Racial Equity

According to the Pew Research Center, our nation’s eligible voter population jumped from 193.4 million to 233.7 million between 2000 and 2018 – an increase of $40.3 million. Voters who are Hispanic, Black, Asian/Pacific Islander or other race or ethnicity accounted for more than three-quarters of that growth.

Despite the impact minority voters have on the outcome of elections, there are distinct barriers that make voting difficult or inaccessible. Sarina Vij of the American Bar Association explained that Voter ID laws have underlying racial biases and prevent those who have been historically marginalized from engaging in active democratic participation. These requirements compel an individual to present his or her ID in order to cast a ballot on Election Day. Obtaining an ID can be costly and requires an individual’s birth certificate, which may be burdensome.

In addition, finding an accessible polling place has proven to be a significant barrier for voters, with only “5 percent of White survey respondents reporting that they had trouble finding polling locations, compared to 15 percent of African American and 14 percent of Hispanic respondents.”

However, the Powerful Voices app has changed how voters interact with policy, registration and political education in Central New York. Developed by Lekia Hill, the app is designed to encourage and increase civic leadership and voter turnout in underserved communities through public and technological platforms one community at a time. As Hill states, the app “challenges the paradigm of status quo among leadership, enabling our Syracuse, NY user base and low-income constituents within the community to advocate for their human rights, immediate needs and issues that impact them most.”

Users can remotely register to vote, access absentee ballot information, and locate their nearest voting place. In addition, the app allows voters to directly view legislation that has passed in both local and federal governments and has a direct message function that connects residents with their representatives quickly and easily.

During the 2022 Midterm Election, attendees were able to meet non-partisan government officials New York State Senator Rachel May, Judge-Elect Ted Limpert, and Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter.

“I want to level the playing field and this is a space, in a way, that we can actually do that because we’re not connecting just only by race,” Hill said. “We’re connecting on issues [that] matter. It makes a difference.”

Syracuse resident Geneva Hayden began teaching students how to read from her home. After seeing the need for literacy programming, she created Light a Candle for Literacy, a summer and after-school program for grades K-5 to assist the educational needs of local students, and to inspire respect, honesty, and responsibility.

For the past 30 years, Light a Candle for Literacy has been working to enrich the lives of children through access to free educational opportunities.

“You can’t have education without character because you need both,” Hayden said. “So I do both. That is my philosophy because children have to be able to respect themselves to be able to respect others.”

A child’s early education can impact his or her future significantly. Children who enter kindergarten already behind may struggle to keep up through the remainder of their education. Having access to a strong education between pre-kindergarten and third grade correlates to school success, high graduation rates and low instances of juvenile crime and teen pregnancy.

According to data collected from New York State’s 3rd grade ELA and Math assessments in 2019, just 40% of the students in Onondaga County and 22% in the Syracuse City School District were reading on grade level by 3rd grade, compared to 52% statewide.

Light a Candle for Literacy’s programming is remedying the trend, offering homework help, reading lessons and focused attention on character development. This year, Hayden relaunched The Literacy Parade & Children’s Book Festival, which she created with Edward Kochian, Karen Norton and other members of the community.

“The continued purpose of this event is to increase awareness of the importance of literacy, counteract the summer reading loss in children, and help parents understand the importance of reading to their children daily,” she explained.

The event featured local authors and illustrators, engaging the community and promoting the continued importance of childhood literacy efforts.

Karen Jones had been turned away by ten separate lenders when she started her small business, EcoElectrical Solutions LLC. When she found Cooperative Federal, it didn’t turn her away. “When I dealt with Cooperative Federal, they were the first institution to actually follow through,” she said.

In 1982, Cooperative Federal Credit Union (Cooperative Federal) opened its doors for the first time, offering a commitment to Syracuse residents, with a desire to invest in under-resourced communities. Forty years later, it remains dedicated to providing financial support for local business and home owners to thrive.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022 non-Hispanic White householders had a median household wealth of $187,300, compared with $14,100 for Black householders and $31,700 for Hispanic householders. For Cooperative Federal, remedying these numbers is a cornerstone of its mission, taking a vested interest in working with marginalized communities and uplifting them.

