Black Contractors Not Getting Many Contracts for BP Oil Spill Cleanup

BP is getting criticism from civil rights leaders about African Americans being left out of the highly profitable oil clean up process. According to a recent investigation by the NAACP, minority contractors are not being given an opportunity to make money by cleaning up the spill that has destroyed the livelihoods of so many black people in the gulf region.

According to information presented in the Federal Procurement Data System, only $2.2 million of the $53 million awarded in contracts to clean up the oil spill have been given to businesses being run by people of color. That is only 4.8 percent of the total. In a recent letter, NAACP President Ben Jealous told BP CEO Tony Hayward that, "contractors of color are not receiving equal consideration for opportunities to participate in mitigation efforts."

The NAACP's analysis of events occurring in the Gulf region looks at the issue from a multitude of viewpoints. The organization considers the economic impact on those who live in the region. It also looks at the health effects, both physical and mental, on Gulf communities. Finally, NAACP leaders took a look at the social impact of industries and property that are important parts of the local community being suddenly destroyed or significantly altered. Economically, the losses are in the billions and are not yet accurately estimated.

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Interviewing Tips 101

Look and dress the part: Women
Women should also wear a suit, with closed toe shoes. NEVER wear an abundance of make-up, keep your jewelry to a minimum and ladies please wear stockings with your skirt. It's usually a safe bet to always look conservative...maybe except in the music industry...or construction....

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Interviewing Tips 101

Be on time!
Always show up 15 to 20 minutes prior to your appointment. You are guaranteed not to get the job if you're late for the interview.

Interviewing Tips 101

Check Your Cell:
Turn off your cell phone, and take that #!!>%! Bluetooth out of your ear. 'Nuff said.

Interviewing Tips 101

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Interviewing Tips 101

Get to the point:
Answer questions straight on. Going off on a tangent will put the interviewer to sleep. Sleep + candidate = "We're going to have to pass."

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Past employers:
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Interviewing Tips 101

Research, Research, Research:
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Money Hungry Will Leave You Starving:
Don't overprice yourself out of a job, especially if you're unemployed. If you are unemployed always give a range -- your minimum should be no more than $2K-$3K higher than your previous salary.

Interviewing Tips 101

Never Let 'Em See You Sweat:
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Interviewing Tips 101

Most reports we see about the specific value of the losses are probably inaccurate, mainly because we've never seen an oil spill like this in the United States. To make matters more challenging, many of the people being affected by the BP oil spill are also victims of Hurricane Katrina, which took place in 2005. The psychological effects of going through both Hurricane Katrina and another disaster merely five years later are going to leave a painful strain on families that have been affected. One of the victims of the spill committed suicide when his fishing business went under. It's hard to put a dollar amount on something like that.

The U.S. government is certainly going to have to reconsider its policy on oil drilling after the chaos is over. The American public, especially the black community, must also remain involved in holding politicians accountable for how they deal with oil companies in the future. Black people are not only among the worst affected by the BP oil spill crisis; they are also the most forgotten. Organizations like the NAACP are doing a good job of making sure that black people are remembered as the government plans its recovery efforts.

The BP oil spill is going to have a long-term effect on the environmental and economic health of our nation. All Americans have been hurt by this oil spill, and no one should be under-represented in the endeavor to make amends.

Lawrence Watkins is the Founder of Great Black Speakers. He is also the owner of speakers' bureaus dedicated to Hispanic speakers and Christian motivational speakers. His book, "Frame Your Future: 8 Principles to Effectively Focus on the Future and Not Dwell in the Past", will be released in August 2010. If you would like Lawrence's articles delivered directly to your email, please click here.