2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Race Relations Progress Report for Jacksonville, Florida

Seventh Annual Edition, 2011 Celebrating 10 years since Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

3

Introduction

4

Perceptions of Race Relations

5

Section

Champion

Education

W.C. and Susan Gentry

Employment and Income

BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida 8

Housing and Neighborhoods

SunTrust

10

Health

Aetna

12

Justice and Legal System

Harris Guidi Rosner Dunlap Rudolph, PA 14

Civic Engagement and the Political System

WJCT 16

6

About JCCI

18

JCCI Model for Community Change

19

Ten Years Later...

Ten years ago, a group of Jacksonville residents came together to look at race relations differently. They met weekly for nine months to wrestle with Jacksonville’s history with race, share stories, examine data, and find a shared consensus around where the community should be - and could become. Nearly 300 people participated in these meetings, hearing from 51 resource speakers representing a much wider range of viewpoints than any single participant anticipated. At the end, the study committee found that Jacksonville residents, depending on their race, perceived race relations differently. Beyond “In any nonviolent campaign there are four those perceptions, the study committee discovered basic steps: 1) collection of the facts to determine and documented race-based disparities in education, whether injustices exist; 2) negotiation; 3) selfemployment and income, neighborhoods and housing, purification; and 4) direct action.” criminal justice, health, and in the political process. They stated, “the persistence of these disparities in Jacksonville ~ April 16, 1963: Letter from a Birmingham Jail has inhibited efforts to improve race relations.”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They concluded: “To move beyond the talk and improve race relations for all its citizens, Jacksonville needs: yy leadership, including leaders from government, business, education, and the faith community, to work together to make Jacksonville a place in which all residents, regardless of race, participate fully in public life; yy a vision, shared by the community, of a Jacksonville without race-based disparities or discrimination; yy action by community institutions, by government, and by individual citizens, to realize that vision; and yy accountability, through independent monitoring, community celebrations, and annual report cards, to ensure results.”

This is the tenth year since that study. This report serves as an accountability measure for the whole community to answer the question: What progress have we made in the last decade?

Gratefully dedicated to the original study committee and implementation task force members, and to the study chairs, Brian Davis and Bruce Barcelo.

2

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

If you’ve ever wondered if life is different for whites and blacks, then this document is for you. Similarly, if you’ve ever thought about how Hispanic residents fare in Jacksonville, then this document is for you. And finally, if you have wondered whether the financial collapse of 2008 and the slow recovery from the Great Recession affect residents differently, then read on. Data reported for every racial and ethnic group are not always available, although this report provides numbers for as many groups as possible.

Some disturbing specifics about the lives of Jacksonville’s residents are emerging in these pages. First, the percentage of children living in low-income households increased for all races. The unemployment rate for whites increased at a higher rate than for blacks (p. 8); however, the black rate remains the highest of racial groups. Hispanic unemployment increased at a much higher rate than for blacks and whites. A higher percentage of black and white families are finding the cost of housing is no longer affordable given their income. Similarly, the median household income for both blacks and whites decreased. This meant that the gap in median household income between white and black actually narrowed in 2010. A decrease in disparity might appear healthy, and yet in this case the gap narrowed because both whites and blacks saw less income than the previous year.

The trend lines in the 2011 Race Relations Progress Report tell stories about Jacksonville. You’ll see the large increases in black voters turning out for the 2011 mayoral election, on page 16, one factor in the election of Jacksonville’s first black mayor. The exciting election energized voters, suggesting that when Jacksonville residents are moved to act, they do.

There is evidence of action and positive results throughout this report. The fact that a black baby is twice as likely to die compared to a white baby is clear, on page 12; and yet, the disparity is narrowing. The Hispanic-white gap in infant mortality rates increased, however. The same page details that HIV transmission rates decreased for all races.

Executive Summary

Welcome to a defining document. This year’s Race Relations Progress Report provides readers with specifics about racial and ethnic disparities, and perhaps more importantly, whether disparities change or not over the years. An example of a racial disparity is the gap between white ninth graders graduating from high school on time more frequently than black ninth-graders. In 2011, 82 percent of white students graduated on time while 66 percent of black students did the same. Education is not the only area where disparities define our community. The following pages measure racial and ethnic disparities across six elements of community life: education, employment and income, neighborhoods and housing, health outcomes, justice and the legal system, and political and civic engagement.

Positive trends demonstrate an important truth about Jacksonville: when residents decide to solve a problem together, conditions improve for everyone. The positive trend lines in the Health section are due, in part, to grassroots activism. Several faith communities, for example, started health ministries dedicated to continuing the conversation about HIV/AIDS and educating our community about infant mortality.

Another set of positive trend lines are graduation rates. In 2007, 53 percent of black students were graduating “on time”. Four years later, 66 percent are graduating “on time”. This indicator suggests another important truth: investments create improvements. Philanthropists, parents, students, artists, human service agencies, and most importantly, educators, have focused on the graduation rate in recent years. Now the rates for all students are improving and the gaps between the races are closing, if slowly. Another positive? A 14 percent drop in the number of blacks who feel racism is a problem in Jacksonville.

