affiliated with the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy that studies the link between education, career qualifications, and workforce demands.

CEW recently published a new book, The Merit Myth, that explores barriers to higher education and provides recommendations for making college admissions more equitable. As part of The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative, we spoke with Anthony P. Carnevale, CEW Director and Research Professor, to discuss equity issues in education and jobs, particularly as our country experiences economic and social changes due to COVID-19.

Navigation

Background
The COVID-19 Era
Education
Workforce
Looking Forward

 

Background

Question 1

In a June 3 email responding to recent events, CEW stated that it “stand[s] united with the Black community” and would “continue to expose the deep flaws in our society that resulted from systemic racism and the reproduction of white racial privilege.” This statement addresses current times, but it also speaks to the work CEW has been doing for years. You have a history of researching racial inequities.
  • Tell us about why, from the beginning, you looked to focus on this. Why is studying racial inequity important to understanding our education and workforce systems and why have you chosen not to be silent?

Education and workforce systems that are not just are failed systems, and in the United States, we hold the value of equality of opportunity in high regard. Everyone may not be equal, but in America, “everyone gets to be all they can be,” or so the story goes. This is the narrative we present to the world. So, if we are not living up to those ideals, and in some ways have systems that do the exact opposite, American people need to know, and they need to hold their leaders in government, education, and business arenas accountable.

We also feel that we must highlight discrepancies in access to education by race, because those discrepancies are inevitably reflected in the workforce. If we don’t address educational reform at the root, we will never see equal access to opportunity in this country. And that will mean we cannot resolve other persistent issues, such as wage and job discrimination.

 

The COVID-19 Era

Question 2

The majority of young people enrolled in Service and Conservation Corps are between ages 16 – 25. In your May 29 blog post, Education, Race, and Jobs in the COVID-19 Crisis, you reference that 58 percent of young adults ages 18 to 24 have experienced a loss of employment income since mid-March. You go on to state that young people and other vulnerable workers will need “substantial help” and “suitable education and training” in order to recover from this crisis.
  • First: Can you explain why young people are experiencing this loss of income?
  • Second: Corps work to provide young people education, training, and various wrapround supports. What would you share with our Corps in terms of action steps needed during these times to keep young people on track?

Young people in general tend to face higher increases in unemployment during recessions. For example, during the Great Recession the overall unemployment rate peaked at just under 10 percent, but youth unemployment, for young adults ages 15-24 peaked at over 18 percent.

Young people tend to have less work experience, less job-specific human capital, less developed professional networks, and less refined job search skills. All of which makes young people more vulnerable to economic downturns. In addition, many companies practice “last in first out” policies that increase the chances that young people with less job tenure will be laid off during recessions.

During this particular economic downturn many young workers also suffered loss of employment income because they were employed in the hard-hit leisure and hospitality industry, which covers establishments such as hotels and restaurants that have suffered from closures and restrictions across the states. A quarter of young workers (16-24) were employed in the leisure and hospitality industry prior to the pandemic compared to less than 8 percent of prime-age workers (25-54).

As far as action by the Corps, young people need more support than ever. This is the time to pull out all the stops. We already had one “lost generation” of young people who were unlucky enough to enter the workforce around the time of the Great Recession and had the great misfortune of being worse off than their parents. If we add another generation to that, who may be in even deeper trouble given the severity of the current economic crisis, it will set a pattern of decline that our country will not easily climb out of.

Even in the best of times, young people need counseling to help them pick education and career pathways in growing, in-demand fields. They need education, training, and work experience in those fields, so they can acquire skills that will set them out on promising career pathways and let them secure good jobs of the future, in areas such as science and technology, healthcare, management, financial and business operations, and installation and maintenance of new renewable energy and telecommunications technologies, among others.

In times like these, young people need activities and training that lead to building both hard skills and soft skills. Working together with teams, communicating about projects and strategy, and being given leadership positions are critical for young people, in building their confidence, experience, and in leading them to understand how they want to conduct their lives.

 

 

Question 3

COVID-19 has forced schools and training programs to move instruction online. Can you discuss what this transition to virtual learning might mean for student outcomes?

What impact the move to online instruction will have remains to be seen. This is the first time in history that such massive numbers of students received online only instruction. Traditionally online only courses have faced challenges with retention and engagement. Yet some institutions, such as Western Governors University, for example, have been able to find success with online only courses. It will be interesting to see what outcomes will result from the current move to online across different schools, and whether colleges that see success with online instruction will continue expanding in that direction in the post-pandemic environment.

Across all types of colleges, from trade schools to four-year institutions, the greatest enrollment growth in the last decade has been in online programs. Online classes are not the best model for learning for every student, but they do work for a lot of them because they are more flexible, more convenient, and generally less expensive than face-to-face classes. Online education is not going to go away. I would expect that as technology advances, clever educators will design online learning that is more engaging and more acceptable to a wider group of students.

 

Education


Access more resources at cew.georgetown.edu

 

Question 4

In the book “The Merit Myth,” you explore how U.S. colleges reinforce intergenerational racial and class privileges, then magnify and project these inequities into the labor market. The intergenerational element is so key in helping people understand how racial inequity has been maintained. Can you talk a little bit about this?

