Spotlight »

American Jobs Act Addresses Youth Unemployment At Crucial Time

September 9, 2011

The President's jobs plan includes proposals for youth employment at a crucial time for America's young people. Youth and young adults under age 25 represent about one-third of the unemployed. Over 3.6 million youth in this age group are unemployed and this summer was the worst on record for teen employment since World War II. The situation is especially bleak for youth of color, who face much higher unemployment rates than their white counterparts; a mere 18.5 percent of Latinos and 14 percent of blacks were employed last month, compared to 32.4 percent of whites. The President's American Jobs Act addresses the youth unemployment crisis in a serious way.

Could Riots Akin to those in Britain Happen Here?

August 15, 2011

The United States is certainly not England, but there are several indisputable similarities in the underlying issues behind the British riots that raise questions about what happens when disadvantaged youth feel marginalized or wholly disconnected from larger society. The overall youth unemployment rate is now at 17.8 in the United States - but it is much higher for minority youth, at 39.2 percent. In Washington, D.C., the youth unemployment rate is a staggering 50.1 percent. In New York, it is 25 percent. In Oakland, in Philadelphia, in Chicago, in Cleveland, and across the nation, the numbers tell a similar story. And it has not been a quiet summer.

View All