Cooperative Federal is a unique combination of a traditional credit union and a nonprofit community development organization. The pooled savings of its members are invested in the form of loans to help support its members while revitalizing the community at the same time. The organization takes pride in serving its diverse pool of members by providing them with necessary funding to help with their personal or professional ventures.

“Cooperative Federal represents values of cooperation and mutual aid, works to inspire others to these values, and serves communities that are marginalized in the global economy,” said Meagan Weatherby, development & communications manager at Cooperative Federal. “The credit union is part of the movement against injustice, disempowerment, discrimination, corporate irresponsibility, and environmental degradation.”

Focusing on homeownership, personal finances, financial capability and small business ownership, Cooperative Federal has experienced a 5.16% increase in membership, despite the pandemic. The organization enhanced its online and contactless offerings and worked hard to remain a steady force and continue to make financial freedom a possibility for local residents.

Jones was able to acquire a working capital loan and an additional loan to buy a van for her electrical contracting business through Cooperative Federal’s Business Opportunity Fund. Both funding opportunities have helped her business flourish and she has since garnered many new business contracts.

EcoElectrical Solutions LLC, is just one of the many businesses that has received loans from Cooperative Federal. In 2021, it opened 43 small business loans totaling $3,499,389, with 34% being loaned to people of color and women. And it doesn’t stop there. From providing personal banking guidance and financial counseling programs to commercial mortgages, Cooperative Federal views itself as more than just a bank, but really a partner to those it serves.

“Our goal is to utilize our services to help build equity and opportunity for everyone in the community,” said Weatherby. “We know that together we are stronger.”

Ever-changing technology and the advancement of visual mediums have redefined how we consume news and entertainment. Creators are spearheading new innovations every day that they incorporate into podcasts, social media, television and more. For Bishop Ronald Dewberry, this new wave of creativity laid the groundwork for the creation of a new opportunity to fill a gap in Central New York.

As a young man, Bishop Dewberry was enamored by communication, specifically journalism. This love for the field stayed with him through his younger years, but showed him the increasingly prevalent absence of Black creators in the media space. As a result of the pandemic, advancements in media have been fast-tracked to new heights. If there was ever a time to build something new and creative, Bishop Dewberry knew now was his chance.

“It’s well documented that Syracuse struggles with one of the highest poverty rates in the country,” Bishop Dewberry said. “We believe digital media entrepreneurship to be one of the most accessible types of business ownership — at its simplest, media owners can create wealth with a phone, internet connection, and social media presence.”

Bishop Dewberry partnered with Sean Branagan and Daniela Molta of the S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications to create a diverse communications training program for the Black community in Syracuse through his nonprofit, Center of Hope International (CHI). The program, named Black Media Mogul Maker, sports a holistic approach to communications that prepares future Black entrepreneurs for multimedia content creation. For 10 weeks, 25 individuals receive mentorship and training to help turn their media aspirations into a reality.

Black Media Mogul Maker not only emphasizes the entrepreneurial spirit, but realizes the importance of culture in communication. Dewberry cited the successful radio station POWER620, which was recently sold to the radio juggernaut, iHeart Radio. Immensely successful, it reached the ears of the Black community in Syracuse, and provided a unique sense of community for its listeners in a time when there were few mediums for the Black community to tell stories and connect.

The program also provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to collaborate and build their network, which Molta explained is key to being successful in the field. Upon completion of the program, participants pitch their business venture, competing for additional seed funding for their business.

“Our goal is to provide a roadmap, skills, and community to foster Black media ownership in Syracuse,” Molta said. “In effect, bridging the digital divide, creating generational wealth and diversifying the stories that shape culture.”

With the help of a grant from the Black Equity & Excellence Fund, the CHI was able to hire new staff and speakers to help accommodate the growing demand. Funding was also used to purchase marketing materials and other necessary technology equipment so participants can experience the latest innovations in technology firsthand.

CHI promotes solutions for empowerment, self-sufficiency and sustainability to promote economic and entrepreneurial development, financial literacy, and business acumen for diversity and inclusion. Black Media Mogul Maker has become a successful extension of this mission and the interest in the program has grown significantly.

“The digital revolution has undeniably changed the way we live and interact but it’s still lacking representation of Black voices,” said Bishop Dewberry. “This program is providing the tools for these entrepreneurs to make an impact on the media stories that the community sees.”