Those who are privileged in society pass their advantages to their children and grandchildren in countless ways. While the attention of the public is often on inheritance of large fortunes by a few rich kids, that is only the tip of the iceberg.

Early childhood is very important in determining the odds of an individual’s success. This is the time when in some privileged families, which are overwhelmingly white, parents spare no expense on educational opportunities for their children. Meanwhile, in many disadvantaged families, which are disproportionately Black and Latino, children don’t have as many educational opportunities, and they may face other hurdles, such as growing up with a single parent or in a household with constant conflict between parents, or parents plagued by health or mental health problems, and/or being in a noisy and unsafe neighborhood. That formative experience may impact them their entire life.

When it’s time to go to school, those from privileged families either send their children to private schools or great public schools financed by property tax dollars of those who can afford to live in neighborhoods with high property values. Meanwhile, the children from disadvantaged families, attend poorly resourced public schools that cannot offer them the level of support they need and where they may face violence or bullying that will interfere with their studies.

Throughout their childhood the privileged parents teach their children values, mindsets, and behaviors that will allow them to succeed and build social networks with other privileged people. The disadvantaged parents have not been exposed to these behaviors or habits themselves and so have no way of teaching them to their children. When they get older, the children of the privileged learn about finances: how to properly handle money. The children from disadvantaged households have no one to learn a successful approach to finances from, since the schools generally don’t teach that, and the money habits and strategies they pick up from their parents are likely less than ideal.

When it’s time to go to college, the children from privileged families typically go to selective colleges, often after scoring high on standardized tests, following top-notch prep courses that their parents paid for. The disadvantaged families can’t afford such prep courses, and their children end up at under-resourced community colleges, open-access universities, or for-profit schools, if they go to college at all. They want to get a bachelor’s degree or higher and be successful, but many do not get the support and guidance they need and end up flailing around with no clear direction, no degree, and in many cases student loan debt, which for some is all they have to show for their misadventure with postsecondary education. The students from privileged families who attend selective universities, on the other hand, are overwhelmingly likely to graduate, and secure a good entry-level job through their families’ extensive social and professional networks.

The children from privileged families will often marry children from other privileged families, and the children from disadvantaged families will marry children from other disadvantaged families. And the cycle repeats all over again. Where is any semblance of equal opportunity in any of that?

 

 

Question 5

To advance equity in higher education, and help more people access the benefits that come with a good education, you recommend a “Framework for System-Wide Change.” This includes several steps schools can take, such as doing away with legacy admissions, ending overreliance on SAT or ACT scores, and welcoming more Pell Grant recipients.
  • Can you talk about what incentives there are for colleges to implement these changes? What would cause change to happen?
  • How realistic is it that we could actually see some of these changes soon? Will some changes come sooner than others?

The most blunt driver of change would be government policy. The federal government could change requirements for funding, or requirements to maintain nonprofit status, or potentially even create free college. Some of the changes we would like to see will probably come that way, but not all of the change we seek. Colleges are at an inflection point in their histories. Many of them were in financial trouble even before the pandemic, and the public health crisis has exposed many issues that lay just beneath the surface. Colleges and universities have occupied their exalted position in our society largely due to public trust, and that trust has been eroding in recent years. Tuition and fees have been growing at sky-high rates. Admissions scandals and lawsuits about colleges’ and universities’ admissions practices have not helped. The leading colleges understand that if they want to remain highly respected institutions, with influence in our society, they will have to evolve. And we think they will realize they need to serve the people, their students, better than they have.

Some of these changes are already starting to take place. Many colleges and universities have dropped their standardized test requirements for fall of 2021 and some are going test-optional for longer or even indefinitely. John Hopkins, one of the most prestigious universities in the country, has ended the use of legacy preferences in its admissions practices. A number of prestigious colleges have also moved to accept more Pell Grant recipients in recent years. So, these changes are starting to happen at the margins, even though it will take time for them to be reflected more broadly across the higher education system.

 

 

Question 6

Your research demonstrates many inequities in education. Black and Latino young people – and particularly those from low-income families – are less likely to enroll in college and graduate from college than white peers. The data is discouraging. You offer recommendations for changes that educational institutions can implement, but what can we say to our young Black and Latino Corpsmembers who may see this data and feel angry or demoralized?

Our education system is unquestionably inequitable to Black and Latino students. But inequality is not destiny. Black and Latino students can still succeed. They should do everything they can to even out the odds in their favor: find and join support groups with students who face similar challenges, utilize all available student support services available at their institutions, pick the most promising majors and programs of study based on data available from sources such as the CEW website and the College Scorecard, reach out to alumni and professionals in their chosen field to ask for mentorship and guidance. They should never allow others’ narratives to define them or their potential. The evidence we study is an indictment of our education system, but it is not a limitation on what young people are capable of achieving.

 

Workforce 


Access more resources at cew.georgetown.edu

 

Question 7

In your article, “Career ready’ out of high school? Why the nation needs to let go of that myth,” you detail how – though college is not for everyone – our K-12 education system continues to fail students who are on a career and technical education path. Students with a high school education are not landing good jobs after graduation in comparison to those who have college degrees and certifications.
  • Can you briefly discuss why career and technical education is so weak at many schools?
  • Some Corps help students complete their high school education and simultaneously gain hands-on job experience and earn career certifications. This model works for many students. Why don’t we see this more in the standard K-12 system?

