If you are black or Latino and male, chances are you are unemployed right now

Some very distrubing figures came out on Monday saying that unemployment amongst black and Latino Americans are more likely to be unemployed hands down. 

The Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights organizations are calling for a targeted aid package to put minorities back to work and stepping up pressuring on the White House ahead of its jobs summit next month where corporate CEOs, academics, labor leaders, community activists, and others have been invited to suggest any and all ideas to spur hiring.

The US unemployment rate among black workers soared last month to a 28-year high of 15.7 percent and the rate has risen to 13.2 percent for Latino workers - both well above the overall 10.2 percent national average. Despite early signs of economic recovery, many economists predict the jobless rate will continue to climb toward 20 percent in minority communities, which historically have higher unemployment than the general population.

The scary fact is that here in Alabama the numbers are even worse with 10.9% unemployment and rural, majority black counties like those in the Black Belt of West and South Central Alabama are facing unemployment numbers pushing 30%!  It's very scary out there for black and Latino folks hands down.  According to the Washington Post, unemployment numbers for 16-24 year-old black males have reached Great Depression levels at 34.5%.  For young blacks, race statistically appears to be a bigger factor in their unemployment than age, income or even education. Lower-income white teens were more likely to find work than upper-income black teens. Even blacks who graduate from college suffer from joblessness at twice the rate of their white peers.


Word is floating around that if you are double minority, i.e. SGL/LGBT of color, then you are even more likely to be unemployed than your heterosexual counterparts.  I'm trying to do my damnest not to wind up in an awkward situation myself although I'm in school at the moment...

I know the President (Obama) claimed the economy his persay, but it would have been his one way or another either through admitting it or having it pinned to him by Republican opponents come next year or 2012...