The Cape Fear Collective releases its Inclusive Economy Report on the Cape Fear region

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) —A new report released by the Cape Fear Collective identifies issues with the region’s economy.

Cape Fear Collective, with the support of UNCW’s Center for Social Impact and Community nonprofit partners, spent a year studying the region to better understand economic drivers of health and prosperity, to release its Inclusive Economy Report.

The report highlights issues ranging from massive wage inequality, overt racism, a housing shortage impacting home ownership for low wage earners, and discrimination against job seekers with a criminal record.

“We need to continue to invest in our workforce development pipeline, and that means more than just schooling. It may mean things like coding boot camps, things like upward mobility. So, people are working in retail, they can move up to management or move to a different company, to get out of some of those low wages. Next, after that providing attainable housing for people in the region, especially New Hanover County,” said Dante Haywood, Cape Fear Collective data scientist.

Cape Fear Collective is a nonprofit using data science techniques to gain insights, with the goal of equitable systemic change in Southeastern North Carolina.