South Florida demographics and resources to help them

Write a -5 page paper (not counting the title page and reference page) describing 3 local resources based on the cultural topics from the provided list below, that would meet or specifically relate to these cultural needs. The local resources must be agencies with physical buildings, not solely online sources. Begin with a brief paper introduction before going to your first section/heading (do not use a heading for the introduction). In this opening paragraph, describe the town/city/area you live in, including statistics on the cultural makeup (cite and reference the source used for this information).

Topic chosen from the list: African American, Latin American, Native American, or Arab American

COVID-19 has exacerbated the economic upheaval occurring in minorities communities. Prior to the pandemic, many minorities suffered the lowest wealth and economic statistics in the nation. African Americans and Hispanics are often paid less than their white counterparts for the same job. They also having much lower net worth statistics, lower assets and higher debt loads. Particularly in Florida, African Americans, Latin Americans and other minorities occupy some of the lowest paying jobs in sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. These sectors include travel, tourism, energy, and construction. These sectors, particularly in Florida have a large propensity of paying works lower wages, often under the tab, while also avoiding taxes. This low and no skilled jobs disappeared during the pandemic causes a litany of psychology issues for minority communities. South Florida was particularly devastated due to its reliance on travel and tourism. As the nation enters a recovery, minorities as still dealing with lingering economic and psychological issues. For one, economists now predict a K shaped recovery as it relates to the economic improvement of the nation. With a K-shaped recover, high income earners often have increased their incomes and wealth. These individuals were able to work from home, save money, and invest in their 401Ks. However, the lower rung of the “K” is heavily representative of minorities who often lost jobs during the pandemic, were unable to save, and ultimately lost their jobs. This again, was a heavy occurrence in South Florida, as high COVID-19 rates dominated the area, thus halting economic development for many Hispanic communities in the area. Thus, while a segment of the population saw their incomes, wealth, and savings increase, another segment actually saw their savings, wealth, and income actually decrease. As a result, local resources and agencies were deployed to help assist these communities as the attempt to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on their lives.

South Florida is comprised of many ethnicities and cultures. The population of south Florida is roughly 9 million with the largest populations centered around Miami. Roughly 43% of the population is Hispanic. 20% of the population is African America. 5% are Asian. The median age of individuals in South Florida is 36.7 years with the median household income at roughly $63,000 (Akin, 1992).

Department of Economic Opportunity

The first agency that can individuals in south Florida can leverage is the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. DEO’s primary mission is to help create economic growth throughout Florida, by providing training and career services to its constituents. The agency also provides assistance for those who are disenfranchised through hurricanes, natural disasters and pandemics. This agency helps with many of the cultural needs in the area by providing mission critical services related to employment and skills training. For minority communities, the pandemic has illustrated the need to develop high skilled labor. Low skilled jobs, which tend to be dominated by minorities often are easily displaced because they rely heavily on low skills. High skills jobs in technology for example, have large shortages and are therefore not as easy to displace given their importance to society and companies in which they work. This disparity is what is contributing to the K shaped recovery mentioned in the introduction. To mitigate this impact on minorities, skills and job trainings, with a cultural emphasis is needed. The agency also invests in communities through infrastructure and other initiatives designed to help low income families. This includes wireless access through broadband communications, affordable housing, and assistance with child care. All of these initiatives are designed to help minority communities in south Florida improve their overall financial wellbeing (Bamford, 1976).

Department of Business and Professional Regulation

The department of business and professional regulation is in charge of licensing and regulating business and professional. Here the agency has a broad jurisdiction over many industries which include cosmetology, real estate, veterinarians, and other fields. The mission of the agency is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. This is agency is critical as it relates directly to the income potential for many minority communities in south Florida. For one, many of these communities rely on personal businesses and “side hustles” to supplement their income and overall earnings potential. Many in the African American community are barbers, cosmetologists, and beauticians. Asian communities are heavily involved in laundry and the restaurant business. Hispanic Americans are largely involved in the construction and lawn care industry. Each of these businesses is regulated by the above agency and therefore enables minorities to make substantial inroads in their ability to earn higher wages. The agency can further these goals by lowering costs to start a business, creating business friendly regulation to help encourage entrepreneurship, and also lowering regulation to help facilitate innovation within industry (Alexander, 1995).