Finally, all your questions about how Hispanics, whites, blacks, Asians and others live and experience Jacksonville differently will not be answered here. This document is meant to be the first step in a journey, offering a birds-eye view of how racial disparities shape schools, people’s health, the courts, their neighborhoods, and families. It is only through recognition and awareness of these specifics that you and other readers can work to narrow these gaps and differences.

Disparities do disappear, as evidenced in these pages, when you and other concerned citizens get involved.

The 2011 Race Relations Progress Report Review Committee was chaired by Nathaniel Herring.

Committee members included:

Michael Aubin James Boyle Rod Brown Tina Comstock Jackie Green

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Coretta Hill Tru Leverette Paul Martinez Dan Merkan Ken Middleton

Doug Pickett Marcelle Polednik Tom Serwatka Michael Wacholz Cherrise Wilks Dottie Wilson 3

Introduction

In 2002, JCCI released a citizen-led study, Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations. The study documented that racial disparities were prevalent locally in six areas: education, income and employment, housing, health, criminal justice, and the political process. Beyond the Talk concluded that quality of life disparities are caused by multiple factors: individual racism, individual behavior, and the practices of public and private institutions.

Beyond the Talk presented a set of 27 recommendations to improve race relations in Jacksonville and to eliminate racial disparities. A primary recommendation stated that JCCI should convene citizens to create and distribute an annual report card on race relations in Jacksonville, modeled after JCCI’s Quality of Life Progress Report. The report card should measure race-based disparities as well as perceptions of racism and discrimination in the community.

In 2005, JCCI released its first Race Relations Progress Report, using survey data and community data to measure racial disparities. Many people in the community were involved in helping identify indicators, conduct surveys, participate in focus groups, and understand the results. Others met after the release of the initial report to help guide the creation of follow-up reports, based on lessons learned from the first report. Their efforts in launching this ground-breaking undertaking were and are much appreciated.

This is the 2011 update of the Race Relations Progress Report. Volunteer committees determined that the in-depth survey information from the first report should be repeated on a regular basis to update the community’s perceptions of race relations, every four years. In the interim, a clear report card, with concise information on each of the areas covered, should be presented annually to help guide policy decisions and community work, identify priority areas of concern for further investigation and effort, and measure progress toward an inclusive community, free of race-based disparities and discrimination.

Committee members have been concerned that the Race Relations Progress Report shows as much information as possible about the various racial and ethnic populations in Jacksonville. In all cases where the data were available, this report shows trends among white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American residents of Jacksonville. In some cases, accurate data were simply not available. Caution should be taken in interpreting trendlines where there are large fluctuations in the graphs, which tends to occur when the base population is small. Also, because “Hispanic” refers to ethnicity and not race, care should be taken with population estimates.

The 2010 American Community Survey provided the following information about Duval County’s population:

2010

White 56.6%

Black 28.9%

Hispanic 7.6%

Asian 4.1%

Native American 0.3%

Other 2.5%

The University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research provided these detailed estimates and projections of Jacksonville’s population (non-Hispanic white and black populations represented):

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

White 54.3% 51.9% 49.7% 47.9% 46.3%

Black 30.0% 31.1% 32.0% 32.8% 33.5%

Hispanic 8.5% 9.6% 10.5% 11.4% 12.1%

Other 7.2% 7.5% 7.7% 7.9% 8.0%

Total Population 901,001 943,862 985,504 1,024,659 1,060,636

Survey Methodology: The surveys in this report were conducted by American Public Dialogue for the JCCI Quality of Life Progress Report. The survey was designed to provide a representative sampling of the Jacksonville population as a whole, and is less reliable statistically when looking at sub-population responses. Standard deviations are +/- 5.5% for white responses and +/- 9.1% for black responses. For all other racial or ethnic categories, the margin of error is too high to provide any meaningful information. Every four years, JCCI conducts a more in-depth survey on perceptions of race relations and experiences with racism. In 2008, with help from new funding partners, JCCI was able to obtain statistically significant survey representation among white, black, and Hispanic respondents. Its results can be seen at www.jcci.org. JCCI would like to be able to conduct more detailed surveys among targeted populations. To assist in this initiative, please contact JCCI at (904) 396-3052.

4

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

The Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study concluded, “The wide range of perceptions among Jacksonville’s citizens about past and current racial disparities impedes resolution of all problems in race relations.” Shared understanding of the extent of the problem is often a prerequisite to reaching agreement on how to solve that problem.

JCCI has been tracking perceptions of racism in Jacksonville since 1985. The survey question asks, In your opinion during the last year, do you feel that racism is a problem in Jacksonville?

100%

“Yes” responses (racism is a problem):

White Black

2010 48% 80%

2011 Difference % Change 41% - 7% - 14.5% 69% -11% - 13.7%

See Survey Methodology on page 4 for more information about the limitations of the data for other racial or ethnic populations.

Black

White

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

Source: American Public Dialogue

Ten years later: Over half of white survey respondents (53 percent) believed racism was a community problem in 2001, a number which rose as high as 62 percent in 2007 before falling to 41 percent in 2011. In contrast, 66 percent of black respondents reported perceiving racism to be a problem in Jacksonville in 2001, a number which rose to 80 percent in 2010 before declining to 69 percent in 2011.

