Congressional Democrats (who may lose their majority come November) have vowed to make job creation their number one priority this year. The challenge is daunting for all those in the U.S. but more so, according to one study, for racial minorities.The report released last week by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that African-American and Latino unemployment would lag worse than whites this year. (17.2% and 13.9% versus 9.0%).
"The gap between white and minority unemployment rates has already grown dramatically during this recession and it is expected to continue growing," said Kai Filion- the study’s author- to AFP. Thus, the report concluded that from the beginning of the recession in December 2007 to the third quarter of 2010 Latino unemployment is expected to increase by nearly 8%.
"The gap between white and minority unemployment rates has already grown dramatically during this recession and it is expected to continue growing," said Kai Filion- the study’s author- to AFP. Thus, the report concluded that from the beginning of the recession in December 2007 to the third quarter of 2010 Latino unemployment is expected to increase by nearly 8%.
Another report released days ago painted a starker economic picture for Latinos:
The economic devastation for blacks and Hispanics is underscored in another study issued this week by a Boston-based nonprofit research organization called United for a Fair Economy. "State of the Dream," its annual report issued in connection with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, asserted that blacks and Hispanics are three times as likely to be poor as whites; that blacks earn 62 cents for every dollar whites earn; and that the family median net worth of whites in 2007 was $170,400, compared with $27,800 for blacks and Hispanics.The EPI study said that Latinos have been especially hurt due to the severely weakened construction and manufacturing sectors. Whatever the reasons may be, those in power (in both private and public sectors) have their work cut out for them to help Americans get jobs.
"We have a long history of discriminatory policies and practices, including outright segregation, redlining, misguided urban renewal plans and predatory lending, that have prevented people of color from building up personal wealth," said Brian Miller, executive director of United for a Fair Economy and co-author of the report.
Image- TIME (“A line of job applicants snakes through a ropeline to attend the CUNY Big Apple Job Fair in New York. Mark Lennihan/AP.”)
Online Sources- AFP, Reuters, Washington Post
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