Fair hopes to inform, help links here grow

Fueled by a belief that minority professionals in Colorado Springs aren't finding their way to local jobs or volunteer positions on boards that advise government agencies, a group of community leaders is launching a free public fair to cultivate the connections.

The Colors of Community Fair will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at the Hillside Community Center, 925 S. Institute St.

"One of the biggest stumbling blocks is people not knowing the opportunities are out there," said Mary Thurman, deputy superintendent for personnel support services for Colorado Springs School District 11.

Although the county has a growing percentage of minorities, professionals aren't entering the workplace in increasing numbers, said Denise Wisdom, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of the Pikes Peak Region.

El Paso County's black population increased 19 percent from 2000 to 2007, and the number of Hispanic residents increased 30 percent in that time period, according to estimates released last month by the U.S. Census Bureau.

"Over the last decade, there have been people in the community expressing their concern about tapping into the pool of qualified minority professionals. We know they're out there - but there's a disconnect," Wisdom said.

Jim Stewart, president of the Colorado Springs Black Chamber of Commerce, said minority professionals often play "second fiddle" in the workforce because they do not find employment commensurate with their skills and accept lesser positions in order to remain in Colorado Springs.

"Colorado Springs is an open community, but it's sometimes not a warm community for minorities. If you look around town, you won't find a lot of minority professionals, and that's not a good thing," Stewart said.

What's been lacking, Wisdom said, is an avenue for minority professionals to access available prospects.

"This is not a job fair - it's a way for people to understand hiring, recruitment and selection processes for various entities, whether it be hospitals, school districts, utilities or the police department," she said of the fair.

Government agencies and nonprofit organizations will have booths with representatives who will distribute information on employment and volunteer positions on boards and committees.

Thurman said that she serves on numerous boards, and that most of the time, she's the only minority.

"Some of these boards are making huge decisions for a broad group of people, and having more diverse people around the table would enhance the community," she said.

Among the 25 organizations participating in the fair are the city police, fire and utilities departments; the Pikes Peak Workforce Center; the Pikes Peak Library District; the Center for Nonprofit Excellence; Memorial Health System and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services; various school districts; Leadership Pikes Peak; and area chambers of commerce.

"We're hoping to attract hundreds of people and do this every year to get the word out," Wisdom said.

Added Thurman: "The fair should raise community awareness and show people there are diverse opportunities for them to participate, be engaged and become employed."

For more information, contact the Urban League at 634-1525.

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Contact the writer: 636-0235 or debbie.kelley@gazette.com

MINORITY INVOLVEMENT

According to a survey sponsored by the city of Colorado Springs and released earlier this year:

• 62 percent of the members serving on volunteer boards and commissions are male. That compares with 48 percent males in the city's adult population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimate for 2006.
•86 percent of board and commission members are white.
• Although Hispanics make up 12 percent of the city's adult population, only 4 percent are board members.