Personal Experiences of Racism The Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study also found that differing perceptions about race relations are related to differences in experiences and perceptions of discrimination. Since 2000, JCCI has been tracking how people respond to the question, Thinking about your own possible experience with racism, do you believe that you have personally experienced racism during the past year while shopping, while at work, or while renting or buying housing in Jacksonville? “Yes” responses to shopping, which consistently have been the highest responses, are represented in the graph.

50%

2011 “Yes” responses (personally experienced racism):

40%

30%

White Black

Work 5% 23%

Shopping 7% 37%

Housing 2% 9%

See Survey Methodology on page 4 for more information about the limitations of the data for other racial or ethnic populations.

20%

Black White

10%

0%

Source: American Public Dialogue

Ten years later: Reported experiences of racism were higher in 2001, especially rating experiences of racism while shopping, for both white (12 percent) and black (44 percent) respondents. When we apply three-year rolling averages to improve data consistency, then both white and black responses show large shifts, of eight points for black respondents and five points for white respondents. Of the three survey questions, shopping reflects a more universal and constant activity, compared to work or buying or renting housing.

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Perceptions & Experiences of Racism

Perceptions of Racism as a Problem in Jacksonville

5

Education

High School Graduation Rates The Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study found that “eliminating disparities in school performance is critical to ensuring a high quality of life for all Jacksonville citizens.” The following year, the Public Education Reform study called the achievement gap the “primary challenge facing the public education system,” and launched a further study on how to eliminate the achievement gap.

Graduating from high school increases opportunities for employment and opens the door to higher education and better employment.

Graduation rates:

2009-10 2010-11 Difference % Change White 80% 82.1% + 2.1% + 2.6% Black 66% 65.7% - 0.3% - 0.4% Hispanic 69% 75.7% + 6.7% + 9.7% Asian 82% 86.3% + 4.3% + 5.2% Native Am. 82% 80% -2% -2.4%

Source: Florida Department of Education Ten years later: In 2001-02, 15 points separated white and black high school graduation rates; by 2010, the gap was 14 points. The good news is this moderate closing of the gap came because white high school graduation rates grew by 17 points and black graduation rates grew by 18 points. The gap between Hispanic and white graduation rates also narrowed. In 2001-02, 10 points separated white and Hispanic rates and by 2010-11 the gap narrowed to 7 points, with the Hispanic graduation rate increasing from 53 percent to 75 percent.

FCAT Reading Proficiency The 2008 Strategic Plan for the Duval County Public Schools states, “The achievement gap in Duval County can and must be eliminated.” Reading scores at grade level (Level 3 or above on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test [FCAT], Sunshine State Standards [SSS], and alternative assessments) are a key measure of this gap.

The percentage of all students who were reading at grade level or above was: 2009-10 2010-11 Difference % Change White 72% 72% 0% 0 Black 43% 43% 0% 0 Hispanic 57% 58% + 1% + 1.7% Asian 72% 73% + 1% + 1.3% Native Am. 76% N/A N/A

Source: Florida Department of Education

Ten years later: The percentage of students reading at grade level overall made 10-point gains among white students, 11-point gains among black and Hispanic students, and 14-point gains among Asian students. However, the gains have slowed in recent years, with scores unchanged for black students since the 2007-08 school year and unchanged for white students since the 2008-09 school year, while the rate of gain for Hispanic and Asian students has slowed as well.

6

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

During the course of a child’s experience in school, the expectations in reading become more difficult. The tests become harder. While more is expected of all students, the achievement gaps (already significant in the third grade) widen even further. By grade level, reading scores were as follows:

Percentage of public school students reading at grade level (FCAT SSS), 2010-11: Grade White Black Hispanic Asian 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

83% 80% 79% 75% 77% 66% 61% 49%

56% 53% 52% 45% 49% 35% 26% 18%

67% 65% 65% 63% 61% 47% 41% 34%

80% 82% 74% 76% 72% 66% 59% 50%

Native American 81% 69% 83% 100% 78% 56% 50% N/A

Education

Reading At Grade Level, By Grade, 2010-11

Source: Florida Department of Education

Ten years later: The percentage of students reading at grade level improved for all groups, with the highest gains in the elementary and middle grades. With the exception of tenth-grade reading scores, the combined Asian student scores improved by 14 points over 10 years, white student scores improved by 15 points, Hispanic students scores by 16 points, and black student scores by 18 points. Tenth grade reading scores, however, have not seen these gains (one point improvement for white students, two for black students, four for Hispanic students, and a loss of one point for Asian students.)

Educational Attainment, 2010 Educational attainment measures the percentage of adults 25 years of age or older who have high school diplomas (or the equivalent) and those who have college degrees. The gap in educational attainment remains high and is increasing in the area of college degrees.

