Lawmakers graded for efforts on racial equity

Almost three dozen Senate and House lawmakers got As. More than a dozen earned Fs and Gov. Dayton received a grade of B-minus for efforts to advance racial equity last year. The report card gave the Legislature a D overall for 2011. The Legislature got an F for budget equity.

The Organizing Apprenticeship Project Thursday released its 6th annual Legislative Report Card on Racial Equity for 2011, which grades lawmakers and the governor on their performance proposing and advancing bills that would improve racial equity in the state. Organizer Vina Kay says lawmakers need to do a better job to increase equality among all of Minnesota residents.

"There are these huge disparities at the very same time that we are seeing and increase in populations of color in Minnesota so something isn't working right in the structures that support our communities," Kay said. "They are not serving everybody well."

Kay's group held a rally at the capitol to highlight their findings.

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