U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is sounding the alarm over what she describes as a deepening economic crisis disproportionately harming Black communities.
She is accusing the Trump administration of advancing policies that are accelerating unemployment, affordability struggles, and economic instability for Black Americans.
Speaking at a Capitol Hill press conference alongside advocacy organization Color Of Change and several civil rights groups, Pressley said the “state of the Black economy is under attack” as Black workers face mounting financial pressure from layoffs, rising living costs, and the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
“The state of the Black economy is under attack,” Pressley declared. “We are plagued by an economic crisis that is a direct result of Trump’s reckless financial policies that are precisely targeting Black communities who already carry the weight of systemic economic harm.”
The Massachusetts Democrat said the impact is being felt in everyday essentials, from housing and groceries to fuel and healthcare costs.
“This isn’t just politics,” Pressley said. “It’s rent, groceries, gas, and survival.”
Her remarks come amid growing concerns among civil rights advocates and labor organizers about rising Black unemployment and the economic effects of cuts to federal programs, workforce protections, and DEI-related initiatives.
According to figures cited during the press conference, Black unemployment has climbed significantly higher than the national average, with Black workers reportedly facing a 7.3% unemployment rate compared to the broader national rate of 4.3%.
Pressley also pointed to reports that more than 300,000 Black women have lost jobs under the current administration, describing the situation as a “push out crisis” disproportionately affecting Black professionals and workers.
“Trump is shamefully and intentionally pushing out Black workers who carry with them a wealth of knowledge, innovation, and skill to our workforce,” she said.
The lawmaker said she recently met with Black women in her congressional district who described struggling with sudden job loss, stalled careers, and growing economic insecurity despite having advanced education and years of professional experience.
“There was no shortage of degrees. There was no shortage of expertise. There was no shortage of experience,” Pressley said. “And yet many of these Black women shared their challenges navigating sudden career stops, economic insecurity, and the harmful impact on them and their families’ lives and livelihoods.”
Pressley highlighted the story of a healthcare worker in her district whose position supporting vulnerable patients was eliminated following Republican-backed cuts to Medicaid and National Institutes of Health funding.
“She worked to ensure that Black, immigrant, disabled, and LGBTQ+ patients did not fall through the cracks,” Pressley said. “Her position was eliminated because of Republican cuts.”
The congresswoman also warned that Black-owned small businesses are struggling under rising operational costs and tariffs, with some owners reportedly facing difficulties paying employees and keeping businesses open.
Pressley argued that the current economic climate is widening racial inequities that already existed because of generations of systemic discrimination.
“This layered, discriminatory attack on Black lives deepens the economic inequities burdening Black communities,” she said. “But the consequences reverberate far beyond us, and this harm is coming for everyone.”
The event brought together several major civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, the National Urban League, and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
Advocates at the press conference called on Congress to invest in minority-owned businesses, strengthen labor protections, expand affordable housing access, and restore policies aimed at increasing workplace diversity and opportunity.
Pressley closed her remarks with a call for political resistance and collective action.
“It’s up to all of us to actively resist, reject, and condemn this agenda of anti-Blackness on steroids,” she said, “and to fight for Black families, for Black workers, for Black joy, for Black progress, for Black futures.”
