Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are core guiding principles for Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) in Minneapolis and beyond. The ongoing effort to break down barriers and create opportunities for all — regardless of race, gender or ethnicity — is a labor of love for EY professionals.
There is much work to be done in the city and beyond. The median Black family in the Twin Cities area earns $38,178 a year — which is less than half of the median white family income of $84,459 a year, according to a 2020 article by NPR.¹
The desire of the local EY office community to stand up and be part of the solution was built on a foundation of inclusiveness, belonging and empathy, nurtured over the years through tangible programs, resources and support mechanisms. At EY US, this is the culture everyone is committed to cultivating, where people feel valued, understood and seen, and ultimately empowered to take action within their communities and for their clients.
Minneapolis is a city full of opportunities, but a vast number of those opportunities are not always available to everyone. EY Minneapolis supports the work of the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), which operates in a geographic “Zone” of North Minneapolis that is the apex of crime, poverty and failing schools within the city. NAZ’s mission is to end generational poverty and build a culture of achievement in North Minneapolis where all low-income children of color graduate from high school and are on a path to college.