Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., is pressing the Federal Reserve to assess the damage from the recent spike in Black women’s unemployment brought on by Donald Trump’s agenda — along with the potentially grave national implications.
During his presidential campaign, Trump vowed to save what he called “Black jobs.” In reality, his destructive economic policies and his gutting of the federal workforce have helped fuel a spike in Black unemployment, now at its highest level in nearly four years — a stark departure from the numbers under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, who oversaw a historically low Black unemployment rate.
The unemployment rate for Black men rose to 7.1% in August, while the rate for Black women rose to 6.7%. And as MSNBC’s Ali Velshi discussed on his show over the weekend, economists warn that it could be a foreboding sign for the broader economy.
Pressley explained why in her letter:
Black women are more likely than any demographic group to be enrolled in higher education, represent the highest-growing group of entrepreneurs, and disproportionately serve as breadwinners for our families. When coupled with the fact that job openings and hires decreased overall since July 2024, you should see the current economic outlook as a glaring red flag that forbodes danger for the entire country.
Relatedly, a recent report from The New York Times explains how Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce have disproportionately harmed Black women.
Pressley’s letter to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell requests data on the scope and potential ramifications of the increased unemployment among Black women, as part of the Federal Reserve’s “statutory mandate to promote maximum employment.” Specifically, she’s pressing for the Fed to do the following by Sept. 30:
- Produce information on “the impact of Black women’s job losses on the U.S. economy and discuss how these racial and gender disparities in unemployment rates affect economic inequality.”
- Lay out how the Fed will “ensure it continues to uphold the mandate of maximum employment for Black women.”
- Clarify whether Powell intends to “continue to support the independence of the Federal Reserve,” as the Trump administration tries to oust Fed governor Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve in the role.
All of this relates to a discussion I held last month with activist Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates, an advocacy group for women in the workplace. Farrell specifically spoke about the crisis Trump has overseen, with women being purged from the workplace or leaving on their own as diversity programs and workplace protections have been cut.
Farrell also raised concerns that the administration’s attempts to install a right-wing activist to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics could lead to data about women’s unemployment — such as the data Pressley expressed concern about in her letter — being manipulated or completely fabricated to hide the severity of job losses under Trump.
