WASHINGTON – Rep. Pressley (D-Mass.) called on the Federal Reserve on Thursday to address disproportionately higher unemployment rates among Black women before the government potentially shuts down on Sept. 30.
Rep. Pressley sent a letter to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell urging the Fed to uphold its mandate of maximizing employment opportunities.
This comes after Pressley said 320,000 Black women have exited the labor force since February.
Northwestern economist Kirabo Jackson said rising unemployment among Black women represents a “canary in the coal mine.”
“When the economy is in a good position, Black Americans, Black women are more likely to be hired,” Jackson said. “But when things are in a bad situation, they’re the first ones that are going to be on the chopping block.”
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