More from Brookings Metro
America’s shrinking white population needs to value youthful diversity. For the first time, children of color now comprise more than half (53%) of the nation’s total youth population, writes William H. Frey in his analysis of recent 2020 census data. The major engine of any future growth among the young is a new generation of children born into families of color—the largest groups of whom stand on the wrong side of rising race and ethnic inequalities.
A new federal grant should make regional leaders rethink their industry clusters. “Building back better” through a major federal investment in equitable industry cluster development is possible—but it will not be easy, Brad McDearman, Joseph Parilla, and Ryan Donahue say. Their recent piece outlines several important characteristics that industry cluster initiatives need to be successful.
August’s jobs report shows higher unemployment for Black workers, just as jobless benefits and eviction protections end. There was an increase in unemployment for Black workers in August, write Kristen Broady and Carl Romer. Considering age, Black teens have had the highest average unemployment rate over the 13-month period between August 2020 and August 2021 (18.32%), compared to 16.32% for Latino or Hispanic teens and 12% for white teens.
Designing a collaborative fund for underserved entrepreneurs. A Western New York nonprofit, Open 4, provides a compelling model to address multiple complex obstacles that have long prevented minority- and women-owned business enterprises from accessing dollars and other essential supports for startup and scaling. Lavea Brachman provides an overview.