High schools in the United States used to spend a lot more time and resources on what was called vocational education, which included working on cars, learning to cook, and mastering the basics of plumbing and electrical work, among other things. However, a well-known report in 1983, called A Nation at Risk, pointed out that school leaders were using the programs to create a two-tier educational system. Black and Latino kids were overwhelmingly being steered into vocational education while white kids got a traditional college-track high school educational. It was unfair and it was racist.

We still see some semblance of what is now called career and technical education in high schools, but it is closely watched to make sure that it is not a cover for unfairness. We understand that some people in high school want to get some skills training and enter the workforce as soon as they graduate. That should be encouraged, but we also want young people who are just starting their working lives to understand that they will likely need a lot more education and training throughout their lives to be independent and make a decent living. We don’t want to go back to the days when most low-income students saw a vocational education as their only option. We want to make sure that all students have the opportunity to get an occupational certificate if that is what they want, but we also don’t want to close off their horizons and make them feel like they are not college material.

 

Looking Forward

Question 8

How will sales of the book The Merit Myth support CEW’s efforts to promote education and workforce reform? Are there any new initiatives or research topics you hope to undertake in the near future?

We all have written books before, and we’ve never made a nickel. But if there’s any money made, it will go to CEW. We don’t expect to make money, we just want people to read it.

We get most of our funding from non-profit organizations that see value and purpose in our work, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation.

We are just starting work on a few more reports on the troubled pathway from education to the workforce, and why it takes young people so much longer to gain independence and strike out on their own as adults. We think this country needs to do a lot better in creating good counseling systems that give people, starting in middle school and high school, good advice on careers and skills, and this system would carry on, helping people right on through their entry into the labor market. We will continue working in these areas.

 

 

Reach More Applicants: Recruitment Opportunities Through Occupation Wild

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We know recruitment and hiring can be challenging: sometimes you can’t attract enough applicants, or sometimes you just can’t reach the right candidates.

The Corps Network is excited to announce a new opportunity available to our member organizations. Occupation Wild – a job board focused solely on outdoor, adventure, and travel jobs – is offering Service and Conservation Corps a 10 percent discount on whichever job posting package suits your Corps’ needs.

Occupation Wild was founded in 2018 to help connect outdoor organizations with passionate job applicants looking for a “life beyond the cubicle.” Their modern, mobile-responsive job posting platform was designed for the Millennial and Gen-Z audience. Every month, the site attracts more than 45,000 unique visitors. In addition, their Instagram page has over 9,000 followers, and their regular podcast attracts more than 7,200 listeners.

In addition to clients like Nat Geo Student Expeditions, Outward Bound Schools, and The New York Times Student Journeys, several member organizations of The Corps Network are currently using the Occupation Wild job posting platform.

“Conservation Corps jobs have become increasingly popular on Occupation Wild since they allow passionate outdoor enthusiasts to truly work outside all day in beautiful areas,” said Courtney Condy, Occupation Wild Founder and CEO. “We recently polled our audience and 86 percent were currently unemployed and/ or looking for work. We can’t wait to introduce our job seekers to your open positions!”

If you’re interested in learning more or taking advantage of the Corps discount, reach out to [email protected].

 

The Corps Network’s (Virtual) 2020 Board Retreat

Every year, The Corps Network’s Board of Directors holds a summer retreat at a different Corps. This arrangement gives Board Members the opportunity to see programs in action and hear directly from Corps staff and Corpsmembers. In recent years, the Board has crisscrossed the country to visit Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, American YouthWorks, Los Angeles Conservation Corps, and Northwest Youth Corps.

The 2020 retreat was scheduled to take place at PowerCorpsPHL in Philadelphia, but COVID-19 safety concerns pushed the event online. Nonetheless, several Board Members made an effort to safely visit nearby Corps on their own time. The Board Members documented their visits with photos and videos and reported back to the rest of the Board during last week’s virtual retreat.

 

Michael Muckle visits Green City Force

Board and Corps Council Member Michael Muckle of New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg drove north to visit Green City Force’s farm on Staten Island. All of the videos from the visit can be viewed here. Click below to watch one of the videos, an interview with Justin Baker. Justin, a 2019 Corpsmember of the Year and GCF alum, works as a Service Coordinator for the farm program.

 

Kofi Boone visits Conservation Corps North Carolina

Kofi Boone, a Professor of Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University and one of The Corps Network’s newest Board Members, visited a trail crew from Conservation Corps North Carolina. Watch here.

 

Michele Bolos and Carlos Monje visit Civic Works

Michele Bolos, CEO and Founder of Next Tier Concepts, and Carlos Monje, a Co-Vice-Chair of the Board and Director for Policy and Philanthropy at Twitter, visited Civic Works in Baltimore.

