REACH Initiative Reports on Engagement with Underserved Communities

Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal, EEOC San Francisco District Director Nancy Sienko, EEOC San Francisco Deputy Director Christopher Green, and local advocates at the REACH listening session in San Francisco. (Photo: EEOC)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission held 23 REACH Initiative events in fiscal year 2024 with workers and advocates across the country, the agency announced today. The REACH Initiative, a multi-year effort led by Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal, focuses on ensuring the EEOC’s outreach and education efforts are effectively reaching workers who are often the least likely to seek the agency’s assistance, despite their great need. Launched in January 2024, the EEOC’s REACH Initiative strives to enhance outreach to vulnerable workers and underserved communities as defined in the agency’s Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for Fiscal Years 2024 – 2028.  It also advances the EEOC’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022 – 2026, which includes a focus on ensuring that members of the public know their rights under the laws the EEOC enforces.

REACH Initiative events included in-person listening sessions with advocates and workers as well as site visits to pre-apprenticeship programs, worker centers, and community-based organizations across the country, including in California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, and on Tribal lands. 

“Travelling the country meeting with workers and advocates has provided the EEOC with invaluable information about how we can continue to make the promise of equal opportunity a reality,” said Kotagal. “Too many workers don’t know their rights to be free from discrimination or are reluctant to come forward because of fear of retaliation. These realities underscore the value of the agency’s outreach efforts and the importance of building and sustaining trust within communities.”

Event participants included a range of stakeholders, including tradeswomen in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Oakland, California; members of the Hmong community in St. Paul, Minnesota; immigrant and migrant workers in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Lewiston, Maine; members of the Bhutanese community in Columbus, Ohio; Tribal leaders; survivors of gender-based violence; LGBTQ+ workers; persons with limited English proficiency; and individuals employed in low-wage jobs.

Kotagal and West Virginia Women Work pre-apprenticeship students and instructors constructing a picnic table during a carpentry lesson. (Photo courtesy of West Virginia Women Work)

“Having Commissioner Kotagal roll up her sleeves with us at West Virginia Women Work was more than just a visit—it was a powerful statement that the EEOC isn’t just talking the talk, they’re walking the walk, even in rural West Virginia,” said Carol Phillips, executive director of West Virginia Women Work. “This kind of hands-on, down-to-earth collaboration is exactly what we need to fuel real change and ensure that no one is left behind in our push for workplace equality.”

During these events Kotagal learned about barriers to equal opportunity faced by these underserved communities and gathered suggestions for how the agency can better ensure workers know their rights, including: 

• additional efforts to reach workers through a variety of media, including videos, graphics, radio, and social media; 
• continuing to prioritize language access and plain language materials; 
• building trust by partnering with community-based organizations, prioritizing consistency in outreach, and ensuring ongoing visibility of EEOC staff within communities; 
• centering the stories of charging parties in outreach and education to raise awareness about the agency’s critical mission; and 
• maximizing the impact of resources by strengthening partnerships with federal and state agencies. 

"Justice for Migrant Women is rooted in community because we understand that the true experts who can provide insight into the issues and priorities that must be addressed are located in towns and cities throughout our nation, not just in Washington, D.C," said Mónica Ramírez, president and founder of Justice for Migrant Women. "REACH bridges the gap between the government and real people on the ground. Ensuring that all people can live and work in a world free from violence and discrimination is only possible when migrant and rural women are leading, and we commend the EEOC for making this a priority."

“When the government meets people where they are, engages in meaningful conversations, truly listens to the needs of the community, and follows through with action, real transformation happens,” said May yer Thao, president and chief executive officer of the Hmong American Partnership. “Commissioner Kotagal's visit to St. Paul, Minnesota, and her engagement with our Hmong communities exemplified this approach. We look forward to deepening our relationship with the EEOC.”

In fiscal year 2025, Kotagal will continue to hold REACH Initiative listening sessions with advocates and workers in states and on Tribal lands she has not yet visited.She will also continue to work with agency staff to share and incorporate lessons learned from the REACH Initiative.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC.gov)