Monrovia : Lack of Diversity Protested
A group of African-American businessmen protested to the Monrovia City Council on Tuesday the apparent dearth of black employees at city construction sites.
Brent Burton of the Black Foundation of the San Gabriel Valley said he visited several redevelopment sites in black residential areas of the city and found only one African-American worker.
“People sitting in their houses could throw a rock onto the site, but they can’t get a job there digging dirt,” he said.
Burton said picketing of one job site had been planned for Tuesday morning, but a Monrovia police official persuaded the foundation to appear at the council meeting instead.
Mayor Robert Bartlett and City Redevelopment Director Glen Cox agreed to meet next week with foundation members to discuss their concerns.
But “as far as putting in a racial quota, we haven’t done that and we’re not going to do that,” Bartlett said.
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