Make Me Smart Rep. Ayanna Pressley on the troubling rise in Black women's unemployment
Sep 18, 2025
Ayanna Pressley, a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts and a member of the House Financial Services Committee, highlights the alarming rise in unemployment among Black women. She passionately calls for the Federal Reserve to take action, arguing that their employment mandate must explicitly include this demographic. Pressley also discusses the broader implications of anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion measures and their disproportionate effects on Black women, emphasizing the urgent need for legislative responses.
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Rising Black Unemployment Is A Warning Sign
- The Black unemployment rate rose sharply, reaching 7.5% in August and far above the overall rate.
- Ayanna Pressley says this signals systemic cracks that the Fed must include in its maximum-employment mandate.
Black Women As Economic Bellwether
- Pressley frames Black women as canaries in the coal mine for broader labor-market weakness.
- She demands the Fed produce data analysis and a plan by September 30 to address Black women's unemployment.
Disparate Impact In Federal Cuts
- Black women made up 12% of the federal workforce and were concentrated in agencies hit by reductions in force.
- Pressley highlights a disparate impact from mass firings that disproportionately removed Black women.