Educational Attainment: High School Diplomas White Black Hispanic 2000 86.1% 74.1% 79.0% 2010 90.9% 83.8% 77.4% Educational Attainment: Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

2000 2010

White 24.6% 28.3%

Black 13.1% 15.5%

Hispanic 21.8% 21.0%

Source: American Community Survey

More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

Providing each of Jacksonville’s children with outstanding educational resources is a responsibility we all share, and provides a lasting foundation for our community’s future. ~ W.C. and Susan Gentry JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

W.C. and Susan Gentry 7

Employment and Income

Unemployment Rates In 2004, the American Community Survey, a program of the U.S. Census, began calculating unemployment rates by race at the county level. While unemployment increased from 2009 to 2010, white unemployment rose at a faster rate, which meant the gap in unemployment rates between white and black workers decreased. The Hispanic unemployment rate rose faster than the white rate, resulting in a larger gap between white and Hispanic rates.

Unemployment rates:

White Black Hispanic

2009

2010

Difference

% Change

8.2% 17.1% 7.4%

10.1% 17.3% 13.0%

+ 1.9% + 0.2% + 5.6%

23.1% 1.1% 75.0%

Source: American Community Survey Ten years later: In the 2000 Census, white unemployment was at 3.7 percent; black unemployment at 8.3 percent; and Hispanic unemployment at 6.2 percent. This meant that the black unemployment rate was more than double the white rate. This was still true through 2009; in 2010, however, the gap between black and white unemployment rates narrowed. It was not a beneficial narrowing as the black rate has not decreased and the white rate increased.,

Median Household Income Median household income, as measured by the American Community Survey and adjusted for inflation, declined for both black and white households in 2010, and the gap decreased slightly. This meant that in 2010, black median household income was 60 percent of white median household income, up from 58 percent in 2009, while Hispanic median household income grew from 69 to 82 percent of white non-Hispanic household income.

Median household income: 2009

2010

$56,119 $52,535 Black $32,805 $31,589 Hispanic $38,906 $43,078

White

Difference % Change - $3,584

-6.3%

- $1,216

-3.7%

+ $4,172

10.7%

Source: American Community Survey Ten years later: In the 2000 Census, median household income (adjusted to 2010 constant dollars) was higher than it was in 2010. The disparities in median household income have increased, since black median household income was 67 percent of white income in 2000, and Hispanic income was 84 percent.

8

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Children in families with a household income of less than 130 percent of the poverty line are eligible for the free lunch program at school, and children in families with a household income of less than 185 percent of the poverty line are eligible for reduced-price lunches. For example, if the family had four people in it, the official United States poverty line in 2010 for a family their size was $22,050. 130 percent of the poverty line would be $28,665, and 185 percent would be $40,793 for this example family of four.

In 2010-11, 31 percent of all white children attending public school, or 16,956, participated in this program. The percentage of black children participating was more than twice that of whites, at 69 percent, or 39,218. Hispanic children in public schools, 5,889, participate at nearly twice the rate of white children.

Free and reduced-price lunch participation rates:

2009-10 White 31% Black 69% Hispanic 56% Asian 29%

2010-11 35% 71% 59% 32%

Difference + 4% + 2% + 3% + 3%

% Change + 12.9% + 2.8% + 5.3% + 10.3%

Source: Duval County Public Schools

This indicator excludes children in private schools and may understate the need because older school children, especially in high school, may opt out of the program even if their family is eligible to participate.

Ten years later: In the 2000-01 school year, black student participation in free or reduced-price lunch programs was 2.5 times that of white student participation; ten years later, all rates are up, but white student participation has increased faster than black student participation, so the gap is closing. The gap between Hispanic and white participation rates was 28 percentage points in 2001 and narrowed to 24 points in 2010.

Percent of Births Using Medicaid as Payment Source A pregnant woman qualifies for Medicaid if the total income for the family falls under 185 percent of the poverty line. In 2010 a family of four living on less than $40,793 would qualify. Births to mothers who use Medicaid as a payment source is one way to measure the percentage of children born into low-income households.

Births paid for by Medicaid: 2009 2010 Difference White 35.6% 35.3% - 0.3% Black 66.7% 71.6% + 4.9% Hispanic 51.9% 53.6% + 1.7%

Employment and Income

Children in Low Income Households

% Change - 0.8% + 7.3% + 3.2%

In 2010, 35 percent of all white children born in Duval County, or 2,173, had their births paid for by Medicaid. The percentage of black children born to low-income mothers was over twice that of whites, at 72 percent, or 3,466 births. Over half of all Hispanic children, or 618, were born to low-income mothers.

Source: Florida Department of Health More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

Developing our community’s vibrant economy begins with eliminating poverty among all citizens, and creating better jobs and a highly skilled and diverse workforce. ~Patrick Geraghty, President & CEO JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

9

Housing and Neighborhoods

Residential Living Patterns by Race One way of measuring Jacksonville’s progress in addressing residential patterns of racial desegregation is to examine where people live, based on their race and ethnicity. In these maps, each dot represents 25 people; red dots represent white residents, blue dots black residents, and green dots (not as many and hard to see below) Hispanic residents.

The maps show limited changes in residential living patterns from 2000 to 2010:

2000

2010

Source: 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census. Images by Eric Fischer A numeric measure of segregation is the Dissimilarity Index, or the percent of the population that would have to move to ensure every neighborhood represented the diversity of the overall community. The index ranges from 0, indicating complete integration to 100, indicating complete segregation. From 2000 to 2010 metropolitan Jacksonville’s Black/White index changed from 53.9 to 53.1; Hispanic/White changed from 26.6 to 27.6; and Asian/White changed from 37.0 to 37.5.

Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety The quality of housing and the quality of neighborhoods are important factors in the quality of life. One way to reflect the quality of housing is the perceived safety of neighborhoods.

In surveys, Jacksonville residents reported different feelings of safety about their neighborhoods in response to the question, Do you feel safe walking alone in your neighborhood at night?

“Yes” responses (feeling safe):

White Black

2010 65% 53%

2011 66% 49%

Difference % Change + 1% + 1.5% - 4% - 7.5%

Ten years later: In the 2001 survey the responses were Source: American Public Dialogue nearly identical to the responses in 2011. During the decade both sets of respondents went through several years of feeling less safe as well as increases in feeling safe. However, the gap in perceptions widened in 2010, with Blacks feeling less safe and Whites feeling about the same.

10

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Purchasing a home is often the largest investment a person will make. In the Jacksonville metropolitan area applications for conventional home mortgage loans are denied more often for black and Hispanic applicants than they are for white applicants. When the data is sorted by income levels, based on a median family income of $65,800 in 2010, the disparities are greater among middle and high-income households.

Conventional mortgage denial rates in 2010 were: White Black Hispanic

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Very Low Income (under $32,900) Low Income ($32,900 - $52,639) Middle Income ($52,640 - $78,959) High Income (over $78,960)

38.9%

39.4%

33.9%

23.6%

29.9%

29.7%

17.9%

30.2%

32.1%

12.2%

19.2%

24.7%

Ten years later: In 2000 the black/white gap in conventional mortgage denial rates ranged from 10 points for very-lowincome applications to 15 points for high-income applicants. In 2003 the Hispanic/white gap ranged from 3 points for very-low-income applications to 10 points for moderate-income applicants. By 2010, with denial rates increasing for all applicants, very-low-income Hispanic applicants had lower denial rates than white and black applicants. In 2010 the black/white and Hispanic/white gaps were widest among middle-income applicants.

Households Paying more than 30 % for Housing The cost of housing is generally the most significant item in a household budget. In general, housing is considered to be “affordable” if it costs less than 30 percent of the total monthly household income. In 2010, 40 percent of white homeowners in Duval County paid more than the “affordable” benchmark for housing, compared to 41 percent of Hispanic homeowners and 52 percent of black homeowners. Among those renting their housing, 48 percent of white and Hispanic households paid more than 30 percent of their monthly income for housing, compared to 65 percent of black renters.

Homeowners paying more than 30% for housing: 2009 2010 Difference % Change

White Black Hispanic

37% 50% N/A

40% 52% 41%

+ 3% + 2%

+ 8.1% + 4.0%

Housing and Neighborhoods

Mortgage Denial Rates

Renters paying more than 30% for housing: 2009 2010 Difference % Change

White Black Hispanic

49% 64% N/A

48% 65% 48%

- 1% + 1%

- 2% + 1.5%

Source: American Community Survey Ten years later: Housing costs as a percentage of income are much higher in 2010 than they were in 2000. The black/ white gap remained consistent among homeowners at 12 points, but the gap for renters nearly tripled from six to 17 points. The gap between whites and Hispanics has closed for both homeowners and renters.

More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

The “American Dream” promises every citizen prosperity - achieving a better and happier life. That “Dream” includes equal access to safe, affordable homes within each family’s financial means. ~ David Mann, CEO North Florida JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

11

Health

Infant Death Rate The infant mortality rate (the number of infants that die before reaching one year of age per 1,000 infants born) is a sentinel indicator used to evaluate a population’s overall health and access to health care. JCCI’s 2008 Infant Mortality study concluded: “The failure of our community to successfully address the longstanding issues of racism, poverty, and socio-economic disparities is killing our babies. The high infant mortality rate is not merely a health problem and not merely a black problem; it is everyone’s problem.”

Infant death rates per 1,000 infants born:

White Black Hispanic

2009 5.5 13.6 6.2

2010 5.8 11.7 8.7

Difference % Change + 0.3 + 5.4% - 1.9 - 13.9% + 2.5 + 40.3%

Source: Florida Department of Health Ten years later: In 2000, the white infant death rate was 6.2, and the black infant death rate was 16.8, or 2.7 times the white infant death rate. Grassroots initiatives to educate families about safe sleeping practices and maternal health emerged in recent years. By 2010 rates decreased and the gap narrowed, but the black infant death rate remains twice that of the white rate.

Caution should be taken in interpreting trendlines where there are large fluctuations in the graphs, which tends to occur when the base population is small, such as the number of Hispanic infants born during the year. See page 4 for more information.

Rate of New HIV Cases The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is a disease which may lead to serious health consequences.

People who test positive for HIV may or may not contract Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, a debilitating and often fatal disease. In Jacksonville, the rate of new HIV cases in the black population is six-anda-half times the rate of the white population, though the rate among the black population is declining.

