Why are Black women losing jobs at such a high rate?
There's a problem in the job market, but if you don't dig below the surface in the latest monthly employment report, you might not see it. The overall unemployment rate is 4.3% and in the last year it barely moved.
But the data tells a different story when it comes to Black women and employment. Their unemployment rate has jumped to 6.7% which one expert calls a warning sign.
Fadjanie Cadet was laid off in April of this year, and her experience is all too familiar right now. She is a highly educated Black professional, who is now unemployed, and worried about her future.
She said the anxiety and uncertainty of what comes next are the toughest part.
"Thinking about financially, what the implications would be for me and for my family. But I think one of the other most interesting impacts for me, particularly, is because of the work I was doing," Cadet explained to Cole.
Cadet was the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for a global research and advisory firm.
Retreat from DEI
That's one of the factors behind more than 300,000 thousand Black women leaving the workforce between February and April — corporate America's retreat from DEI, or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
"It's been really disheartening ... the information that came out for The Bureau of Labor Statistics, with about 320,000 Black women leaving the workforce, between February and April, I believe. But that's going to continue," said Aba Taylor, the President and CEO of YW Boston.
YW Boston is an organization dedicated to creating more inclusive work environments.
"Long-term career women in the federal government suddenly just being told they need to go for no reason," Taylor said.
She highlights a second factor: small businesses cutting back.
"Small businesses are really being impacted by the tariff policies. Black women getting hired through small businesses is a factor to the unemployment rate, certainly," Taylor said.
Federal government layoffs
The third factor Taylor pointed to is layoffs in the federal government. There are more Black women working for the federal government than in the private sector.
That's why Rep. Ayanna Pressley is using a letter to voice her concerns to Jerome Powell, the Chairman of The Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
"What I'm calling on the Fed to do is collect the data, to analyze the data and to come up with a plan. 300,000 Black women have been pushed out of the labor force in the public and private sector — and that is a crisis!" Pressley exclaimed.
She wants a response from the Fed, no later than Sept. 30.
"An economic indicator"
"Black women have always been an economic indicator for what that means for everyone else. We have been the canaries in the coal mine. So, it is advantageous — and economists will support this — for us to better understand exactly what is happening to Black women and then do something about it," Pressley said.
YW Boston isn't waiting for the federal government to help.
"We have a lot of programming coming up this fall to kind of focus specifically on Black women, women of color, including another webinar in October that focuses on women of color in the workplace and what is the status," Taylor said. "We also have an advocacy training that we're planning specifically for women of color to help uplift their voices, help them navigate the political scene we're in right now."
Taylor said they are also working on putting a leadership program together for 2026.
They're not alone in this space. Boston While Black, a networking group for Black professionals, is using its app to help members share jobs and network. It's putting a heavier emphasis on its career center, where employers can post opportunities and members can connect with them directly.
"We're trying to be that connector and help people, these two sides that are trying to find each other, make those connections," said Sheena Collier, the Founder and CEO of Boston While Black.
As for what's ahead for Cadet, she says right now her focus is helping organizations.
"Tie DEI principles to org-effectiveness work. People are dealing with so much disruption now: societal, political, technological disruption and right now organizations need leaders that have met the moment and can really help lead through change. So, right now I'm looking for different opportunities that will be more broad and integrating culture, learning and employee experience," said Cadet.
We checked in with Rep. Pressley's office Monday and they have yet to receive a response from the Fed.
If you are wondering what you can do to positively impact change, Rep. Pressley encouraged community. She says this is the time to really show up for one another. She also mentioned plans to release more resources in the days to come.
Courtney Cole joined WBZ-TV in 2022 as an anchor and reporter after spending four years in Jacksonville, Florida.