RAP Profile: Hannah Rettig

By Sydni Dobson

Meet Hannah Rettig, Recreation and Partnerships Resource Assistant who joined the Resource Assistants Program (RAP) in September 2019. RAP is a USDA Forest Service program to provide a rigorous and immersive internship experience for those interested in career opportunities with land management agencies. Resource Assistants (RAs) are recruited by partner organizations – such as The Corps Network and our member Corps – and work under the supervision of Forest Service staff to accomplish mission-critical work. Hannah Rettig was recruited through Utah Conservation Corps (UCC).

 

Prior to joining RAP, Hannah worked as a Crew Leader for UCC doing urban conservation work. After serving three months as a UCC Crew Leader, Hannah’s Program Director mentioned the opportunity to join RAP. Hannah’s knowledge of the Forest Service was limited to previous trail work, so she was hesitant to dive into a new industry, but she ultimately took the plunge and joined. Thus far, the Resource Assistant experience has shifted Hannah’s focus to outdoor software development. Learn more about Hannah’s story from her conversation with The Corps Network, where we discussed her time in RAP and her new outlook on contributing to the future of conservation.

 

 

Q: How has this experience with RAP compared to your previous work or internship experiences?

A: The RAP Partnership position was very different, but very good as well. The position in UCC was more as a leader. But the RAP program was role reversal – it really did the opposite of what I had been doing in the field. I was gaining experience by working in the office for the region and learning from the experienced people around me.

 

Q: How has your experience been in RAP?

A: I definitely increased my patience – but also learned from the very experienced people in the office, as most of the people who worked there were towards the end of their careers.

 

Q: What was one of your most impactful moments in RAP?

A: One important project was the Chief of Forestry’s Chief Review. The forestry service comes to the region to show the Washington Office [USDA Forest Service headquarters] what all has been going on in the region. I volunteered to help at the conferences and sat in the seminars and got to learn about the Intermountain Region and projects that the region had been doing over the past few years. It was kind of impressive to learn about everything that was going on because it was really only my third or fourth week.

 

Q: What has been your favorite project or learning experience in the program?

A: Working with the engineering department on trail bridges – the old program was neglected and out of date. They asked whether I would want to check out the data on the database and see how accurate the data was. The database was full of trail bridges from the National Forest (NF) and they had not been adequately updated in a while. Bridges have to be safely inspected every five years, and some of that data was unavailable. So, we had to send people out, and I worked to make the data collection program specialized. I created a map of the park to verify the bridges within the park. I spent about six months on the project looking at the map and trying to find the specific coordinates for the bridges using GIS software, and specific points to find the location of the bridges from USDA’s photos and Google Earth. If we couldn’t find one using the software, then we would send people into the field to locate the bridges’ exact locations.

 

Q: What is the average week like in your RAP position?

A: Office based – I work at the regional branch, where many people are at the later stages of their career seeing the NF from the thousand-foot level. Working from home was a forced opportunity to adapt and learn how to telework. The whole staff has been learning how to use Teams and video calls, because that was never needed in their service before.

 

Q: How have you grown since joining RAP?

A: I’ve learned more patience and flexibility with the way my positions started. If I can say yes to things – I generally try to. I was open to whatever projects they wanted me to do, so I delved into it by taking any opportunities I can get. I saw the value in getting into projects hands-on.

 

Q: Have your career interests changed since joining RAP?

A: Yes, they have a little bit. I felt like I was going towards a more conservation-centered career. But, I’m excited to see if I can develop my skills with GIS and maybe get a position working with that software, because part of it is working with the outdoors and I have enjoyed it.

 

Q: What will you do after your internship ends?

A: When I heard about the Direct Hire Authority (awarded at the end of a successful internship), I was all about it; but now I am thinking about exploring the GIS stuff I’ve been working on. I am hoping to try and get my certificate, so maybe I can explore that route, but I will definitely be open to coming back and working at the Forest Service in the future.

A Message from Our President & CEO: July 1, 2020

Photo credit for top banner: Rocky Mountain Conservancy

 

Dear Friends,

Work might slow down for many people during the summer, but it certainly is not a slow time of year for Corps. And this is certainly not a normal summer.

 

Now is not the time for silence

At the beginning of June, The Corps Network issued a statement saying that “now is not the time for silence.” We are heartbroken and angry about the tragic deaths of George Floyd and too many other innocent Black Americans at the hands of police. Enough is enough. Our country has work to do to stand up to racism, oppression, and injustice wherever it exists; we will do our part.

More urgently than ever, The Corps Network is committed to the goals of our Moving Forward Initiative. Through this initiative, we aim to examine our own organization and advance equity in Corps and conservation through spreading education about systemic racism, fostering thoughtful conversations, and elevating the voices of people of color. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we invite you to join us on this journey. Learn more about MFI on our website and through our recent Town Hall presentations on race and equity.

 

Town Halls

On the topic of Town Halls, we also invite you to learn more about these regular presentations. Starting in March, The Corps Network has hosted virtual discussions on timely topics nearly every Thursday. The Service and Conservation Corps community is the primary audience for these calls, but the content in many Town Halls is also relevant to others. Throughout these challenging times, the Town Halls have provided a restorative space to learn and collaborate.

