During the 2009 session, Minnesota lawmakers and Gov. Tim Pawlenty set a milestone by passing and signing into law the energy programs bill. This legislation commits $2.5 million of public investment to strengthen opportunity and equity during a recession.

Specifically, that investment will prepare low-income Minnesotans for weatherization jobs and renewable energy and energy-efficiency trades; support outreach by community-based organizations about renewable energy and energy-efficiency opportunities; ensure equitable access for disadvantaged women-owned businesses and businesses of color; and report progress on how weatherization programs have explicitly benefited people of color and low income people.

Overall, this piece of legislation could potentially get more than 15,000 Minnesotans — including people of color and low income people — back to work.

Is this investment in job creation, which can reduce disparities while reducing the harmful effects of climate change, a model of reform to build upon at the state Legislature? And does this symbolize that public investment in people of color and low-income people can play a role in leading us out of economic recession?

Answer to both: Yes.

Growing racial, economic inequities
According to Wilder Research, Minnesota's growing racial and economic inequities in such areas as education, child poverty and health care are among the most serious long-term fiscal and moral challenges we face. We can make Minnesota's disparities worse, maintain them, or make them better.

Research shows that while this downturn is affecting us all, some of the sharpest pain is being felt in communities of color and low income communities. Thousands of black, Latino and low-income workers have lost their jobs at a faster clip than the general population.

Without a commitment to racial and economic justice goals, our budget and policy decisions will fail to anticipate unequal outcomes and– if left unchecked — will actually reinforce Minnesota's racial and economic disparities.

That's why legislation like the energy programs bill, which specifically addresses disparities and advances racial and economic equity, should be held up as a model of reform to build upon at the state Legislature. Making investments like this makes a lot of sense.

It makes sense for communities. The legislation provides meaningful outcomes for people of color and low-income people, some of the Minnesotans who are the hardest hit by our economic downturn. It will also play a role in stimulating our economy, educating communities across Minnesota about energy efficiency and reducing our state's carbon footprint.

Broad community input
Equally important, this legislation is the result of broader community input because of the community organizing from a coalition of unlikely allies. HIRE Minnesota, a new campaign largely driven by proactive leadership of people of color and low-income people, crossed issue silos of environment, health and employment access to move a sweeping new reform that will turn our economy around, invest in our environment and ensure equity all at the same time.

The lesson here is that policies make sense to our communities when those most affected by the investment decision shape the vision. It also makes sense for the state. We have seen that when lawmakers pay attention to equity impacts of public investment on people of color and low-income people, we all benefit.

The example of the energy programs legislation shows that the state will create a brighter future for our environment, our business environment and our workers. Really, that's an investment that not only jump-starts the economy, it fundamentally transforms it.

This has to be model of reform worth building upon. Now more than ever is our time to broaden this approach to the entire backbone that has made our state great and elevated generations of Minnesotans from poverty to wealth. That includes local government aid, health care, higher education and family investment programs.

Jermaine Toney is a policy analyst with Organizing Apprenticeship Project in collaboration with HIRE Minnesota.