Black unemployment in the U.S. is once again on the rise, hitting 7.5% nationally and 6.9% in Minnesota, nearly double the statewide average. This issue is particularly stark in the Twin Cities, where deep disparities in economic opportunity have long persisted.
But Black unemployed workers are more than just a statistic; they represent the struggles and triumphs in the ongoing pursuit of the American Dream, one that is often anything but straightforward. Their stories are rooted in resilience, vision, and an unyielding drive for change.
For over 30 years, Twin Cities R!SE (TCR) has worked to dismantle these systemic barriers, not through quick fixes, but by making long-term investments in people. The organization’s efforts have focused on empowering individuals and providing them with the tools to succeed in a world where access to opportunity is often limited.
Melvin Henderson’s story is one of those successes. A Riser who entered TCR’s first cohort in 1993, Henderson moved to Minnesota from the housing projects of St. Louis. After graduating from TCR, he quickly became one of the top new hires at General Mills. He appreciated the stability of the job, a five-day workweek with half-day Fridays. Yet, looking back, he now says that his current role at Hennepin Healthcare is even better.
“Ten days straight, eight-hour shifts, four days off every other week!” Henderson said. “So I’m glad. General Mills didn’t pick me!”
Through coaching, classes, and personal development, Henderson didn’t just find a job — he found empowerment. “TCR gave me dignity, self-awareness, and a new mindset,” he explained. “I am a direct result of this program.”
Today, Henderson works in facilities engineering at Hennepin Healthcare, where he advocates for inclusion and opportunity. He remains firmly rooted in the values that TCR helped him reclaim: resilience, responsibility, and the belief that he matters.
This week, as labor statistics dominated headlines, TCR opened the doors to its newly designed Legacy Gallery, a space dedicated not only to the organization’s history but to the broader story of Black labor and leadership in the Twin Cities. The gallery features artwork by Discover Dope, including a powerful depiction of Pullman porters, Black men who, despite the challenges of the Jim Crow era, became pillars of knowledge, community and progress.
April Lucas, TCR’s director of program support, has a personal connection to this history. Her grandfather was a Pullman porter, but she never got the chance to meet him.
“Knowing that there is somewhere you can go to find community and growth, a place to turn to when you’re trying to improve your life, Twin Cities R!SE was that for me,” Lucas said. “I can say that I am the first Black female director in the history of my department.”
Jim Bura, TCR’s director of marketing and communications, spoke to the significance of the gallery. “This is about telling the story of the African American workforce in the Twin Cities,” he said. “We wanted people to see themselves in this, literally, with a final panel designed for visitors to take selfies and picture themselves in the story.”
Bura also noted the crucial role of Pullman porters in their time: “Pullman porters were the social media of their time. They brought news from coast to coast, and eventually became civic leaders right here in our communities.”
That connection to legacy is no accident. The Legacy Gallery, funded by a grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center, is part of TCR’s effort to reclaim history and inspire the next generation of Risers, people like Henderson.
Henderson, sitting alongside TCR founder Steve Rothschild, reflected on the organization’s 32-year journey. While proud of the progress made, Rothschild spoke with urgency: “We’ve made an impact. But I’m not sure we’ve made a major impact yet, because the problem keeps growing.”
Yet, TCR’s approach remains grounded in accountability, both in its outcomes and in its core values. “Getting a job isn’t the goal,” Rothschild said. “Keeping a job at a high level, that’s what changes lives.”
Henderson is not alone in his success. Jasmin Jones, who had earned a four-year degree and held a position as a cosmetology salon manager, struggled to transition to a new career. “My background seemed to get in the way of the new career I wanted,” Jones explained. “I was very depressed, broken, and kind of hopeless.”
After enrolling in a customer support/call center class through TCR, Jones found a new path. She began working as an administrative assistant with The Redemption Project, and today she serves as a human resources administrator.
Labor unions have also joined TCR in addressing these challenges. The Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 563 partnered with TCR to train and employ men and women of color in construction through the Laborers Pathway Program.
According to LiUNA, graduates of the program can earn $34 an hour in a union construction job.
“We believe this training is critical in preparing young people to show up ready for work every day and to manage difficult situations using the skills acquired in personal empowerment training,” said Steve Johnson, LiUNA’s program director.
TCR’s funding model reflects this belief in long-term impact. Unlike traditional nonprofits, TCR doesn’t receive upfront government grants. Instead, the organization earns state funding only when its graduates successfully increase their income and reduce reliance on public assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and Unemployment Insurance.
Local construction companies such as Mortenson, Mavo, RCI, NPL, JE Dunn, and Valley Paving have hired 11 apprentices from the pathways program. Rothschild explained, “We would like to be rewarded, if you will, for the economic value we create by taking people from a low level of income to a higher level of income. That’s a big win, not only for the individual, but for their family and the community.”
Former TCR Board Member Don Samuels praised Rothschild for his commitment to addressing generational poverty within the African American community: “A white guy from General Mills taking on generational poverty in the African American community, and experiencing failures along the way, but not just saying, ‘Well, I tried, and it didn’t work…’ That, to me, is powerful.”
TCR offers several key programs designed to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment. These include an 8-week Career Training Program focused on both technical and personal development skills, one-on-one Career Coaching, Employment Placement and Employer Partnerships, Work Readiness Training, Job Retention Supports, and Re-entry Programming for individuals with criminal histories.
By equipping participants with the tools they need to succeed and investing in their long-term growth, TCR continues to be a beacon of hope for many in the Twin Cities.
For more information, visit www.twincitiesrise.org.
Clint Combs welcomes reader responses at ccombs0284@gmail.com.
