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At the beginning of the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One project, the transit agency set robust hiring and workforce goals to ensure that this transformational project – the largest capital investment project in CTA history – didn’t further contribute to the low numbers of Black individuals seeking and thriving in careers in construction. 

CTA has dedicated a team – CTA Diversity Programs – that works with various organizations to provide opportunities to small and diverse businesses. Since the beginning of the RPM project back in 2019, the CTA Diversity Programs team worked with RPM contractor Walsh-Fluor Design-Build Team to develop Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and Diverse Business Enterprise (DBE) goals specifically for contractors working on RPM Phase One, as well as robust workforce goals to ensure that Chicago’s communities benefit from this historic investment. To date, DBE goals are being met, exceeding the percentage goal of 20% and $314M awarded in DBE contracts. Furthermore, the 19.6% minority workforce goal has been dramatically exceeded with 52.7% of the hired workforce identifying as a minority and $47.4M paid in wages among those laborers. 

• Adrian Mobley, an Englewood native, is the owner of Air & Wellness Safety Training, an MBE-, WBE- and DBE-certified health and safety consulting firm based on Chicago’s South Side. Through RPM’s diversity efforts, Adrian received financial guidance and resources, leading her to bid on and be awarded flagging services on the project. Since her contract began, she has hired more than 25 full-time employees and is growing the business to one day pass down to her daughters, who also work on the RPM project. 
• Pierre Starks, a Chicago native, is a Local 1 Union iron worker who went from apprentice to journeyman while working on RPM. Since working on the project, Pierre has been able to save money to buy a home for his family that has a backyard for his two sons.

To learn more about CTA’s diversity efforts, please visit transitchicago.com/diversity-programs.

Latinos are more likely to subscribe to multiple streaming services than the average American, according to a recent report but Latinos are rarely depicted on screen despite being avid TV consumers and outspending other racial and ethnic groups in movie ticket purchases. Two recent cancellations illustrate how the television and film industry fails Latino-led productions, advocates say. READ MORE AT AXIOS

Diverse Companies Earn 2.5 Times Higher Cash Flow Per Employee and Inclusive Teams Are More Productive by Over 35%. The global market for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) estimated at US$9.3 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$15.4 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% over the analysis period. READ MORE AT GLOBAL NEWSWIRE

Outdoor enthusiasts want people of color to embrace activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, camping and birding — and feel safe while enjoying it all.

Why it matters: A national reckoning has drawn attention to the discrimination some people of color face during a run in the mountains or a walk on a trail. The outdoors can be deadly due to bigotry, not just wildlife, lurking in the woods. READ MORE AT AXIOS

The numbers of long awaited 2020 U.S. Census is out. The national survey on population, housing, education and racial make-up of the U.S. population shows we are more diverse than ever. Nearly 25 million people nationally reported they identified with two or more races, that’s a 275% increase from 2010. READ MORE AT CBS8

The greaser. The hot tamale. The gangster. The maid. The narco. These and other stereotypes are how Hollywood has traditionally portrayed Latinos for over a century. Even as they have become America’s largest minority, and as their box-office clout has increased, tired tropes continue. READ MORE AT LOS ANGELES TIMES

Executives assess demographic data about their company and make decisions about their D&I success by comparing it to a benchmark. If the numbers are low, they seek to “solve” the problem via talent acquisition or by fast-tracking promotions. This may boost their demographic figures temporarily, but the improvement typically doesn’t last. READ MORE AT HBR

White men now make up the minority of business owners in the United States, a shift driven by fast growth in women- and LatinX-owned businesses, and one that has profound implications for the country’s finance and innovation infrastructure.

LatinX owned businesses have been growing at a rate of two- to-four times the rate of the overall population since 2015, when Porras’s organization began surveying them. He estimates that there are 1 million net new LatinX-owned businesses created every five years. READ MORE AT FORBES

A diverse workplace celebrates a mix of voices, backgrounds and cultures. No matter where your company is on its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey, recruitment is an important element to assess.

