September Jobs Report: Job Growth and Wage Gains Allay Fears of Recession But Inflation Remains Stubbornly High

Dr. Bernard E. Anderson
Whitney M Young, Jr. Professor Emeritus, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Senior Economic Advisor, National Urban League

The U.S. economy added 263,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.5%, allaying fears that wage growth and interest rate hikes, intended to slow inflation, would trigger a recession.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 6, 2022) – Today, Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, applauded President Biden’s recent efforts to decriminalize marijuana by erasing prior federal possession convictions and beginning the process of loosening federal classification of the drug:

Do you have a brand, or do you want more advice on selling yourself in interviews?  Join us next Thursday, October 6th for our Building Your Digital Brand & E-Networking event. 

Pitching Your Brand: What is your brand?  Join us to learn how to pitch yourself in interviews, meetings and to others as you build relationships at the start of your career journey.  Gain career advice from Precious Williams as she shares her tips for bringing out your “wow” factor, personality, and owning your awesomeness to secure internships and other career opportunities. Participate in the event to develop the cunning, clarity and confidence that’s been inside you all along while also leveraging platforms such as LinkedIn and Jopwell.

CHICAGO (Oct. 3, 2022) – There is a new tool for candidates looking for work in Chicago.

The Chicago Urban League (Chicago, IL) is helping candidates who are traditionally overlooked by employers by working with a new company called Risekit.

Risekit works with non-profits to get overlooked candidates find work. According to Risekit’s CEO Matt Strauss, “Often our job seekers may have a barrier to employment or don’t have access to more jobs, their resumes might not be accepted in the applicant tracking systems.”

Karen Freeman-Wilson, President and CEO of the Urban League, says, “What the Urban League adds is the human factor. We look at their background, their resume, we suggest certain tweaks, we make the handoff to recruiters at companies.”

HAMPTON ROADS (Oct. 3, 2022) – The Urban League of Hampton Roads (Norfolk, VA) has partnered with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council to launch a regional training talent pipeline.

The program is the result of an $11 million federal grant that will seek local talent for several industries, beginning with maritime jobs.

The program has also partnered with HBCUs and community colleges to recruit female candidates and candidates of color.

According to Latisha James, Executive Vice President of Operations for the Urban League, “This is an opportunity for us to be very intentional to closing the racial wealth gap in employment.”

BUFFALO (Oct. 3, 2022) – The Black community in Buffalo received a national outpouring of support after the tragic shooting in Topps supermarket back in May.

But after a shooting that police said was racially motivated, many members of the Black community didn’t feel comfortable speaking to white counselors.

“They completely rejected it,” President and CEO of the Buffalo Urban League (Buffalo, NY), Thomas Beauford Jr., said. “The immediate reaction to the counselors was, ‘We need to see counselors that look like us.’”

In the days that followed, the issue was addressed and handled. Erie County’s director of health equity Kelly Wofford reached out to her network for Black counselors.

Racial double standards. Read more about Brett Favre’s role in Mississippi’s $94 million welfare scandal and how it impacts underserved families. | CBCF week in D.C. We're glad to shape convos on Black America, including sessions on ensuring Black businesses benefit from federal contracts. | Greetings from Rochester! Last week on our 21 Pillars tour, we talked to community members about police brutality, structural injustice + much more. | Mark your calendars. Join the Urban League movement on October 8th & 9th for the National Urban League’s Weekend of Action! Click to volunteer for canvassing and voter registration. | Still not vaxxed? Vaccines are our first line of defense in protecting ourselves from prominent viruses, especially COVID-19. Here are the stats. | Don’t miss the gems. Tune in for a convo with Karine Jean-Pierre, the first Black White House Press Secretary, to unpack the upcoming election + more. | Let’s get down to business. Tap into our free webinar on Wednesday for tips on how to start and manage a small business. RSVP now.