New HIV cases per 100,000 population:

White Black Hispanic

2009 17.4 116.1 30.9

2010 12.3 81.7 24.3

Difference % Change - 5.1 - 29.3% - 34.4 - 29.6% - 6.6 - 21.3%

Source: Duval County Health Department Ten years later: In 2000, the rate of new HIV cases in the black population was nine times the white rate. Healthcare ministries, especially in black faith communities, emerged in recent years. By 2010 the disparity declined somewhat to six-and-a-half times the white rate. While 2010 saw a shift in the trend of new HIV cases, the rate of transmittal remains a serious public health issue.

12

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Duval County. In 2010, rates of heart disease deaths declined, as did the gap between white and black heart disease death rates. Hispanic death rates due to heart disease declined at a faster rate.

Age-adjusted heart disease death rates per 100,000:

White Black Hispanic

2009 164.7 221.1 111.2

2010 158.4 205.8 86.9

Health

Heart Disease Death Rate

Difference % Change - 6.3 - 3.8% - 15.3 - 6.9% - 24.3 - 21.8%

Source: Florida Department of Health Ten years later: In 2000, 56 points separated white and black heart disease death rates. Both rates declined over the decade, with the black heart disease death rate declining at a faster rate, so that by 2005 only 20 points separated the two rates. Since that time both rates have continued to decline, but at a slower pace, which has widened the gap since 2005. In 2010 the gap was 47 points. Hispanic death rates fluctuated, but generally remain far lower than the other rates measured by this indicator.

Cancer Death Rate Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Duval County. The black-white disparity in overall cancer death rates disappeared in 2001 and grew through 2005. The same gap again closed in 2007. Hispanic cancer death rates remain less than half the white and black rates.

Age-adjusted cancer death rates per 100,000:

White Black Hispanic

2009

2010

188.0 162.4 89.0

181.8 183.2 69.9

Difference % Change - 6.2 + 20.8 - 19.1

- 3.2 + 12.8 - 21.4

Ten years later: In 2000, 20 points separated white and black cancer death rates. During the decade, the rates converged, so that it is no longer meaningful to talk about Source: Florida Department of Health cancer disparities between the black and white population.

Hispanic cancer death rates remain far below white or black cancer death rates.

More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

Ensuring access to compassionate, high-quality, effective health care and eliminating health disparities are vitally important to our community and fellow residents. ~Frank Cobbin, SVP Operations JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

13

Justice and the Legal System

Inmate Admissions per 1,000 for Misdemeanors The 2002 Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations study found that “the disproportionate number of blacks who are incarcerated in Jacksonville contributes to the incidence of single-parent families, economic disparities, disproportionate disenfranchisement, and the perception that racial minorities should distrust the criminal-justice system.” In 2010, total inmate admissions, compared to the general community population, were as follows: Comparison White Black

% of Total Population

56.6%

46.4%

% of Inmate Admissions

28.9%

52.7%

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office does not currently collect data for other populations.

Total inmate admissions for misdemeanors: 2009 2010 Difference % Change White Black

14,379 14,620

11,375 11,667

- 3,004 - 2,953

- 20.8% - 20.1%

Inmate admissions per 1,000 population: 2009 2010 Difference % Change White 34.3 28.5 - 5.8 - 16.9% Source: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Black 77.8 64.5 - 13.3 - 17.0% Ten years later: In 2001, more black offenders than white offenders were incarcerated for misdemeanors. The same was true in 2010, as both the total numbers of inmate admissions and the rates of incarceration for both populations declined. However, the rate of incarceration per 1,000 people in the black population in 2001 was 2.7 times the white rate; by 2010, the gap had closed somewhat, with the black incarceration rate for misdemeanors being 2.3 times the white rate.

Inmate Admissions per 1,000 for Felonies

Total inmate admissions for felonies: 2009 2010 Difference % Change White 6,253 4,949 - 304 - 4.8% Black 9,644 7,946 - 1,698 - 17.6% Inmate admissions per 1,000 population: 2009 2010 Difference % Change White 14.9 14.9 0 0% Black 51.3 43.9 - 7.4 - 14.4%

Source: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

Ten years later: In 2001, the black felony incarceration rate per 1,000 population was nearly four times (3.94) that of white offenders; by 2010, the gap had narrowed to just under three times (2.95) the white rate.

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JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

In 2010, the Florida Office of Vital Statistics recorded 93 homicides, down from 117 in 2009. A homicide is one person killing another person, no matter the reason, whether justifiable, excusable, or accidental. This indicator includes police shootings and vehicular homicides. A homicide counts as a murder when the killing is determined to be criminal. Of the 93 homicides committed in 2010, 81, or 87 percent, were murders.

Total homicides:

White Black Hispanic

2009 24 83 10

2010 19 71 3

Difference % Change -5 -18.5% - 12 -14.4% -7 -70.0

Homicide rate per 100,000 people:

White Black Hispanic

2009 4.5 26.4 15.0

2010 3.8 23.5 3.7

Difference % Change - 0.7 - 15.5% - 2.9 - 10.9% - 11.3 -75.3%

Source: Florida Office of Vital Statistics

Ten years later: In 2000, 12 points separated white and black homicide rates; by 2010, the gap had increased to 20 points. Total white homicides, 36 in 2000, decreased by nearly 40% for white victims during the past decade, while total black homicides increased over 120 percent by 2007, from 44 up to 98 before decreasing to 71 in 2010. Hispanic homicide rates, however, fluctuated over the past decade, and in 2010 were equal to the white homicide rate.

