Jobs Report Shows Racial Disparities in Job Market Persist

Posted July 3, 2014
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[email protected] 202–734-6529 Colin Seeberger, [email protected] 214-223-2913

“We know that young African Americans get more value from education in terms of improved job prospects, so we must expand educational opportunities for young African Americans”

[WASHINGTON] – Rory O’Sullivan, deputy director of Young Invincibles, issued the following statement:

“While today’s unemployment rate of 6.1% is welcome news for the economy, when you break down the jobs numbers, it’s clear young adults are significantly struggling to enter the job market. Young adults, aged 18 to 34, fared far worse with an unemployment rate of 9% and the disparities by race are even more appalling.

Young African Americans, aged 18 to 34, face an unemployment rate that’s more than twice the rate of their white peers: 16.7% to 7.6%, respectively. We know that young African Americans get more value from education in terms of improved job prospects, so we must expand educational opportunities for young African Americans; bolstering the Pell Grant would be a good first step.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Sarah Lovenheim,