 

Corps in the COVID-19 Era

We are happy to share that a majority of Corps are currently up and running. Some Corps never stopped operations throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Instead, they shifted their projects to focus on meeting critical community needs, like staffing food banks and setting up auxiliary medical facilities. Some Corps just recently started launching crews for summer programs.

I am inspired by the collaborative work Corps are doing in order to safely continue offering meaningful service and learning experiences. Across the country, Corps are sharing ideas about how to implement new safety protocols, shift trainings online, procure PPE, and take other thoughtful and necessary measures. Through the generous support of The JPB Foundation, The Corps Network was excited to distribute $250,000 in grants to 30 different Corps in order to help with some of the unexpected costs of operating during a pandemic. Though they might be wearing masks, it gives us great hope to see Corpsmembers out in the field! We wish them the best for a safe season.

 

Legislation

We are pleased to report that several pieces of legislation currently under consideration in Congress could directly or indirectly benefit the Corps community. Our Government Relations and Communications teams have prepared this overview of where bills stand and what they could mean.

 

The summer of 2020 will be one to remember. The Corps Network is here for the challenges.
We wish you a safe and healthy holiday weekend.

Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – June 2020

The Corps Network is excited to share about progress in the U.S. House and Senate on several bills that could benefit the Service and Conservation Corps Community. Read below to learn more about the bills, where they stand, and what they could mean for Corps.

Photo in banner: June at the Capitol, credit: Architect of the Capitol

 

21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act (21CCC Act)

 

Status

 

Highlights: What would it do to help Corps & young people?  
    • Click for a fact sheet from the office of Sen. Wyden.
    • Click for a fact sheet from the office of Rep. Neguse.
    • Scale up existing Service and Conservation Corps: The bill would appropriate $9 billion in supplemental funding to the Department of Labor appropriations to be granted to qualified Conservation Corps, to increase job training and hiring for resources management jobs. The funding will help restore public lands and address this rise in unemployment due to COVID-19.
    • Increase funding for public lands maintenance and wildfire management: The bill includes a $10 billion increase to the National Forest System and $6.9 billion in additional funds for the Department of the Interior. Much of this funding would go towards hazardous fuels management and maintenance projects, which could be completed in partnership with Corps.

 

What’s Next?

There are broader conversations underway to establish a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps including the possibility of a “Restoration Jobs” initiative to meet employment and environmental needs. Our hope is to successfully incorporate elements of the aforementioned legislation into such an effort.

 

Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act

 

Status
  • Introduced in the Senate on June 16 by U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE.), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Angus King (I-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME)

 

Highlights: What would it do to help Corps & young people?  

The CORPS Act is based on the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act, introduced by Sen. Coons in May. Specifically, the CORPS Act would:

    • Expand national service positions for a three-year response and recovery period. The number of positions could grow from 75,000 to 150,000 the first year and then steadily to 250,000 by year three.
    • Provide flexibilities for national service programs to grow and respond quickly to dynamic local recovery needs.
    • Prioritize funding for activities directly related to response and recovery, such as:
      • Public health services
      • Programs that support economic opportunity
      • Education support (including for adult learners)
      • Services that combat nutrition insecurity
    • Prioritize expanding programs and services in rural and high poverty communities.
    • Help organizations that have not previously hosted AmeriCorps members access the program.
    • Ensure that individuals’ financial resources do not limit participation by temporarily increasing the AmeriCorps living allowance to 175 percent of the federal poverty line and tying the value of the Segal Education Award to twice the value of the maximum Pell grant, harmonizing the treatment of both with other programs by making them nontaxable.
    • Fund new online tools for Senior Corps to safely move to a teleservice model.
    • Encourage participation by members of low-income and underrepresented communities and extend priority enrollment to Peace Corps, U.S. Fulbright, and AmeriCorps participants whose service or grants was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Invite participation by a diverse range of Americans by launching an awareness and outreach campaign on response service opportunities and supporting the Volunteer Generation Fund.

 

What’s Next?

The strategy and path forward for the CORPS Act is to try and get supplemental funding and provisions from legislation into the next COVID relief package which may move mid to late July. It all depends on Congressional action and whether they have an appetite for another stimulus bill.

 

Great American Outdoors Act

 

Status
    • Introduced in the Senate on March 3 (S.3422) by U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (D-CO) and Joe Manchin (D-WV)
    • Passed in the Senate on June 17 with a bipartisan vote of 73-25. Now moves to the House for a vote.

 

Highlights: What would it do to help Corps & young people?  
    • Fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): The bill would permanently dedicate $900 million per year into the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Created by Congress in 1964, the LWCF uses revenues from resource extraction to fund the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites and expand recreation access across the U.S. Fully funding LWCF could mean more project opportunities for Corps in rural and urban communities alike.
    • Address the ~$20 billion maintenance backlog: The bill includes the Restore Our Parks Act, which would invest $1.9 billion annually for the next five years in addressing deferred maintenance on lands managed by the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Education. This could also create new project opportunities for Corps.

 

What’s Next?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced on Monday, June 22, that the House will consider the Great American Outdoors Act under a rule on the Floor during the work period at the end of July. Efforts are underway to shore up cosponsors of the legislation as well as to support a clean bill (no amendments) to expedite the process and limit the chances of the bill failing.

