Breaking News
- Palm Springs Approves $27 Million Reparations Deal for Displaced Black and Latino Families
- Weber: ‘Every Vote Counts in California’s Elections’
- L.A. County Commission on HIV’s Black Caucus Hosts World AIDS Day at CDU
- Local Community Groups Plan Thanksgiving Giveaway Events
- Judge Dion Griffith Morrow Passes Away
- Election Controversy Sparks Debate in Pasadena NAACP Leadership Race
- James Lee and his Mobile Station Celebrate 50 Years Serving in the Community
- Mulenga Strengthens Bonds Between Los Angeles and Lusaka through Sister City Committee
- Maggie Hathaway Golf Course Renewal Project Breaks Ground
- Destination Crenshaw Celebrates Paul R. Williams with Stunning Mural by Patrick Henry Johnson
- Community Salutes Dr. George McKenna’s Stellar Achievements at Gala Retirement Celebration
- Davis Honored with Advocacy Award at State NAACP Conference
- OUCH! This One Really Hurts. Vice President Kamala Harris Loses Her Bid to be America’s First Female President
- Heather Hutt and Other Sentinel-endorsed Candidates Win Big in Local Races
- KCAL9/CBS2 Anchor Chauncy Glover Dies at 39
- Quincy Jones, Music Titan Who Worked With Everyone From Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, Dies At 91
- Compton-Woodley Airport Centennial Celebrates Black Contributions to Aviation
- A New Vision – Brandon Lamar’s Bid for NAACP Pasadena President
- NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention Highlights Black Voter Engagement, and More
- Vote Early, Vote Now! Empowering California’s Voters in 2024
- KAMALA HARRIS WILL BE AMERICA’S 47th PRESIDENT
- LAWA, L.A. County Bring Jobs to Taste of Soul
- Bakewell Media Sounds for the Soul Stage Totally Rocked Crenshaw Blvd.!
- State of Black Los Angeles Highlights Future of Communities of Color
- USC, Dorsey High, and Price School Band kick-off Taste of Soul
- Taste of Soul Fills Crenshaw Blvd. with Hundreds of Thousands of People
- Darnell Hunt Leads UCLA as Interim Chancellor
- Chrysalis Brings Job Opportunities to Taste of Soul Festival
- Bakewell Media ‘Sounds for the Soul’ Stage Presents Tony! Toni! Toné! Featuring Dwayne Wiggins at Taste of Soul
- It’s Here – the 19th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival!
- Enjoy Church on the ‘Shaw at Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Gospel Stage
- Kamlager-Dove Secures $1.6 Million for Butterfly’s Haven
- Groundbreaking Reporter Warren Wilson Passes Away
- Brotherhood Crusade Gives Away Bikes to Community Youth
- Eric Benét Headlines KJLH Stage at Taste of Soul
- Jim McDonnell Named Next Chief of Los Angeles Police Department
- Newsom Signs Black Caucus Bills; Advocates Question ‘Reparations’ Description
- L.A. Urban League, NBC4, and Telemundo 52 Present State of Black Los Angeles
- Seventh Annual United Against Hate Week Launches from Watts
- Local Health Providers Offer Free Medical Services at Taste of Soul
- Attorney Fani Willis Addresses L.A. Community Members Supporting Her Race In Georgia
- Marqueece Harris-Dawson Elected as L.A. City Council President
- Q&A on Taste of Soul with Crystal Williams, Community Relations Manager at SoCalGas
- Costco is Coming to South Los Angeles
- Davóne Tines Unpacks the Legacy of Paul Robeson at Zipper Hall
- Black Caucus Members Weigh Next Steps for Reparations in California
- Celebrating Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson at The Ebell of LA
- Black Community Unites to Re-Elect L.A. Mayor Karen Bass
- L.A. Sentinel Visits Western States Carpenters South L.A. Training Center
- Street Named in Honor of Watts Activist `Sweet’ Alice Harris
- Tito Jackson, Member of Jackson 5, Dies at 70
- Councilwoman Heather Hutt Holds Campaign Kick-Off
- Food Bank of Southern California Antes Up Under New CEO
- Kamala Harris Trounces Donald Trump in First Presidential Debate
- Richard Alatorre, Pioneering Chicano Activist, Passes at 81
- Mayor Warren and the Impact of Local Officials
- Powell Scores 23 Points in Clippers 102-99 Win Over Warriors
- Harden Becomes No. 2 for All-Time 3-Pointer Makes in Clippers Victory
- Rams, Novavax Protects the Rams House With Vaccination Clinic
- JuJu Watkins Hit 1000 Career Points in Win Against Santa Clara
There are nearly 47 million Black Americans living in the United States that have diverse interests politically, economically, socially, and culturally. But no demand or interest is more important than equal justice and opportunity. Let me be crystal clear: There will be no peace without justice and there will be no justice without equality.
