[Air-L] New Framework and Resource Site for Race-Grounded Career Advising

[Cindy Hau]

<https://connectedlearning.uci.edu/> <https://clalliance.org/>
New Framework and Resource Site for Race-Grounded Career Advising

Today we are releasing a new resource site
<https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded> with a framework and tools
for career advising practitioners to reflect on racial dynamics in career
advising, and develop programs centered on the assets, identities, voices
and strengths of BIPOC youth and their communities. The framework
challenges negative “deficit” beliefs about BIPOC youth that place blame on
individuals and communities, and offers an alternative, asset-based
perspective. Being “race-grounded” means recognizing how racial dynamics
and inequities pervade policies, practices, and cultural assumptions–in
oppressive ways, but also in ways that offer assets and wisdom in career
development. The site offers professional development guides, case studies,
and recommended readings and resources to bring an asset-based mindset into
programs and practice.
Race-Grounded Recognitions Deficit Perspectives Asset-based Perspectives
Recognizing assets of marginalized groups BIPOC youth have deficits and
must “professionalize” and assimilate culturally in order to have
successful careers. BIPOC youth bring unique personal strengths, wisdom,
expertise, networks, perspectives, and cultural assets to occupations and
careers.
Recognizing structural inequities Career failures are because of individual
lack of effort, grit and competence. Cultural biases and structural
inequities must be recognized and challenged for BIPOC youth to thrive in
careers
Recognizing collective power BIPOC youth must leave their culture and
communities behind and network with high status professionals in order to
be successful. Community connection and contribution are powerful drivers
of career motivations and occupational identity for BIPOC youth.
Recognizing the whole person Knowledge, skills and an individualistic and
competitive mindset are the drivers of success. Sacrificing wellbeing is
necessary for success. When individuals and communities are aligned with
their sense of purpose, they are able to thrive in careers in ways that
embrace their values, passions, and interests.
Read More! <https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded>

Racial inequity in access to good jobs in the U.S. has increased in the
past few decades. Though Black and Latine workers have made progress in
high school and college completion, the wage gap with White workers has
grown at every level of educational attainment. In the tech sector, despite
well-funded federal programs and industry investments, representation of
Blacks and Latines has remained stagnant. Even after they make it into the
tech workforce, retention is often a challenge. These are indicators of the
limitations of a “pipeline” model for addressing equity that focuses on
individual skills training and credentials.

Unlike direct economic assistance and training for youth, cultural change
is a slow process of collective shifts in mindsets, policy, and practice.
It means moving beyond a focus on training and “fixing” BIPOC youth and
individual representation metrics, to look more broadly and deeply at
institutional policies, ingrained practices, and the dominant culture. It
means reflecting on whether youth development and workplace settings
collectively honor the identities, communities, strengths, and culture of
minoritized youth and workers. It also means recognizing and centering race
in conversations about equity in educational and workplace settings. This
resource site for race-grounded career advising is offered as one
contribution to this unfolding conversation and grappling in the field.

The framework and site was produced by the Equitable Futures Innovation
Network <https://connectedlearning.uci.edu/projects/equitable-futures/> of
the Connected Learning Lab <http://connectedlearning.uci.edu/> at the
University of California Irvine, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. It grew from three years of research-practice partnership and
youth participatory action research with BIPOC-serving career development
organizations delving into issues of race, equity, and holistic wellbeing.
Learn more about the research and explore the resource site and full
framework here <https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded>.
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