The legislation is expected to pass (although it is Congress and anything could happen) and if/when it does, The Corps Network will be working with agency partners and our champions on Capitol Hill to ensure every effort is made to engage Corps on relevant projects to the maximum extent practicable. We’re also pursuing report language (specific instructions from Congress on how they view the bill being implemented) to that effect.

 

 

Juneteenth: Understanding the History and Importance of the Holiday

By Sydni Dobson

With the recent events of the world, there isn’t much worth celebrating about – especially if you’re a person of color. Yet, this Friday marks the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth in the United States. On June 19 – also known as “Juneteenth” – African Americans nationwide will celebrate their own Freedom/Emancipation Day with cookouts, parades, concerts, festivals and rich African American traditions.

Juneteenth Flag, Wikimedia Commons

Dating back to the Civil War, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday originated in Texas when, led by Major Gen. Gordon Granger, an estimated 2,000 Union soldiers arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865 to announce that the Civil War was over and slavery had been abolished. In his statement, Granger publicly read General Order No. 3, stating, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” However, this order only applied to Confederate states, and not Union ones.*

Following Granger’s announcement, 250,000 enslaved people were freed that day – this event was known as the “scatter.” Many left Texas immediately and headed north or to nearby states in search of family. In fact, the news was so sudden to some that many formerly enslaved people stayed on their masters’ plantations and continued working for “wages.” Yet, the news shouldn’t have been so sudden; enslaved people had technically been granted freedom two and a half years earlier through the Emancipation Proclamation.

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that, as of January 1, 1863, all enslaved people residing in rebellion states against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” However, the news of the Proclamation didn’t travel to the ears of those who it benefited the most: enslaved people. Recordings in history report that many slave owners in Texas intentionally withheld information about the Proclamation in order to keep their labor force intact.

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Although enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom at a later date than those in the rest of the Confederate states, Granger’s arrival and announcement launched an instant celebration. However, it wasn’t until more than 100 years later, in 1980, that Texas recognized Juneteenth as an official state holiday. Overall, Juneteenth celebrations grew popular among the Black community in the middle of the 20th Century, especially after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

This year, the celebration of Juneteenth falls in the middle of a global pandemic and amidst nationwide protests against police brutality and the unjustified killings of innocent Black people. The Black Lives Matter movement, and America’s long-standing history of systemic racism, are gaining attention. Countries and companies across the world are announcing their stand in solidarity with the African American community and other people of color who have faced racism, oppression and injustices for decades. Unfortunately, we still live in a society that doesn’t treat all human lives as equal; the oppression of Black people must stop. The Black community needs more.

Now, more than ever, civil rights leaders and advocates are demanding an end to systemic racism and the killings of unarmed and innocent Black people at the hands of the police. Since the influx of highly-publicized murders by police in recent years, new laws have passed and several bills were introduced in Congress in June alone to advance police reforms. People of all races have joined protests in all 50 states and globally, seeking change in the protection and respect of Black lives.

Juneteenth is not something many people learn about in school. However, this year is different. With Juneteenth’s arrival just around the corner, people across the country are learning about the significance of this holiday for the first time. African Americans across the nation will collectively celebrate their Freedom Day as they’ve become more aware of this celebration and of their history in our society. If you’re like me, maybe this year has offered an opportunity to become more educated on the Juneteenth holiday. Maybe, like me, you believe Juneteenth should be celebrated in the same way the United States honors Independence Day on July 4.

Currently, Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday in 47 out of 50 states but isn’t recognized as a national holiday. Going forward, America should recognize its two “Independence Days” and honor the history and contributions of the more than 40 million Black and African American people living in our country. Until then, the Black community will celebrate its existence and freedom with Juneteenth and with fun African American traditions – because if we don’t celebrate us, then who will?

 

*(Note: It wasn’t until the 13th Amendment, which was ratified on December 6, 1865, that enslaved people were freed everywhere in the United States.)

A Time to Listen & Reflect

The deaths of George Floyd and too many other Black Americans at the hands of police have sparked worldwide protests and a growing conversation about racism in our country.

How do we process this moment? What can we do to advance change? What can we do to support Black friends, neighbors, and colleagues? The first thing we need to do is listen and reflect.

As part of our virtual “town hall” series, The Corps Network hosted a presentation on Thursday, June 4, to share writings, speeches, and other commentary responding to recent events. Elevating the voices of Black activists, leaders, academics, and artists is critical to advancing racial equity. We recognize, however, that some of the content we shared in the June 4 town hall could be triggering. We invite you to learn more before engaging with the content.

As a follow-up to the town hall, please see below for materials we presented, as well as additional resources to help guide further learning and discussions. In future town halls, and through other avenues, we plan to work with partners and our member organizations to continue providing information that promotes education, leadership, and allyship in the fight against systemic racism.

For Our Member Organizations

 

June 4 Town Hall Materials

All materials can be found here. If you missed the event, please note that we shared content that could be upsetting or triggering. Learn more here. 



