<https://connectedlearning.uci.edu/> <https://clalliance.org/> New Framework and Resource Site for Race-Grounded Career Advising Today we are releasing a new resource site <https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded> with a framework and tools for career advising practitioners to reflect on racial dynamics in career advising, and develop programs centered on the assets, identities, voices and strengths of BIPOC youth and their communities. The framework challenges negative “deficit” beliefs about BIPOC youth that place blame on individuals and communities, and offers an alternative, asset-based perspective. Being “race-grounded” means recognizing how racial dynamics and inequities pervade policies, practices, and cultural assumptions–in oppressive ways, but also in ways that offer assets and wisdom in career development. The site offers professional development guides, case studies, and recommended readings and resources to bring an asset-based mindset into programs and practice. Race-Grounded Recognitions Deficit Perspectives Asset-based Perspectives Recognizing assets of marginalized groups BIPOC youth have deficits and must “professionalize” and assimilate culturally in order to have successful careers. BIPOC youth bring unique personal strengths, wisdom, expertise, networks, perspectives, and cultural assets to occupations and careers. Recognizing structural inequities Career failures are because of individual lack of effort, grit and competence. Cultural biases and structural inequities must be recognized and challenged for BIPOC youth to thrive in careers Recognizing collective power BIPOC youth must leave their culture and communities behind and network with high status professionals in order to be successful. Community connection and contribution are powerful drivers of career motivations and occupational identity for BIPOC youth. Recognizing the whole person Knowledge, skills and an individualistic and competitive mindset are the drivers of success. Sacrificing wellbeing is necessary for success. When individuals and communities are aligned with their sense of purpose, they are able to thrive in careers in ways that embrace their values, passions, and interests. Read More! <https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded> Racial inequity in access to good jobs in the U.S. has increased in the past few decades. Though Black and Latine workers have made progress in high school and college completion, the wage gap with White workers has grown at every level of educational attainment. In the tech sector, despite well-funded federal programs and industry investments, representation of Blacks and Latines has remained stagnant. Even after they make it into the tech workforce, retention is often a challenge. These are indicators of the limitations of a “pipeline” model for addressing equity that focuses on individual skills training and credentials. Unlike direct economic assistance and training for youth, cultural change is a slow process of collective shifts in mindsets, policy, and practice. It means moving beyond a focus on training and “fixing” BIPOC youth and individual representation metrics, to look more broadly and deeply at institutional policies, ingrained practices, and the dominant culture. It means reflecting on whether youth development and workplace settings collectively honor the identities, communities, strengths, and culture of minoritized youth and workers. It also means recognizing and centering race in conversations about equity in educational and workplace settings. This resource site for race-grounded career advising is offered as one contribution to this unfolding conversation and grappling in the field. The framework and site was produced by the Equitable Futures Innovation Network <https://connectedlearning.uci.edu/projects/equitable-futures/> of the Connected Learning Lab <http://connectedlearning.uci.edu/> at the University of California Irvine, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It grew from three years of research-practice partnership and youth participatory action research with BIPOC-serving career development organizations delving into issues of race, equity, and holistic wellbeing. Learn more about the research and explore the resource site and full framework here <https://connectedlearning.news/race-grounded>. <https://www.twitter.com/TheCLAlliance> <https://www.facebook.com/ConnectedLearningAlliance/> <https://www.youtube.com/c/connectedlearningalliance> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/connected-learning-lab>