FIRST STEP ACT: TRUMP SIGNED INTO LAW REFORMS TO SENTENCING LAWS IN FEDERAL PRISONS AND EXPANDED VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO HELP REDUCE RECIDIVISM. A MEASURE THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY BENEFITED BLACK AMERICANS. WHAT TRUMP DID FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY; SECOND CHANCE HIRING: THE ADMINISTRATION PROMOTED INITIATIVES TO ASSIST FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT AND REJOINING SOCIETY. HBCU FUNDING: THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PERMANENTLY FUNDED HBCUS AND SIMPLIFIED THE FAFSA APPLICATION PROCESS BY SIGNING THE FUTURE ACT INTO LAW. HIS ADMINISTRATION ALSO FORGAVE OVER $300 MILLION IN DEBT OWED BY FOUR HBCUS IMPACTED BY NATURAL DISASTERS. OPPORTUNITY ZONES: THE 2017 TAX BILL CREATED "OPPORTUNITY ZONES" TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE MINORITY COMMUNITIES. WHILE INTENDED TO SPUR DEVELOPMENT, SOME ANALYSES FOUND THAT MUCH OF THE INVESTMENT WENT INTO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE RATHER THAN SUSTAINABLE JOB CREATION. ECONOMIC METRICS: THE BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REACHED A HISTORIC LOW DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND BLACK POVERTY RATES ALSO REACHED SERIES LOWS IN 2019.
