Black Californians saw a sharp rise in unemployment and worsening job stability between 2024 and 2025, according to a May 2026 report from the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies’ Black Policy Project. The report links the shift to federal funding rollbacks, public sector job losses, reduced diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and a broader economic slowdown.
Using Current Population Survey data, the analysis found Black unemployment increased from 5.6% in 2024 to 7.5% in 2025. That marked the largest one-year increase among racial and ethnic groups in California. That downturn left Black workers facing double the unemployment rate of White Californians by the end of the reporting period.
The report shows the impact was not evenly distributed. Black women experienced a steep rise in unemployment, from 3.5% to 7.1%. College-educated Black women saw one…
