DEI Backlash and Hiring Chill

How do we advocate for equity amidst federal policy changes that actively widen gender and racial gaps?

Since April, a record-low unemployment rate for Black Americans has skyrocketed, surging from below 5% to 7.5%. At the same time, the unemployment rate for white Americans dropped slightly to below 4%. The economic position for Black women in particular was just beginning to get better, and today, slashed public sector jobs and a slew of other factors are causing a rapid backslide.

When people of color, and especially Black women, lose ground, it’s a flashing neon warning sign of systemic cracks that, ultimately, impact us all. In this episode, I’m breaking down the of data that highlights just how heavily our current economic problems are impacting American workers, families, and communities.

The numbers don’t lie. Here’s what they show:

• The federal and public sector job cuts are disproportionately impacting Black women;
• Attacks on DEI programs are stifling improvements that had barely begun;
• Good leadership today looks like advocating for equity and opportunity for all.

Related Links:

• Joint Center for Economic and Policy Research, “The Best Black Economy in Generations – And Why It Isn’t Enough” - https://jointcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-Best-Black-Economy-in-Generations-Final.pdf
• Economic Policy Institute, “What’s behind rising unemployment for Black workers?” - https://www.epi.org/blog/whats-behind-rising-unemployment-for-black-workers/
• The New York Times, “The Racial Wage Gap is Shrinking” - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/briefing/juneteenth-racial-wage-gap.html
• The New York Times, “In Trump’s Federal Work Force Cuts, Black Women Are Among the Hardest Hit” - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/us/politics/trump-federal-work-force-black-women.html
• MSNBC, “300,000 Black women have left the labor force in 3 months. It’s not a coincidence.” - https://www.msnbc.com/know-your-value/business-culture/300000-black-women-left-labor-force-3-months-s-not-coincidence-rcna219355
• The New York Times, “Black Unemployment Is Surging Again. This Time Is Different.” - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/business/economy/black-unemployment-federal-layoffs-diversity-initiatives.html
• The New York Times, “Trump Fires Black Officials From an Overwhelmingly White Administration” - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/us/politics/black-leaders-trump.html
• The White House, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” - https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/
• The New York Times, “How Corporate America Is Retreating From D.E.I.” - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/13/business/corporate-america-dei-policy-shifts.html
• Brookings, “Black wealth is increasing, but so is the racial wealth gap - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/black-wealth-is-increasing-but-so-is-the-racial-wealth-gap/
• Episode 526, The Double Tax: What It Really Costs Women of Color to Succeed - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode526
• TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeaction
• Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/
• Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

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