This point of view and reality check was put forth with therapeutic intellectual clarity at the 17th annual Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit last week in Detroit, Michigan. Under the experienced leadership of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., the global gathering of automotive industry executives, civil rights, business, media, and community leaders was an initiative of the Citizenship Education Fund.
The theme of the auto summit was “Refocusing Diversity on Ethic Minority Growth.” Throughout the conference inconsistencies were highlighted between the goal of inclusion, as envisioned, and the results measured, with an intent to resolve the disparities that prevent Black Americans from participating fully and equally in the auto industry.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) was very pleased to participate in the Global Automotive Summit. The summit was timely and strategically informative. We were all reminded about the importance of not permitting ourselves to get diverted off course in our centuries-long struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
As the racial and ethnic population diversity in the United States continues to grow and expand, the casual rhetorical utterances about the demands for “diversity and inclusion” in corporate America oftentimes have not produced desired results, especially for Black Americans, with respect to economic advancement, parity, equity and equality. Updated research and information about these issues within the automotive industry, today, reveal serious contradictions as well as equity inconsistencies in the face of increased auto purchases by Blacks across the nation.
Although, the auto industry has experienced record sales over the past few years, the industry’s investment in advertising and marketing with African American-owned media companies, ensuring that African American-owned dealerships, and African Americans in the corporate executive suites and board rooms all are lacking the evidence of inclusion and equality.
The recovery of the auto industry in America has not produced an equitable economic recovery for African Americans.
Jackson, the founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, stated that, “African Americans are the only group not recovered from the recovery. While there’s an increasing respect for African American customers and companies, respect without economic parity is as the Bible says, ‘…a noisy gong or clanging cymbal,’ we must demand our fair share, so that we can fully participate…It’s time to move from diversity to equality.”
Recent studies show that Black America’s auto purchases contribute more than $35 billion to annual automaker revenue. Despite this fact, Black American dealers have declined 65 percent during the past 10 years. The following 2016 African American Auto Dealer Landscape Report was issued at the Rainbow PUSH auto summit:
African American dealerships decreased since 2005 from 75 to 265 today. Ownership of Black businesses is an indicator of the economic vitality of the Black American community. The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers reported that of the more than 19,000 car dealers in the United States, African Americans only currently make up 1.4 percent of auto dealers.
We cannot afford to keep spending with companies that do not respect us with economic equality. We should do business with those who do business with us. We should support and respect those who support and respect us.
According to research by Polk IHS, African Americans are the most loyal buyers with 51 percent returning to the brands they choose. African American new vehicle volume growth is nearly double overall industry growth (9.4 percent versus 5 percent).
Noted research scholar, Damon Autry, presented a scholarly paper at the auto summit entitled, “The Swinging Pendulum of Diversity.” Autry concluded, “Diversity counterbalances the decades of White-dominated thought that, history shows, has ignored and/or marginalized African Americans and all people of color in the workplace. One can surmise that those in power, in one breath, tout the importance of diversity in corporate America, yet in the other dismiss it out of hand while going through the obligatory steps as a sign of compliance—all for the sake of expedience.”
Thus in 2016, we are not begging for charity from corporate America. We are demanding equity. To the automotive industry in particular and to all those industries that benefit and profit from the $1.3 trillion annual spending of Black America, we say, “Treat us fair. Treat us just. Treat us with respect. We demand equality.”
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at: [email protected]; and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/drbfc.