The rates of the working poor among African Americans are considerably high for several reasons. The first one and the most important is racial discrimination that has been fought for years now and yet impacted the society of the United States severely. The stereotypes surrounding the black population and the other people of color are responsible for prejudices from both dominant groups and those oppressed. From this cause ensues the other one: the limited ability of minorities to enter the educational sphere, which is so vital for further employment in high-paying jobs. Indeed, a degree from a university elevates the chances of attaining the profit that would assure the wellbeing of the individuals. Lastly, governmental programs as welfare do not provide the ability to change the current position of the targeted population. The financial aid for the poor does not stimulate their professional growth or intellectual development but rather preserves the existing conditions. The sum of these interrelated factors results in minorities accomplishing fewer academic achievements, not acquiring the characteristics needed for high-paying jobs, and working on a low-profitable business.
To solve the problem, the affirmative action policy was coined and implemented. The history of this program begins in the twentieth century and continues nowadays with ambiguous results (Menand, 2020, para. 10). Namely, the federal government has been encouraging the minorities to begin an academic career and fined the businesses that had not hired the black population and people of color to their staff. This method should have heightened the number of educated individuals among the oppressed to increase their involvement in available advantageous vocations. Thus, the government has provided conditions for removing the existing gap between various groups of citizens.
The program has had some positive outcomes in the academic sphere. Namely, the black and other colored communities received more graduates of universities that can apply for prestigious jobs (Menand, 2020). The reason for this is that minorities have been given a stimulus for developing a new lifestyle that includes learning experiences. The oppressed population recognized that they, finally, possess the potential for acquiring new skills in the area not available for them before. The most perspective ones embraced these possibilities and gained impressive results. Furthermore, they have inspired others to replicate their success and enhance their lives. The policy has served not as a panacea for the poor but as a means for personal growth and the removal of stereotypes. Therefore, the company against racism with encouragement for the people of color has positively affected society.
Nevertheless, the rates of the poor among African Americans and other minorities have not dropped significantly, making the program seem unproductive. The black students still have lower scores in the educational institutions and graduate less frequently than white people, ending with lower payments for their work (Menand, 2020). This situation is provoked by the years of discrimination and its consequences. For example, the students might not possess the financial resources for entering a university or opening an enterprise since their parents do not have sufficient capital for such actions. Additionally, the parents of the black population cannot motivate or guide their children in attaining a career as they have no experience of working for prestigious companies. Accordingly, the minorities suffer from the outcomes of previous racism, which makes the affirmative action programs demand more time for positive results.
Reference
Menand, L. (2020). The changing meaning of affirmative action. The New Yorker. Web.