$60 billion investment was proposed by US Senator Kamala Harris to aid historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) universities if elected for the 2020 upcoming presidency.
Her pitch to reach out for blacks would be used to distribute $50 billion worth of scholarships, academic programs, and research. The remaining $10 billion will be implemented for school infrastructure funding.
In an annual conference at Indianapolis, the senator stated it would be necessary to help students “compete in the global world”:
“These campuses need to be upgraded and continue to attract world-class researchers…It will enhance the student experience and allow them to compete in the global world.”
According to research, thirteen percent (13) of blacks will likely attend college if one black teacher is present. While the number will jump to thirty-two percent (32%) if they have two teachers during college.
For this, Harris pledged that she is planning to support by putting $2.5 billion into training programs for teachers at HBCUs.
Even though that only three percent (3%) of HBCUs are recorded in total to offer higher education, Harris firmly believed that this is a critical measure to close the wealth gap due to the impact to the economic and social growth in regards to black students which she put as:
“Now in the midst of a technical and technological and digital revolution, we must ensure that everyone participates in the wealth that it creates.”
Over the weekend, the California senator also announced a policy proposal targeted at closing the opportunity gap. Although the investment opportunities are made available to all Americans, Black Americans need capital to start a business or access the training and education needed to enter a lucrative field.
Citing data showing African Americans are more likely to rely on credit cards than bank loans when starting businesses and are often offered smaller loans at higher interest rates than whites, Harris’ plan would establish a grant program for black-owned startup businesses.
Like her other proposals, this also has drawn intense criticism from people who see the requirements debt release for students as overly restrictive.
Harris is one of two dozen contenders in a field led by former Vice President Joe Biden seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.
The daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, Harris has consistently polled behind Biden among black voters.
