U.S. Department of Labor

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Remarks to 2001 National Urban League Conference
Washington, D.C.
July 30, 2001

Thank you, Hugh [Price, President of the Urban League], for that kind introduction.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Hugh in the past, when I was President and CEO of United Way of America. I want to let you know what a terrific leader you have in Hugh. He’s a person of great talent, vision and inspiration. You are lucky to have him.

Soon after I became Secretary of Labor, Hugh and I met to share some ideas on how we could work together to expand opportunities to the African-American community.

As most of you know, I have worked with a lot of non-profit organizations over the years. And in my opinion, the National Urban League is one of the most effective economic and community development organizations in America.

I’m not just saying that because I’m talking to you today. I’m saying it because it’s true.

The reason for the National Urban League’s effectiveness is that it understands that economic and community development starts with investing in people, not in programs.

America has been blessed with abundant natural resources, but its greatest treasure is its human resources, its people.

The National Urban League has been at the forefront of building up America’s human resources, by promoting scholastic achievement and community-based business development. You know that economic empowerment starts with individual investment, through education and training.

In my view, there is no issue more important today than the education of our children and the training and development of our workforce. And I want to commend the leadership and members of the National Urban League for shining their light on these issues for so many years, even when others simply gave up on education or pursued other agendas.

The one message I want to leave with you today is this: your mission has never been more needed—both to the communities you serve, and to our country as a whole.

That’s why I was so excited to sit down with your President, Hugh Price, and talk about your plans for the year ahead.

As you know, the Labor Department and the National Urban League have had a long and fruitful partnership. For more than twenty-five years, we have worked together to bring development and opportunity to African-American communities. Since my meeting with Hugh, we have been working on some important new projects, like bridging the “digital divide” and opening the doors of the New Economy to urban communities.

Over the last few decades, I think there has been a great deal of progress in achieving the ideal of a truly just society, offering equal opportunity to all. But we’re not there yet, and there is still a lot of work to do.

In his inaugural address, President George W. Bush spoke directly to this issue, saying:

“The ambitions of some Americans are limited by failing schools and hidden prejudice and of circumstances of their birth. And sometimes our differences run so deep it seems we share a continent but not a country. We do not accept this, and we will not allow it. Our unity, our union is a serious work of leaders and citizens and every generation. And this is my solemn pledge: I will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity.”

I want the President’s pledge to become part of a common mission: to renew America’s cities and communities through the greatness of their citizens.

A few weeks ago, this Administration put its money where its mouth is, by initiating the second phase of the Labor Department’s Youth Opportunity Grants—nearly a quarter of a billion dollars invested directly in inner-city youth who don’t just need a way out, they need a way up.

Our Youth Opportunity program isn’t “top-down.” In fact, it’s about as community-based as you can get. Locally-operated groups such as Friendship House here in the District of Columbia, are the front-line providers of services and hope to kids who are on the edge.

However, it’s going to be essential to make sure these Youth Opportunity grants do more than just take care of youths. They also need to fulfill the second part of their mission: to give young people opportunities.

When I was speaking to the U.S. Conference of Mayors last month, I challenged them to increase the educational component in their grant proposals when the program comes up for its third round of renewals next year.

And we will be looking for not just dead-end diversions to make people feel better—but real educational investment that lifts young people from one level of economic potential to a much higher level.

We need to start thinking about the things we do, and the money we spend, as “venture capital for the 21^st century workforce.” Last month, President Bush signed an Executive Order creating the Office of the 21^st Century Workforce at the Department of Labor—to prepare our workforce for the dynamic, globalized economy we have become.

The principal focus of this initiative is to bring hope and opportunity to those who are in danger of being left behind because of insufficient educational opportunities and rapid economic changes.

We must take action now to close the skills gap, prepare for labor shortages in the future, and make workplaces more responsive to the realities of how people work today.

There is a huge disconnect between the new jobs that are being created in this economy and the current skill level of many people who need those jobs.

How important is education in America today? Let me tell you: the unemployment rate for a high-school dropout is four times the rate for college graduates.

In the 21^st century economy, economic empowerment isn’t going to be about what we have in our wallets—it’s about what we have in our minds.

That’s because our economy is making a huge transition into information-based, high-skilled jobs. And it’s up to us to ensure that everyone has access to the education and training they need to be part of that transition.

I’m proud to say that President Bush has taken the lead, and achieved historic success, in dealing with the first leg of this journey: education reform.

Too many of our schools have been failing too many children for too long. For example—and this is just one statistic that could be cited out of thousands—yesterday’s Sunday Washington Post article mentioned that 63% of fourth grade African American children can barely read. That is tragic and also unacceptable!

Economic empowerment must start with educational accountability: making sure that our school teach, that every child can read, and that our local communities have the freedom to care for each and every child’s individual needs.

President Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige deserve immense credit for passing an education reform act that will bring needed change and accountability to our public schools.

But for millions of Americans who are already in the workforce, reforms to elementary and secondary schools will come too late. That’s why I’m determined to bring economic empowerment to people in the workforce today, through value-added training programs that lead to better career opportunities. We need innovative partnerships, like the Memorandum of Understanding that I signed recently with Secretary Paige, committing our two Departments to work together on new efforts to deliver education and training to adults and older youths.

And as the President has repeatedly said, it’s time to recognize and support the effective work that faith-based organizations perform for our nation’s struggling families.

Let me give you one example: the U.S. Dream Academy, led by Reverend Wintley Phipps, which ministers to children of incarcerated parents.

We have come a long way in the last few decades.

And yet I recall words that were spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, not very far from the place where we are meeting, which still ring true today. He spoke on that hot August day about the fact that too many Americans—Americans just like us—still “live on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.”

He was right then. And his words continue to challenge us today.

I want to thank the National Urban League for continuing to call us to that challenge. I also want you to know that President George W. Bush shares your commitment to that challenge, and working together, I know we can bring economic empowerment to every American.

Thank you.

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