The Lowering of the Unemployment Rate Among African Americans in North Omaha

OMAHA, NE - MAY 2: After the third day of a job training program at Metropolitan Community College, Keith Mitchell, Jr., 47, L, shares his job training information with fellow homeless shelter resident, Ben Ralston, 52, at the Siena Francis House just north of downtown in North Omaha on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, in Omaha, NE. Mitchell recently returned to his hometown after spending years in central Florida. He said, "I'm tired of struggling, tired of being poor. When I leave this earth, I'm supposed to leave some legacy for my kids and grandkids. I do't want to leave the legacy I have now. I want to leave a legacy that says I contributed something to society." Over the past decade, concentrated efforts by various organizations in Omaha have helped drastically drive down the unemployment rate among African Americans, particularly in North Omaha, which is majority Black. While Donald Trump brags about how he has helped lower the national unemployment rate among Blacks, the city of Omaha has shown how a small group doing targeted employment bootcamps and workshops can help boost statistics with minimal help from the local, state, or federal government. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)