Readings & Videos Shared

(Links to all of these materials are also in the Notes)

VIDEOS

  • Tamika Mallory speaks truth to power during press conference surrounding the murder of George Floyd
  • Moment of Reckoning – Dr. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
  • How Can We Win? – Kimberly Jones
  • There’s Just So Much Pain – Bakari Sellers
  • It’s Time To Do The Work On Ending Systemic Racism – Rev. Bernice A. King
  • A message to the young Black men and women of America – President Obama (This message is part of a longer interview. We played from ~12:53 – 14:18)

 


READINGS

  • Standing Together for Racial Equity and Community, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
  • Now is Not the Time for Silence (A Statement from The Corps Network)
  • Poem : “A Small Needful Fact” – By Ross Gay



Additional Resources

 

A Statement From The Corps Network: Now Is Not the Time for Silence

Black Lives Matter

We stand with the Black community, as well as other people of color, who have been living with and fighting against systemic racism for decades. Our country has work to do to stand up to racism, oppression, and injustice wherever it exists.

As the national association of service and conservation Corps, The Corps Network’s mission is to advance programs that transform young people’s lives and communities through career development, civic engagement, and conservation. Collectively, our programs serve nearly 25,000 young adults, or Corpsmembers, each year. Corps offer the opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to work side-by-side to improve their communities and the environment.

The Corps Network’s member organizations operate across the country, including in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, and many other places experiencing mass protests against the inexcusable death of yet another Black man at the hands of police. The death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident but rather the latest in a long and shameful list of examples of systemic racism against Black Americans and people of color.

We see our Black young people impacted by systemic racism every day, not just by the police and the justice system, but by lack of access to high quality education, good jobs, adequate health care, nutritious food, and safe places to enjoy the outdoors. The oppression of people of color – by the very systems charged with the health, wellbeing, and safety of all Americans – must stop.

As people around the world witness and engage in protests, some have recalled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s statement that “A riot is the language of the unheard.” Our country – specifically white Americans – need to hear the anger in recent events, educate themselves, and take action to address racism. The organization “Girl Trek” recently started their “Black History “Boot Camp” with the words of Audre Lorde from her posthumously published book Your Silence Will Not Protect You. One of the essays in this book is entitled, “Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” We realize that now is not the time for Silence. Now is the Time for Action.

Through the work of The Moving Forward Initiative, The Corps Network has looked to transform silence into language and action via educational blogs, our Town Hall discussions, our annual conference and other resources. Know that The Corps Network is committed to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are here for the hard work, but we realize that we will need to reach out to our friends and partners as we chart our path forward. None of us can create change alone.

This week marks the start of Great Outdoors Month. We are reminded of the healing power of nature, but we also must acknowledge that good health and access to the outdoors are more of a privilege than a right in our country. In addition to recent protests, COVID-19 (and the health and racial disparities this pandemic laid bare) is at the forefront of our minds. We want you to know that, in more ways than one, we aim to promote a healthy future for our Corps, Corpsmembers and their communities. In this moment, we stand in solidarity with the Black community and challenge our white colleagues and friends to examine their privilege and step up. We all must hold each other accountable; systematic injustice and inequality calls for systematic change. As Audre Lorde pointed out, “Your Silence Will Not Protect You.”

Mary Ellen Sprenkel
President & CEO
The Corps Network

 

 

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Update from The Corps Network’s Government Relations Team – May 2020

There are a lot of legislative proposals in the works to help America respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Which ones relate to Corps and what should you know about them?

The past weeks have been busy for The Corps Network’s Government Relations team as Congress explores COVID-19 recovery ideas. We are working to ensure Service and Conservation Corps are well-represented in key discussions. Read below to learn about recent activity.

 

“Bring Back the CCC” Proposals

We’re aware of the numerous conversations about the need to “revive” the Great Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

Our Recommendations

Building off feedback from member organizations, The Corps Network created a document outlining recommendations for how to expand the existing Corps community. This document has been shared on the Hill, with the administration, with advocacy groups, and with the private sector. We are working overtime to shore up national support for our concept and to weave its principles into every conversation we can. Please feel confident that the Corps community is well-positioned to lead in this space and, based on everything we’ve seen thus far, our message is resonating at the national level. We do expect more ideas to emerge and will bring them to the group’s attention when that happens.

States Taking Action

Some state and local entities are exploring the idea of a modern CCC. Most recently, the Austin City Council passed a resolution on Thursday, May 14, to create the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps. The program will use federal money from the CARES act to employ those who’ve been economically impacted. There are similar ideas coming out of Alaska and Illinois.

Industry Support

There is growing support for the concept of a modern CCC from the outdoor industry. Leadership from numerous major outdoor retailers sent a letter to Congress on May 11 urging for, among other measures, investments to expand the existing Corps community. Thanks to The Corps Network’s burgeoning partnership with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, we’ve been able to amplify our proposals throughout the outdoor recreation community.

 

 

Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA)
S.3422

What is it?

Introduced in the Senate in March, the Great American Outdoors Act is bipartisan legislation that would provide permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). It would also address the billions of dollars in backlogged maintenance on our national parks and other federal lands. Specifically, the bill would:

  • Direct $9.5 billion over five years to address maintenance within the National Park System, other public land agencies, and Bureau of Indian Education schools
  • Permanently dedicate $900 million per year into the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The bill has strong support, but it was introduced just as the country began serious response measures to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

How does it relate to Corps/The Corps Network?

