Category: Economy

African Americans
Stefi Mar

OP-ED: The Future of Work

The future of work is no longer a distant idea — it’s here. Automation, artificial intelligence, remote work, and the green economy are redefining the workforce, and at breakneck speed. For the communities we serve and partner with, this moment presents both a challenge and a huge opportunity. The question is: will we be passengers or drivers of this transformation?

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Asm. Mike Gipson Makes His Case for California Board of Equalization Seat in High-Stakes Race


As California heads into the 2026 election cycle, all four elected seats on the State Board of Equalization are up for grabs, with voters in each of the agency’s four geographic districts choosing a representative. The board—which handles tax appeals, property tax oversight and equalization, and other key functions tied to California’s revenue system — has taken on renewed visibility as debates over affordability, business climate, wildfire recovery and state revenues intensify.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

State of Black California: New Data Shows Black Californians Falling Behind as Leaders Convene at UCLA to Confront Crisis


New data showing rising unemployment and widening economic gaps for Black Californians framed a statewide conference at UCLA, where more than 200 advocates, policymakers, elected officials, scholars, entertainers and community leaders gathered to examine the conditions facing Black Californians and to push solutions for a thriving Black California.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

A New Home, A New Chapter: Bakersfield Opens Senior Affordable Housing in the Southeast

For Rita McArn, moving to Bakersfield from Kansas City was an act of faith. She came to be close to her family and for the weather. Today, she is one of the first residents of the newly opened 610 4th Street Apartments, a 16‑unit senior affordable housing development quietly transforming a corner of southeast Bakersfield.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Historic Black Baltimore Community Secures $3.15M Federal Grant for Flood Relief

After decades of persistent flooding and property damage, Turner Station, a historic Black community in Baltimore County, has received a federal grant to the tune of $3.15 million for flood resiliency and mitigation upgrades. Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), alongside Baltimore County Executive Katherine Klausmeier and leaders from Turner Station Conservation Teams, announced the funding on March 12.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

Black Student Loan Default Rate Five Times Higher than Whites

On behalf of the nearly 9 million people who are now in default on their student loans, a coalition of advocates from consumer, civil rights, and education organizations is appealing to the federal Education Department to halt its plans to begin garnishing borrowers’ wages this month. Default status connotes borrowers are 270 days or more behind on their payments.

African Americans
Stefi Mar

State of the Dream 2026 Finds Black America Facing a Recession Across Jobs, Housing, and Technology

Black unemployment surged to 7.5 percent by December 2025, a level that would signal a recession if it were reflected across the national workforce. But the latest “State of the Dream 2026” report makes clear the damage extends far beyond jobs. From broadband access and housing to artificial intelligence and federal workforce policy, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies finds that 2025 marked a sharp economic breakdown for Black America driven by policy reversals and the removal of long-standing safeguards.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Parents Now Pay More for Childcare Than Housing Across the U.S.

Childcare is draining American families with a force that has begun to rival housing costs, and new national analysis shows that in cities across the country, parents are paying more to care for their children than to keep a roof over their heads. Researchers at LendingTree found that infant care exceeds average rent in 11 of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, while childcare for two children exceeds rent in 85 cities across the country.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Millions Suffer as Trump’s Economy Crumbles

America’s economy is not collapsing by accident. Under President Donald Trump, Russell Vought, and Stephen Miller, a deliberate plan has taken hold, a plan that weakens the labor market, starves families of food and health care, and rewards the wealthy with power and profit. What was once called “economic populism” has become an organized campaign of cruelty that has left the country broken and millions of Americans in despair.

Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

From Eggs to Hotels, Prices Soar as Inflation Redefines Daily Life

Prices across the United States are about 26% higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing everything from a weekend hotel stay to a simple cup of coffee out of reach for many families. A budget hotel room in Nashville can now cost $500 for the weekend—without breakfast—and a single cup of coffee can cost $7. Rental cars are also commanding premium rates, with four days in a midsize Toyota Camry easily topping $670.