Happy Wednesday, Builders! The U.S. labor market is flashing a critical signal. In just three months, more than 300,000 Black women have exited the workforce, driving unemployment in this group to 6.7%—well above the national average of 4.3% (CBS News). This is not cyclical noise; it is a structural break with far-reaching consequences. The scale of the disruption is measurable. A 2% decline in employment among Black women translates into an estimated $37 billion in lost GDP this year alone—an economic hit felt not only in aggregate output but in deferred tuition payments, unmet mortgages, and stalled community investment. Is this our canary in the coal mine? We’ve heard warnings before, but when the alarm rings this loudly—signaling $37 billion in lost GDP—it’s not just numbers on a spreadsheet, it’s real households and real futures at risk. ⸻ 📊 The Paradox: Achievement vs. Exclusion By many measures, Black women are among the most educated and entrepreneurial participants in the labor force. They earn the majority of bachelor’s, master’s, and professional degrees awarded to Black students and start businesses at higher rates than most other groups. Yet these credentials have not shielded them from systemic inequity. Wages lag. Promotions stall. Recent layoffs—particularly in the public sector, alongside corporate retrenchment from DEI initiatives—have disproportionately affected them. As Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley observed, “Black women are not just workers or numbers on a spreadsheet. We are the backbones of our families, our communities, and this country.” ⸻ 🏛 Systemic Impact: Ripple Effects Across Generations The consequences of this exit extend far beyond a monthly jobs report. Nearly 70% of Black women serve as primary breadwinners, supporting children, elders, and community stability. Their withdrawal is an intergenerational destabilizer—it disrupts educational funding, weakens neighborhoods, and pushes families to the brink. Economist Valerie Rawlston Wilson of the Economic Policy Institute underscores one structural vulnerability. Black women account for 12% of the federal workforce, so reductions in that sector fall on them with disproportionate weight. Regional data reinforce the trend. Across the country, two forces unfold in parallel: a marked withdrawal from the labor force and a smaller, though resilient, group continuing to seek work even as opportunities narrow. The numbers tell only part of the story. Beyond the billions in GDP already lost, the real costs are borne in classrooms where tuition goes unpaid, in households struggling to cover mortgages, and in communities where investment stalls. These are the early warning signs of longer-term erosion—talent drained, institutional knowledge discarded, innovation deferred. As Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley cautioned in her letter to the Federal Reserve, “This crisis is a red flag for all.” If the trajectory continues, the U.S. will lose not only jobs but also competitiveness itself. To see the full letter, visit: pressley.house.gov/... ⸻ 📍 OHUB’s Response: Pathways to Lead OHUB is tackling this crisis directly. We are opening seats in our credentialed programs to women impacted by these workforce shifts. These pathways are designed to close systemic gaps, deliver access to frontier skills, and prepare underestimated women not just to reenter the labor market but to lead in the economy of tomorrow. If you are among the 300,000 navigating this moment of transition, we invite you to connect with us. This is not simply training; it is an invitation to rebuild, pivot, and claim a role in shaping the future of work and wealth. 🗣️ We’re here when you’re ready. Send us a note and let’s start building. ⸻ ⚡ OHUBNext Daily Brief—investments, edge tech, and moves that matter. For more than 12 years, OHUB has built pathways and on-ramps to multi-generational wealth—without reliance on pre-existing wealth. Through exposure, skills, entrepreneurship, capital markets, and inclusive ecosystems, we have helped people create new jobs, new companies, and new wealth.