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‘I want to feel hopeful’: Young Black women worry about jobs and affordability as midterms approach

October 28, 2026

Black college women are expressing deep concerns about economic affordability and employment prospects as they approach the 2026 midterm elections. Recent data shows Black women, particularly those with bachelor's degrees, have experienced disproportionate job losses, with unemployment rates climbing to 6. 8 percent while white women's rates remain around 3 percent.

Who is affected

  • Black college women, particularly seniors preparing to graduate
  • Leila Kuguru, senior political science major at Clark Atlanta University planning to attend law school
  • Aisosa Onaghise, first-year master's student at San Diego State University studying English and comparative literature
  • Morgan, senior at Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Nearly 300,000 Black women who lost their jobs due to federal workforce cuts
  • Black women with bachelor's degrees who experienced a 3.5 percentage point drop in employment rates
  • Students in graduate programs designated as "non-professional," particularly in fields like teaching, nursing, social work, and humanities
  • Recent college graduates facing 5.7 percent unemployment rate
  • Black voters, especially Black women who vote 92 percent Democratic

What action is being taken

  • Leila Kuguru is leading voter registration and civic engagement campaigns through CAU Votes at Clark Atlanta University
  • 77 Black women are running for office in the 2026 midterm elections
  • Keisha Lance Bottoms is campaigning for Georgia governor with a platform to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour
  • Penny Brown Reynolds is running for Georgia secretary of state
  • The Education Department has banned federal student loans for programs whose median salaries earn less than high school diploma holders and imposed loan caps ($100,000 for non-professional graduate programs, $200,000 for professional degrees)
  • Federal workforce cuts are being implemented through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Why it matters

  • This situation matters because it represents a convergence of economic and educational policies that disproportionately harm Black women at a critical juncture in their lives. Black women face triple the unemployment rate of white women while simultaneously losing access to educational financing needed for advancement, creating a systemic barrier to economic mobility. The reclassification of traditionally female-dominated professions as "non-professional" devalues essential work in teaching, nursing, and social work while making these careers financially inaccessible. These issues affect not just individual futures but intergenerational wealth and stability, as young Black women struggle to become self-sufficient while their aging parents deplete retirement savings to support them. The political implications are also significant: despite being the most loyal Democratic voting bloc (92 percent for Kamala Harris), young Black women feel ignored by the party, potentially signaling a crisis in political representation and engagement for this crucial demographic.

What's next

  • The midterm elections will take place on November 3rd
  • Leila Kuguru plans to vote and will graduate as a senior, then pursue law school
  • Aisosa Onaghise plans to take out loans for her second year of her master's degree
  • Penny Brown Reynolds states that after 450 days of campaigning, the outcome now depends on voter turnout

Read full article from source: The 19th