Nonprofit works to change Atlanta’s racial wage gap

ATLANTA — Right now, Atlanta has the largest wage gap in the country when it comes to white and black families living in the metro.

A non-profit called “OneTen” is working to change that.

Channel 2′s Lori Wilson spoke with two women committed to closing the wage gap

Dr. Maxine Cain is the community development lead for the OneTen organization in Atlanta. The national nonprofit was created after the death of George Floyd.

The nonprofit has a goal of connecting one million black people without four-year degrees to jobs that can support a family in Atlanta which means it pays $60,000 or more.

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“Atlanta, believe it or not, is the number one city for wealth inequality in the nation,” Cain said.

“It is really being in the community, with the talent, understanding their needs and solving for that,” Cain said.

OneTen surveyed black workers across the country and found 76% of black men and women don’t have the college degree required to get the most high-paying jobs. That’s where OneTen invites companies to broaden their perspective.

Debbie Dyson, the CEO of OneTen said when companies commit to a skills-based approach to hiring, rather than a degree requirement, everybody wins.

“Jobs are still available and how do we help employers see candidates that candidly, traditionally they wouldn’t see because the ticket to get those jobs is a four-year degree,” Dyson said.

Dozens of Atlanta corporations have agreed.

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For OneTen, that means, offering job readiness workshops, training programs, certificates, and other wrap-around services.

“We’re all really working together to make a collective impact here so, I know we’ll make a difference,” Cain said.

OneTen said the response they have gotten from their community partners has been overwhelming.

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