Fully funding the LWCF and addressing the maintenance backlog on America’s federal lands and waters could create many potential project opportunities for Corps.

On May 11, more than 100 Members of Congress requested funding to address the maintenance backlog on public lands and boost the outdoor recreation economy. That same day, The Corps Network also joined more than 850 national, regional, state, and local groups urging Congress to pass the GAOA.

 

Expanding National Service

 

Pandemic Response & Opportunity Through National Service Act
S.3624  |  H.R.6702


What is it?

At the beginning of May, Sens. Christopher Coons (D-DE) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) led a group of Senators in introducing legislation called the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act. Reps. David Price (D-NC-4) and Doris Matsui (D-CA-6) introduced the House companion bill.

This legislation would represent the largest investment ever in national service programs. The bill expands National Service to meet COVID-19 needs by:

  • Funding 750,000 national service positions over three years
  • Increasing the AmeriCorps living allowance
  • Increasing the AmeriCorps education award, and
  • Providing flexibility for programs to meet local needs.

 

How does it relate to Corps/The Corps Network?

Importantly, this expansion would come through grants that prioritize existing and historical grantees, and organizations proposing to engage under-served populations, such as Opportunity Youth and justice-involved youth.

The Corps Network’s Government Relations team worked directly with key Senate champions to inform the legislation. We helped negotiate for the inclusion of the following:

  • Increased, tax-free living allowance
  • Increased, tax-free education award
  • Increased MSY, including increased MSY for disadvantaged populations
  • Priority given to national service providers administering workforce investment activities and reemployment services
  • Priority given to jobs for youth in preserving and restoring nature
  • Priority given to current or former CNCS grant recipients
  • Priority given to programs proposing to give priority to underserved and economically disadvantaged individuals
  • Indian Youth Service Corps inclusion in agency coordination to provide national service opportunities to all, including traditionally excluded populations.
  • Match waiver

We have also been working closely with Voices for National Service to ensure alignment with the service community.

One highlight worth mentioning concerns the Purposes section of the bill:

Sec. 3: Purposes: …to provide for 750,000 participants, over 3 years, in national service programs, such as the Public Land Corps (also known as the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps) programs and other AmeriCorps programs, that will provide services in response to the pandemic and economic crisis, including to help satisfy the projected need for as many as 300,000 additional public health workers

We should be proud and inspired that Corps are viewed as critical to this effort. We will continue to keep our priorities front and center as the discussion evolves.

 

Positioning Corps as Critical to Getting the Country Back to Work

 

Relaunching America’s Workforce Act
H.R. 6646


What is it and how does it relate to Corps/The Corps Network?

On May 1, the House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) introduced a legislative proposal that would update the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Corps Network worked with Chairman Scott’s staff on certain elements of the bill. If passed into law, we hope Corps can partner with local workforce development boards (WDBs) in utilizing the bill’s increased WIOA Youth Activities funds. We ask this despite the challenges to Corps-WDB partnerships. Engaging WDBs for these funds can help align Corps with the workforce system. If partnership development is successful, then Corps have aligned with workforce development funding. If partnership development is not successful, then The Corps Network can build the case for a Congressionally funded DOL grant program specifically for workforce development through Corps. The language below is the language that pertains to Corps in Chairman Scott’s bill.

“(ii) establishing or expanding partnerships with community-based organizations to develop or expand work experience opportunities and the development of skills and competencies to secure and maintain employment, including supports for activities like peer mentoring;”

The Corps Network engaged with the Senate HELP Committee to strengthen the Corps inclusive language in the Senate companion legislation, but Senate leadership directed that the bill mirror the House of Representative’s version.

We will continue to advocate for further alignment between Corps and the workforce system, either through the Relaunching America’s Workforce Act, an upcoming WIOA reauthorization, or another vehicle.

 

 

21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act


What is it?

On May 11, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation that would bolster wildfire prevention and preparedness to protect the health and safety of communities during the unparalleled combination of threats posed by wildfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. The 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act would also provide relief and job creation measures that equip rural economies to respond to the unique threats they’re facing during this public health and economic crisis.

 

How does it relate to Corps/The Corps Network?

The bill represents enormous investments in public lands conservation and maintenance projects while simultaneously providing targeted workforce development and project opportunities at the state and local level. Conservation Corps are central to this effort both as eligible project partners and in the administration of the Civilian Conservation Corps (Sec. 5, Subtitle E) program.

The Corps Network Government Relations team consulted with Sen. Wyden’s staff to inform the bill based on our own proposal to scale the existing network of Service and Conservation Corps and establish new Corps. The CCC section in the bill is based on our proposed structure in which the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) would establish and administer a 21st Century CCC program. We will be working in the days and weeks ahead to refine the bill in the hopes that it picks up interest on the Hill.

 

While the nature of advocacy and government may not make it obvious, the Government Relations team has scored major victories for our network. These victories further the national Corps movement and put Service and Conservation Corps at the front and center of some of the most important conversations happening at the highest levels of American government.