Race Equity initiative

The mission of the Jefferson Community Foundation’s Race Equity and Reconciliation group is to promote, encourage, and participate in open, honest, civil, and fact-based discussions about race and equity. Historically gender, class, ethnicity, and religion have all been the subjects of biases and inequalities; thus though our primary focus is race and racism, the above-named subjects will also be addressed.

The goal of this organization is to be a vehicle to pursue equity for all people in the metropolitan New Orleans area and the country.

OBJECTIVES

  1. To discuss the impact that past policies and practices have had on all people, particularly people of color.
  2. To solicit speakers with expertise in our areas of interest to address members of the organization.
  3. To analyze current events and policies and their immediate and long-term effect upon the community.
  4. To support public policies that promote: racial, ethnic and gender equality and that provide equal opportunities and justice for all people.
  5. To use the process of reconciliation to obtain the goal of this organization

Participation as a group in partisan politics and support of, or opposition to, a candidate for public office is PROHIBITED.

OUR PLEDGE

We pledge to use our position, resources, and voice to help make this world more just and equitable. We are facing some of the toughest and most challenging problems of our time. But there are also rich opportunities for us to work smarter and faster together, by putting equity, trust, and risk-taking at the center of everything we do – not only because we have the privilege to do so, but because we have a deep responsibility to our community.

The Jefferson Community Foundation’s Race Equity Reconciliation group typically meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 8:30-9:30 am. 

Please contact us to join the email list

Jefferson Parish Demographics

Overview of Jefferson Parish Schools

The district’s minority enrollment is 80%. Also, 76% of students are economically disadvantaged. There are 50,000 reasons the work we do matters in Jefferson Parish Schools. With approximately 50,000 students, JP Schools is the largest public school system in Louisiana and the 98th largest in the nation. We are also the most diverse district in Louisiana. Every day, around 50 different languages are spoken by students in the classrooms. Below are some facts and figures about JP kids.

37% Hispanic

35% African American

23% White

5% Asian

1% Other

76% are economically disadvantaged

19% have exceptionalities

20% with limited English proficiency

89% Spanish

4% Arabic

2% Vietnamese

5% Other (46 languages)