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A Black worker wearing an orange hard hat, vest, and long sleeve shirt looks straight into the camera with a soft smile
What We Do

Los Angeles has a Black jobs crisis.

Black workers are fighting for solutions that bring accountability to our communities.

High poverty rates are the direct result of occupational segregation that pushes Black workers into low-wage work and chronic unemployment. In Los Angeles County, the unemployment rate for African Americans is 20%. In the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Los Angeles, black unemployment is 22%. Of those who are employed, 30% of Black workers in Los Angeles are in low-wage industries, earning $12 per hour or less. Even those with quality union jobs rely on retail and low-wage work between projects to make ends meet. In Los Angeles, Blacks constitute less than 9% of the population but 35% of the low-wage workforce.

BUSINESS MODELS OF EXPLOITATION AND EXCLUSION LOCK IN SOME WORKERS AND LOCK OUT OTHERS. 



These conditions are fueled by business models of exploitation and exclusion, locking in some workers and locking out others. Addressing the exclusion of Blacks within their chosen occupations is a critical component for reversing the Black jobs crisis.  The LABWC advocates for and supports workers who need help protecting their rights on the job.

There is no separating the Black jobs crisis from the racism that is deeply embedded in our society, institutions, and lives. This is why Black workers come together at the Los Angeles Black Worker Center (LABWC) and engage in strategies that focus on transforming the systems that allow for the exploitation and discrimination of our communities. Black workers have the right to quality jobs, fair wages, and dignity and respect in the workplace. We need solutions that meet our immediate safety and stability needs while working toward our long-term vision of justice.  

Core Strategies

1.

Building power

We build power within Black communities. Black workers come together to form a strong base of grassroots leadership and build broad coalitions and meaningful partnerships with other worker centers, legal advocates, unions, and enforcement agencies.

2.

Narrative shifting

We shift narratives to center the voices and leadership of Black workers. We engage in strategic communications to uplift our community’s positive impact in media, policy, and public sentiment.

3.

Policy

We advocate for policies that bring about structural change. We organize campaigns to provide Black workers equitable access to fair employment, stronger labor protections, and greater control over working conditions.

4.

Job training and placement

We advocate for racial equity in recruitment, hiring, and retention. We call on government and industries to create opportunities that directly place Black workers in high-wage career-track employment.

Black workers fighting for justice

We have the right to feel safe and supported in our jobs.

Campaign Spotlight

1000 Strong

We're leading efforts to secure 1000 career-focused employment opportunities for Black Angelenos. Our campaign seeks to create direct pathways for Black Angelenos to access high-quality employment—good paying jobs that allow us to build a better economic future for our communities.

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Program Spotlight

Ready 2 Work

Our Ready 2 Work program is a series of workshops where Black workers share political education and build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. The program provides a welcoming environment to receive industry-specific coaching and mentorship. Participants learn best practices for the job application and interview process, as well as how to navigate challenges that may arise at work.

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Our Impact

Since 2009, the LA Black Worker Center’s programs and campaigns have brought better wages, greater job opportunities, and stronger labor protections to our community. We continue to pave the way locally for Black workers to have quality living and working conditions—and for workplaces to be accountable to low-wage workers everywhere. With the support of our donors, we’re creating the world we want to live in. And that’s one where Black workers thrive.

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Membership

Power in numbers

The LABWC is where Black workers come together to support each other.

The LABWC is a member-led organization focused on improving the living and working conditions of Black workers across Los Angeles. Our membership is made up of Black workers and community members, particularly low-wage workers from construction, healthcare, public sector, security, and service industries. Leading campaigns that bring justice to the workplace, worker members are at the forefront of the American labor movement.

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