Hispanic and Black workers in Syracuse have some of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, according to U.S. Census data.

The city also has wide gaps between the unemployment rate for white workers and the rates for Black and Hispanic workers.

It’s a nationwide problem, said Thomas Hirschl, a Cornell University professor who researches social class differentiation. The disparities persist even among broadly low unemployment figures.

“I think inequality breeds problems,” Hirschl said. “People feel excluded, people feel shut out of the system. And we need to have a system that’s participatory.”

Business leaders in Central New York have spoken often in recent years about making inclusive economic growth a priority. But there are also practical reasons to confront the disparities, l

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