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On July 16th, IEDC hosted a webinar titled, “Matchmaking: Workforce & Business Development" where workforce development experts discussed the ins and outs of developing talent pipelines and strategic workforce development programs. 

On July 9th, the US Supreme Court ruled to honor an 1832 treaty between the US government and five Native nations: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole, sometimes referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes. Under this treaty, nearly half of eastern Oklahoma was designated as tribal territory and promised to tribes who had been forcibly displaced from their ancestral homelands. For many Natives, this decision was a major victory, given the history of the US government violating more than 370 treaties made with tribes.

Even before the COVID pandemic evictions in the US were at a record high, with more than 2 million people facing eviction each year. This number is higher than the number of people who faced foreclosure during the 2008 economic crisis. Experts are fearing an “eviction cliff”, a drastic increase in evictions once these moratoria expire.

After the 17th consecutive week of unemployment claims reaching over 1 million, economic developers are forced to face the long-term realities of business and work after COVID-19. While reopening led to a return of some service jobs in June, Americans face permanent job loss and small businesses are forced to close their doors as the economy continues to weaken.