DJIA 23,679
Unemployment (U-3,U-6) 14.7, 22.8
US Covid-19 Growth Rate ~1.0%
COVID-19
Covid-19 hits Black Community Hard in Philadelphia Area (WHYY)
CNBC on health disparities by race (CNBC)
Racial resentment to beliefs about Covid-19 and African Americans (Washington Post)
Black women are affected the most by the COVID-19 crisis
Black Barbershops and Beauty Salons want to open in California
How are Black businesses in Pittsburgh doing during COVID crisis
—Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) / Small Business Loan Program
Charlene Crowell from the Center for Responsible Lending writes about minority business being excluded from the Paycheck Protection program.
Small Business Program short changes Businesses of Color
Black Businesses have trouble getting PPP loans (Newsone)
The SBA released an audit report of the Paycheck Protection Program.
The Paycheck Protection Program does not even mention minority businesses but it does acknowledge it failed to reach them. In fact even the word “minority” is used only once in the document which quickly switches to the term: “under served.”
Small amounts of aid to community banks and minority bank during crisis
P. Diddy helps businesses access the Paycheck Protection Program
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs created a website to help Black business access Paycheck Protection Program. You can view the Our fair share website here.
The Network Journal also covers the story (Network Journal) has the story here.
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Urban Planning
City Lab has a good story on under investment in Black neighborhoods
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Economic News
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell say economy won’t be back for awhile in a sixty minutes interview
Highlights: 25% unemployment, no V-shaped recovery, demand will be low as people save and at least 20% GDP shrinkage. Long interview with some details. The usual fed speak, but it was 60 minutes, so the fed is worried about the average consumer(worker a little less)
He did mouth the administration Trope about: “Lowest Black unemployment ever,” so he loses points. The rate was low because they ran out of people to hire. Check the participation rate and EM ratio. Also wage are the lowest they have been for 40 years. Plus job quality of work life stinks. So, they might be jobs, but they sure aren’t good jobs.
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Academic Journals
William Darity at Duke University has a new research paper on the Black Middle Class
The Black Economic Alliance has a relief proposal for business affected by Covid-19. (Black Economic Alliance)
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Unemployment
Lots of Unemployment stories, so we will pick three good ones
BLS April Unemployment Report
The BLS released the April Unemployment report on May 8th with depression levels of joblessness. The narrow national unemployment rate was recorded at 14.7%. The boarder, U-6 (everyone who wants to work plus people who want more hours) stood at 22.8%. More than twenty million payroll jobs were lost.
The unemployment rate for Black spiked at 16.7%, but the Black/White unemployment rate gap narrowed, meaning more Whites were laid off than Blacks (proportionally).Leisure and Hospitality lost a staggering 7.6 million jobs of which 5.5 million were restaurants and bars.
Unemployment payments continue to lag
Unemployment benefits can exceed salaries for some job categories
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Politics
Joe Biden releases plan for Black America called “Lift EveryVoice”.
https://joebiden.com/blackamerica/
The plan address proposes to “improve economic mobility, close racial wealth gaps, improve education, and end health disparities by race. There are also some justice related ideas such as promoting a fairer justice system, increasing voter access and addressing environmental justice issues.
Our View: The mild plan is a welcome change of tone and direction.While the proposals are certainly needed, it’s a rather small and timid grab bag of extensions to existing programs.
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Interesting People
Real Estate Broker, Tiffany Curry, becomes first Black Berkshire Hathaway Franchise Owner
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Other
The Famous Marcus Books in Oakland may not survive.
Pandemic may affect census counts in minority communities
Very informative