Month after month, more and more Black women are out of work. The troubling thing is, the numbers keep going up for us.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate held at 4.1 percent in June. But for Black women, the trend reads differently: 5.1 percent in March, 6.1 percent in April, 6.2 percent in May, and then 5.8 percent in June. These rates consistently hover near double those of white women, revealing long-standing disparities in access and vulnerability across the labor market.
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The Cuts in Healthcare, Education, and Federal Government Jobs
Black women shape every sector of the economy and contribute across every industry, but our presence is especially felt in fields such as healthcare, education, and federal service, where entire communities often rely on our labor. Recent workforce reductions are reshaping these sectors and cutting deep into places where Black women have historically led.
Between February and March 2025, seasonally adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show employment among Black women fell from 10.566 million to 10.300 million. The 266,000-job drop marks the sharpest one-month decline since the early days of the pandemic.
Public sector cuts were especially severe:
- The Department of Education reduced its workforce by 46 percent.
- The Department of Health and Human Services saw a 24 percent decrease.
Many of the affected roles were tied to equity programs and health outreach, spaces where Black women have shaped systems, built trust, and driven change.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Black women comprise 11.7 percent of the federal workforce, nearly twice their share of the civilian labor force. This statistic highlights the central role Black women play in the federal workforce and the consequences of their disappearance.
With New Job Market Growth, We Aren’t Getting Hired
In June, healthcare added 39,000 new jobs. Residential care gained 2,800 positions, while nursing added 14,400. However, many Black women continue to struggle to reenter industries where they bring valuable experience and dedication.
Being qualified isn’t always enough. Access to networks, clear hiring pathways, and employer outreach all shape who gets hired and who’s left waiting. Without these supports, short-term industry growth doesn’t deliver lasting stability.
Recessions Cost Us Even If We Are Educated
Black women have faced disproportionate job losses in nearly every major recession. During the Great Recession, their unemployment rate peaked at 13.7 percent, with deep losses across retail, education, and public service, as reported in a UC Berkeley Labor Center analysis.
Even higher education doesn’t guarantee protection. A 2020 Urban Institute analysis found that Black households led by college graduates had less wealth than white households headed by adults who had not finished high school. Systemic barriers persist and disparity cycles repeat, regardless of how far one climbs educationally.
Lost Jobs = Lost Opportunities to Build Generational Wealth
Black women often provide for multigenerational households. A lost paycheck is about more than covering rent; it can stall savings, slow investments, and shrink the possibility of financial mobility.
A Brookings analysis revealed that between 2019 and 2022, median household wealth stood at:
- Black households: $44,890.
- Latino households: $62,000
- White households: $285,000.
That means that white families held more than six times the wealth of Black families. While some progress may be happening, things are still unfolding within a system where equity is far from guaranteed.
Kristen Broady, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, told WTTW News:
“Changing or improving just one of those things is not going to change the racial wealth gap. But policymakers can look at any and all of those facts and statistics to decide how they can collaborate across different groups, philanthropy, higher education, state and local government, etc., to work on those policies.”
Unemployment Carries An Emotional Toll
If this experience feels familiar, you’re far from alone. The emotional toll of job loss, especially in uncertain times, can shape how we move through the day, and how we see ourselves.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports found that unemployment can significantly affect emotional health, triggering symptoms like anxiety, depression, and difficulty with emotion regulation. The research points to how job loss disrupts cognitive control and heightens distress, especially for individuals navigating systemic pressures.
Periods of unemployment, especially extended ones, can carry real emotional weight. Experts call it situational depression, and it may feel like:
- A drop in motivation or energy.
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
- Changes in appetite or weight.
- Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or frustration.
- Struggling to focus, make decisions, or stay present.
Naming these shifts doesn’t mean weakness; it’s simply acknowledging the truth, bringing you closer to creating space for healing, support, and recovery.
Charting the Way Forward
We need to take a serious look at how this economy treats us, especially during times of economic hardship. Closing the gap means tracking where jobs vanish, which roles get prioritized, and whether reentry is possible. Productivity numbers don’t tell the whole story. If reentry isn’t possible, how can those skills be used differently?
Historically, no one has ever handed us anything on a silver platter. We know now will be no different. But there are things we know and do better than anyone else. Maybe another industry can benefit from that expertise. The point is to pivot and move forward with purpose.
Resources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Employment Situation – February 2025
African American Women in the Federal Sector
Current Employment Statistics Highlights June 2025
4 Ways to Get Your Neurodivergent Teen Ready for College – Black Health Matters
Black wealth is increasing, but so is the racial wealth gap | Brookings
