A disproportionate number of Black women are unemployed, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. is demanding answers.
On Monday, Pressley addressed Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve Chair, in a letter, urging him to address the spike in unemployment for the most educated demographic in the U.S.
“The U.S. Federal Reserve has a statutory mandate to promote maximum employment and that must be true for all people, regardless of race and gender,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Given your role as Chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, I write to you to request data about the impact of Black women’s job loss on the U.S. economy and a response on how this issue will be addressed.”
As of August, the overall unemployment rate in the U.S. was 4.3%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pressley’s request to Powell comes after public data showed the unemployment rate for Black women rose sharply to 7.5% in August, according to Axios.
In her letter, Pressley not only laid out the facts, she also pressed the Federal Reserve to do the following by September 30, 2025:
– Provide data 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.
– Provide a detailed plan of how the Federal Reserve plans to address the increasingly high unemployment rate of Black women
Lastly, she asked Powell to “Support the independence of the Federal Reserve, including from unlawful firings like that of Governor Lisa Cook?”
Cook recently made headlines as the president has sought to unlawfully oust Cook — the first Black woman to serve in the role.
The first quarter of this year saw an unprecedented number of layoffs due to the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) bundled efforts to reduce government spending. DOGE’s strategy was, arguably, limited as the focus relied heavily on layoffs, eliminating DEI efforts, and dismantling various social programs. In Congresswoman Pressley’s public letter, she wrote about the importance of a diverse labor market that is both inclusive of Black women and diverse teams.
“A diverse labor market, inclusive of Black women, contributes greatly to the economy and the workplace. One study of more than 300 public companies found that diverse teams were more productive and yielded higher earnings. Another study found that women were able to secure workplace benefits like paid family leave, leading to better workplace rights, productivity, and retention from employees who felt more respected and valued from new family-oriented workplace policies. It is undeniable that Black women contribute significantly to this nation and this nation’s economy.”
To read the rest of Pressley’s letter, click here.