Chicago’s Black Teen Joblessness Rate Is The Worst In The Nation
Downtown Chicago Skyscraper Cityscape along the Chicago River. Typical yellow Tourboat cruising on the Chicago River towards the Michigan Lake. Chicago, Illinois, USA. By Jasmine Browley ·Updated May 28, 2024 < /> Chicago is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but troubling new data uncovers a peak into a dark future of work if drastic measures aren’t taken now. A recent report on youth employment, Uneven Recovery and Sustained Inequality after the COVID-19 Recession: Employment for Chicago’s Youth and Young Adults, revealed that Black teens especially are experiencing jobless rates higher than pre-pandemic levels. “It’s devastating that in Chicago alone there are more than 45,000 16 to 24-year-olds who are out of school and out of work,” said Jack Wuest, executive director of the Alternative Schools Network in a news release. “Statewide there are a total of 163,081 out of school and jobless youth that is more than Joliet or Naperville in population. The legislature has an opportunity right now by allocating $300 million for youth employment during this legislative session to make a difference in these young people’s lives.”The report was released by the University of Illinois Chicago Great Cities Institute and commissioned by the Alternative Schools Network took a deep dive into the joblessness rates of young people aged 16-24 from 2019-2022 (the latest data available) in Chicago and Cook County. Overall, the data suggests that Chicago youth in predominantly Black and Hispanic or Latino neighborhoods fare far worse than their white counterparts in other areas of the city, the state of Illinois and even the country. “This report shows that despite an overall rebound in employment levels in Chicago since the pandemic, recovery has been uneven among different racial and ethnic groups in Chicago,” said Matthew D. Wilson, Associate Director of Economic and Workforce Development at Great Cities Institute and one of the authors of the report per a news release. “Black and Latino teens and young adults continue to have high jobless and out-of-school jobless rates compared to white Chicagoans.” Unsurprisingly, the report links joblessness with increased violence, but also reveals a beacon of hope: government funded programs. A study the report’s researchers cited showed a 43 percent decrease in arrests for violent crimes among the 1,634 disadvantaged teens who participated in the One Summer Chicago Plus summer work program in 2017. “The question is will we have the political will to create opportunities for this generation or will we falter and repeat the mistakes that are illustrated by the GCI report findings,” a statement says. “Our children’s futures are in our hands. Again, we call on the state legislature to provide $300 million to support programs that will not only pay off now but will offer generational dividends in the future.” The post Chicago’s Black Teen Joblessness Rate Is The Worst In The Nation appeared first on Essence.
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