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Showing posts from October, 2025

September 2025 Unemployment Forecast

Unemployment rates rose for most groups in August, and our forecast suggests the same trend is likely to continue into September. The numbers are small—but they point to deeper structural issues in the labor market, especially for women of color. What We Saw in August According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), unemployment increased across nearly all groups in August 2025. Black women, Hispanic men, and Hispanic women experienced some of the sharpest increases. The only exception was Asian workers, whose unemployment rate declined. This broad uptick suggests momentum that is unlikely to reverse in the short term. Forecast for September 2025 (Seasonally Adjusted, %) Black Women (20+) : 6.7% in August → 6.9% in September ( higher ) Hispanic/Latina Women (20+) : 4.9% in August → 5.0% in September ( slightly higher ) White Men (20+) : 3.7% in August → 3.8% in September ( flat to slightly higher ) Overall (20+ years) : 4.2% in August → 4.3% in September ( slightly...

AI’s Emerging Superintelligent Behavior: Should We Be Scared? By Shea Carlberg ('25) and Diya Kumar, ('26) George Washington University.

There are many predictions for how the AI industry game of chicken between China and the US will intensify amid a heated global trade battle. Being in a room with AI entrepreneurs, academics and policy makers at the Semafor “ AI Safety in the Age of Superintelligence ” conversation on September 30 underscored some multifaceted perspectives. The event's two speakers, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and New York Times bestselling author Nate Soares had widely different concerns. While Sen. Kelly grounded his probe in the immediate pressures facing his constituents—such as the strain that AI-driven demand has placed on Tucson's energy grids— Soares could not be clearer about the urgency for global coordination in order to avoid superintelligence “killing” us all. Senator Kelly framed the issue in terms of economic disruption. He estimated that by 2030, approximately 12% of economic output generated in Phoenix could be tied directly to AI, raising the specter of millions of workers displ...

Recap: Black Money Matters VI. Isabela Butler, Gonzaga University.

On September 25, 2025, leaders, policymakers, and community advocates gathered in Washington, D.C. for Black Money Matters VI, a forum tackling one of the most urgent questions of our time: " Can we stop Black wealth from reaching zero by 2053?" The event, presented by the Financial Services Innovation Coalition (FSIC) and Southern Christian Leadership Conference Global Policy Initiative (SCL-GPI), brought together economists, congressmen, business leaders, and grassroots voices to confront the systemic barriers undermining Black economic power. Opening discussions underscored the stark reality: despite the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history of an estimated $106 trillion, only a fraction is reaching Black families. Thaddaus Dawson noted that Black Americans hold only about $3 trillion of this wealth, when accounting for the percentage of the American Black population, it would require at least $10 trillion. Without intervention, speakers warned, the racia...