Driven to action during the racial reckoning of 2020, Jobs for the Future (JFF) launched a new body of work focused on accelerating Black economic advancement.

This work is the central focus of JFF’s new Center for Racial Economic Equity, established in 2022.

Motivated by ongoing education and economic disparities experienced by Black learners and workers, we seek to create a world where race is no longer a determinant of education and economic outcomes—a world where Black learners and workers secure quality jobs in high-growth sectors, succeed in their careers, and experience economic advancement.  

We aim to identify solutions and best practices to achieve two foundational priorities: disrupt occupational segregation and eradicate the Black-white wealth gap. The JFF Center for Racial Economic Equity does this through research, thought leadership, network building, and advisory services.

Our Call to Action identifies five strategies we pursue in our efforts to achieve those two foundational priorities. Every project we undertake as part of the REE initiative aligns with one or more of those five strategies. Our goal is to develop comprehensive insights within and across each area in the years to come as our initiative grows. The insights and solutions we develop for advancing Black Americans will lay the groundwork for future initiatives specific to Latinx, Native American, and AAPI populations as well.