Goal 08: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Video Transcript:

Ricardo Ortiz, Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Rick Ortiz: Hi, my name is Rick Ortiz and I'm standing near downtown Dallas, where the city is experiencing significant economic growth. Construction workers are building the next high rise, businessmen and women are closing deals, and service workers like waiters and cooks are making a good living. But we still have a lot of work to do to make sure everybody's included in the growth.

There are parts of North Texas where people do not have access to decent work, and what can be done about it? For starters, don't ignore it; two, engage, be a part of it, contribute. It doesn't always have to be about money. It can be about giving time, donating time, being a part of the growth and the success of our local economy. The county, the city, local government as a whole, they can continue to incentivize opportunities for economic growth through the public-private partnerships such as the collegiate academies, where you have the Dallas County Community College District, the Dallas Independent School District, and many, many companies from the private sector across the region that are investing their resources to ensure that more of our future leaders are getting the type of education that they need to be successful.

Nothing says growth more visibly than all the development and construction that you see around the North Texas region. We want to make sure that the growth continues, but it also continues responsibly. Recognizing that there are underserved communities and to be inclusive of them also means that they're not just pushed out because of the growth. We want to make sure that we give these jobs to the people that live here.