Here are four tips to help you shape your strategy and build a diverse talent pipeline. READ MORE AT DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE

A year away from another election cycle, a nationwide poll of Hispanic Americans shows their opinions, interests and preferences don’t align perfectly with either of the country’s two major political parties.

When asked what topics matter most to them, 29% said COVID-19 is the most pressing issue facing the nation. After the pandemic, 19% think the most important issue is jobs and the economy, followed by health care. Only 6% said immigration, race relations and education are the most pressing issue. READ MORE AT THE CENTER SQUARE

Racial and ethnic groups, as well as industry sectors, define the workplace's current D&I perception, a challenge because white voices dominate 60% of the U.S. workforce. The latest GER report stated it found "strong evidence that workers from different racial and ethnic groups disagree about the current state of workplace D&I at their companies." READ MORE AT TECHREPUBLIC

When the Black Lives Matter movement gained mainstream traction last year after the murder of George Floyd, many people engaged with the importance of being actively anti-racist and committing to being an ally in every part of life. This includes the workplace where pushing for diversity and inclusion is particularly important. READ MORE AT STYLIST

For many companies and organizations, the past year has provoked critical conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and inspired many to take necessary steps to address systemic racism. While the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has been advocating for racial equity for over 80 years, we too have been on our own DEI journey over the past year. With nearly 90% of our youth identifying as African American or Latinx and the large majority of our employees coming from racially diverse backgrounds, this past year has been a deeply introspective period for our organization. READ MORE AT SAPORTAREPORT

In response to this deeply charged and meaningful moment in our history, many companies and industry leaders felt pressure to make public their commitment to rectifying institutional bias within their own homes. Many issued statements and launched initiatives to combat discrimination and cultural bias.

Along with this social and institutional reckoning has certainly come a lot of progress when it comes to DEI, but many feel that there is much farther to go. READ MORE AT FORBES

Many organizations recently have looked to apply diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in their workplace. While diversity and inclusion in technology involves developing and nurturing these practices internally, companies should also consider the diversity of the people who use their products. READ MORE AT THE SERVER SIDE

Companies that want to provide customers with the best possible product or service -- and improve their bottom line -- need to recognize the diversity of those customers and employ people who reflect similar demographics.

Meet customers where they are.

Recognize that your entire customer base does not think or act in lockstep. Learn more about them to gauge how you can better meet their needs, Crichlow said. Encompassing inclusivity in your products or services can broaden your market, too. READ MORE AT SMARTBRIEF

The concept of diversity and inclusion (D&I) has continued to gain traction in corporate circles in recent years, as business leaders are beginning to see the untapped benefits to corporate culture and business success. When employees who differ in a lot of ways from their colleagues feel that their presence in an organization is valued and respected, they flourish, and the company, in turn, benefits from their unique ideas and skills. However, not many employers have realized this potential. READ MORE AT CORPORATE WELLNESS MAGAZINE

The U.S. Hispanic population is diverse. These nearly 60 million individuals trace their heritage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and to Spain, each with distinct demographic and economic profiles. But as migration patterns from Latin America change, the origins of U.S. Hispanics are beginning to shift.

Here are key facts about how the U.S. Hispanic origin groups are changing and how they differ from one another. READ MORE AT PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Recent studies predict that by 2025 there may be as many as 100 billion internet of things (IoT) devices deployed worldwide. That's roughly 14 connected devices or sensors for every person on Earth.

IoT consists of almost everything you can attach to a network: computers, smartphones, robots, drones, printers, thermostats, and even consumer packaged goods with RFID tags. To create business value with IoT, you need the right combination of sensors, devices, software, and systems. READ MORE AT ADAGE

Incidents of workplace bias aren't hard to come by.

Every year, thousands of workers file complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – the agency created to eradicate discrimination on the job and investigate workers’ grievances. And high-profile cases abound of employees filing lawsuits against companies citing unfair and unequal treatment.

As minorities, allies and bottom-line focused execs work to diversify organizations that have failed to welcome and support all workers, it's important to spotlight the companies that seem to be getting it right. READ MORE AT USA TODAY