Youth Referred to Department of Juvenile Justice In 2009-10, 3,840 youth ages 10-17 (both male and female) in Duval County were referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. This represents about four percent of the total youth population which was 95,469. By race and ethnicity the percentage of youth ages 10-17 referred to Juvenile Justice were as follows: Referrals to Department of Juvenile Justice: 2008-09 White 3.4% Black 8.0% Hispanic 1.5%

2009-10 Difference % Change 2.7% - 0.7% -20.5% 6.3% - 1.7% -21.2% 1.7% + 0.2% -13.3%

Ten years later: In 2001, five points separated white and black youth referral rates; in the latest count, the gap had dropped to three-and-a-half points. For Hispanic youth, the gap remained constant at one point, even as all rates (white, black, and Hispanic) decreased over the decade.

Justice and the Legal System

Homicide Rates per 100,000 Population

Source: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice

More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

Our community must strive to provides its residents with the peace of mind that remain safe and secure, and our legal system seeks to maintain authority and integrity. ~Robert Harris JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

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Civic Engagement and Politics

Voter Registration Engagement in the political process often begins with registering to vote. In 2011, voter registration declined from 2010, but the gap between white and black voter registration rates remained the same, at three percentage points. Hispanic voter registration also declined, but not by as much, which meant that the gap closed slightly - although Hispanic voter registration remains at half of white or black voter registration rates.

Voter registration rates in 2011:

Number % Difference % Change Registered (2010) White - 2% - 2.4% 325,502 81% Black Hispanic

141,744 18,099

78% 39%

- 2%

- 2.3%

- 1%

- 1.7%

Source: Supervisor of Elections Ten years later: In 2000, four points separated white and black voter registration rates; by 2010, both rates had improved, and the gap had narrowed to three points.

Voter Turnout Registering to vote is one step. Exercising the right to vote is the next step. Voter turnout rates in presidential election years, such as 2008, or state/congressional election years, such as 2010, are traditionally higher than in local election years, such as 2011. In 2009, no general elections were held, though a few special elections were held with limited turnout.

Voter turnout rates in Local elections: 2007 2011 Difference % Change White 21.6% 38.4% + 16.8% + 77.7% Black 16.6% 41.0% + 24.4% + 146.9% Hispanic 6.9% 15.3% + 8.4% + 121.7%

Source: Supervisor of Elections

Ten years later: In 2000, for a highly contested presidential election, voter turnout for white voters was seven points higher than voter turnout for black voters. Since 2000, voter turnout has increased in presidential elections, with white voter turnout at 78 percent in 2008 (up from 69 percent in 2000) and black voter turnout at 77 percent in 2008 (up from 62 percent in 2000.) In 2011, black voter turnout exceeded white voter turnout by three points.

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JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

Elected officials in Jacksonville traditionally reflect the black and white demographics used in developing designated minority-access districts. Of the 42 elected officials in Jacksonville, 7 are School Board representatives, 19 sit on the City Council, 11 are representatives to the Florida State and House, and 5 are other elected officials. Other elected officials are five Duval County constitutional officers: Mayor, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Collector.

Jacksonville elected officials, 2011 White Black Hispanic Asian City Council 74% 26% 0% 0% State legislators 73% 27% 0% 0% School Board 71% 29% 0% 0% Other elected officials 80% 20% 0% 0%

Civic Engagement and Politics

Local Elected Officials by Race

Total elected officials: 2010 2010 Difference % Change White 81% 74% - 7% - 8.6% Black 19% 24% + 5% + 36.8% Source: Supervisor of Elections Hispanic 0% 0% 0% 0% Asian 0% 0% 0% 0%

Ten years later: In 2000, 27 percent of local elected officials were black; in 2011, 24 percent were black. Of note is that in 2011 Jacksonville elected its first black mayor.

Perceived Lack of Influence One key measure of civic engagement is the perception of one’s ability to influence government. Negative responses increased in response to the question, As a citizen of Jacksonville, how would you describe your ability to influence local government decision making? Would you say that you have great influence, moderate influence, a little influence, or no influence at all?

Little or No influence survey responses: White Black

2010 78% 68%

2011 70% 60%

Difference % Change - 8% -10% - 8% -12%

Ten years later: Between 2000 and 2007, the percentage of black respondents who reported having little to no influence in local government decision making rose from 46 to 70 percent before declining to 60 percent in 2011.

With the exception of 2006, the rate has been lower than the white rate, which reports higher levels of perceived inefficacy.

Source: American Public Dialogue

More details on these and other indicators can be found at www.jcci.org.

