教育对每个人的意义都不一样。作为一个教育工作者家庭的一员，我很早就知道，教育可以打开机会。但是在美墨边境的一个混血家庭中长大，我还亲眼目睹了教育系统中的许多机会障碍，尤其是对于黑人和非裔美国人。对于我周围的成年人来说，这些障碍甚至更大。作为一个社会，我们对这种障碍和阻碍人们的因素没有足够的重视。寻找改善系统的方法是激发我在成人教育和劳动力发展中终生职业的重要组成部分。这也是为什么我抓住机会领导沃尔玛（Walmart.org）种族平等中心的慈善工作中心，专注于教育。

沃尔玛（Walmart）对教育的支持历史悠久，但我们目前的重点始于2015年。我们对高技能员工的关注源于我们对共享价值的承诺 - 我们的观点是，我们通过为我们的利益相关者（包括我们的同事和社区）服务为业务创造价值。毕竟，建立更强大的劳动力对企业和社会都有益。我们已经补充了这些努力philanthropythat supports equity through on-the-job learning and a skills-based education system for adult workers.

When Walmart and the Walmart Foundation established theWalmart.org Center for Racial Equity2020年6月，我们对黑人和非裔美国人的教育和劳动力系统的现实进行了更批判的研究。与沃尔玛的education shared value network(a team of business leaders and associates working to find ways to use Walmart’s business capabilities to advance equity in education), we surfaced three opportunities for philanthropy: First, research to gain deeper insight into specific barriers facing Black and African American people within the education and training system; second, building capacity within our nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to support students; and third, strengthening the pathways between college and in-demand careers.

So today we’re announcing$3 million in grants在这三个领域：

沃尔玛赠款将支持政治和经济研究联合中心, a think tank dedicated to research and advocacy to equip Black and African Americans with the skills needed to thrive in the evolving economy, to conduct research on the barriers and gaps that exist within education and training for economic advancement. This research will provide insight on why education pathways, such as college and industry certifications, have not served as effective on-ramps to employment for Black and African Americans, particularly in high-demand jobs like technology and health care.

As we work to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of Black and African American students, a second investment will help build the capacity of our nation’s 1890 land-grant universities – HBCUs established through the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1890 with a focus on agriculture and technology. A Walmart grant will support the1890 Universities Foundation, which will build staff capacity to prepare students for careers in fields such as agriculture, healthcare and technology via four Centers of Excellence across the 19 institutions. The 1890 Foundation will also develop a broadband strategy to meet the needs of the universities.

Finally, through a third Walmart grant, we aim to help strengthen the pathways for Black and African American students between college and in-demand careers in fields such as technology. A Walmart investment incodepath, which aims to increase diversity in tech by transforming college computer science education, creates a partnership with the 1890 Universities Foundation to serve more HBCUs with an initial expansion of CodePath’s computer science and technology courses to five of the 19 universities. With this support, CodePath will also expand its mentorship, technical interview practice and pre-internship services for students.

It’s time for us to think differently about how we support Black and African Americans as they pursue post-secondary educational opportunities and begin their careers. Going forward, we want to further focus our philanthropy to shift the system so more Black and African Americans get a degree or credential, enter the workforce and create a stronger, more diverse talent pool for everyone. Education may mean something different for everyone, but our aspiration at the center is that it means equitable opportunity and advancement for all.