WJCT’s mission charges us to “encourage joyful learning, celebrate of human diversity and promote civic participation.” We believe it is only through such learning and sharing that we can grow as a community. ~ Michael Boylan, President & CEO JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

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About JCCI

2012-12 JCCI Board of Directors Board of Directors President John Hirabayashi

Christine Arab

Jennifer Mansfield

Jennifer Chapman

Juliette Mason

Jarik Conrad

Maxine McBride

Rena Coughlin

David Meyer

Immediate Past President William C. Mason

Micheal Edwards

Stephen Pollan

Rocelia Gonzalez

Kelly Pourciau

Standing Committee Chairs Lee R. Brown III Matthew Kane Jeanne M. Miller Derrick Smith

Broderick Green

Mario Rubio

Matthew Kane

Douglas H. Shaver

Joshua B. Lief

James Stevenson

David Mann

Susan B. Towler

President-Elect JF Bryan IV Secretary/Treasurer Crystal Jones

JCCI Staff Tonia Eastman Program Planner Ben Warner President & CEO Laura Lane Vice President & COO

Steve Rankin Director of Implementations & Special Projects

Amanda Gazaleh Communications & JCCI Forward, Coordinator

Michelle Simkulet Director JCCI Forward & CFO

Demetrius Jenkins Data, Information & Systems, Coordinator

Molly Wahl Director of Development & Community Outreach

Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) was created in 1975 with the goal of improving the quality of life in Jacksonville through informed citizen participation in public affairs. JCCI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, broadbased civic organization. It involves citizens in community issues through open dialogue, impartial research, consensus building, and leadership development.

Every day, JCCI is driven by the bold idea that together we can build a better community. We bring people together to learn about our community, engage in problem solving, and act to make positive change.

JCCI receives funding from United Way of Northeast Florida, the City of Jacksonville, grants, corporations, and individual members. JCCI membership is open to all interested in building a better community.

For more information about JCCI and how you can get involved or to donate to JCCI, visit www.jcci.org.

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JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

The vision provides a destination, but no more. We need to know where we are in relation to that vision. For that purpose, JCCI engages the community to develop and review community indicators every year that measure our progress toward our vision.

We publish these reports annually as the Quality of Life Progress Report and the Race Relations Progress Report, as well as in the continuallyupdated Community Snapshot on our website www.jcci.org.

With the knowledge we gain from the indicators, we can determine our priorities for action. The indicators by themselves don’t tell us what to do; they are descriptive, not prescriptive. They inform our planning processes through our community studies, where we can determine how we as a community need to move forward to address the issues identified by the indicators where we fall short of our vision. The community study process engages the community to develop solutions, by consensus, to get us moving in the right direction.

The recommendations from our studies gain their power for change from the volunteers who work tirelessly to turn reports into action through our implementation advocacy process. JCCI reports never stay on a shelf; to continue our travel analogy further, our volunteers are the pleasing voice of the GPS unit helping our civic institutions with a cheerful “turn here.” The action component is the heart of JCCI’s change process.

The actions get results. Recommendations are implemented. Policies change. Programs develop and respond. But that is not enough. JCCI monitors the results and outcomes of its study and implementation efforts and assesses results. You can read the assessments in the Implementation Reports on our website.

Beyond those reports, however, we are interested in lasting, sustainable community change. The community indicators reports serve as the final piece in the community change model, keeping us focused on measuring progress toward the vision. They serve as the ultimate evaluation tool to ensure that our efforts are making a real difference for the community.

Community Works is the consulting arm of JCCI. We have over 36 years of experience in engaging residents to build better communities, and have been working with individuals and organizations around the world for the past two decades to replicate our success.

In order to better serve you, we’ve launched a website to share the transformative power of people coming together to create a better future.

Please visit www.communityworks.us.com to see how our Consulting, Community Engagement, or Indicators work might be part of your model for sustainable change.

JCCI 2011 Race Relations Progress Report

JCCI Model for Community Change

The JCCI Model for Community Change begins with working with the community to understand and articulate a shared vision for the future, based on the values and priorities of the people who live, work, and play in the area. Change must be driven by a vision of both what needs to improve and what needs to be preserved; the vision serves as a destination for the road map to follow.

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JCCI would like to acknowledge the many Community Focused Organizations that are working on eliminating race-based disparities in Jacksonville.

100 Black Men of Jacksonville African American Chamber of Commerce Asian American Chamber of Commerce Boot Camp for New Dads (Shands Jacksonville) The CAUCUS Community Foundation in Jacksonville and Project Breakthrough Council on Social Status of Black Males and Boys Duval County Public Schools Office of Equity & Inclusion DEEN Wellness Center

Duval County Health Department E3 Business Group, Inc. Edward Waters College Jacksonville Birthing Project Jacksonville Diversity Network Jacksonville Human Rights Commission Jacksonville Men’s Health Coalition Jacksonville Urban League LISC Jacksonville Living4Today Inspirations, Inc. MAD DADS NAACP New Town Success Zone

Northeast Florida Community Action Agency Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition Northwest Jacksonville Community Corp.

OneJax Operation New Hope Project Male (Cage Consulting) Reclaiming Young Black Males Initiative SPARK, Inc. Upward Bound War on Poverty - Florida Women of Color Cultural Foundation

Did we miss someone? If your organization or initiative is not listed, please contact JCCI at mail@jcci.org.

Champions W.C. and Susan Gentry

Special thanks to those whose generous support made this report possible, including the United Way of Northeast Florida, our Champions, survey providers, and the Jacksonville community.

American Public Dialogue