Black Women Jobs Crisis 2025: Aerospace Veteran & Career Coach Insights

The 15-Minute Call That Changed Everything

April 2025. Aerospace. Corporate America.

I'd spent years building executive teams, recruiting top talent, and ensuring operations ran smoothly. Then came the call—15 minutes to tell me my position was "eliminated." A severance package slid across the table like it could soften the blow of being erased.

It didn't.

What I didn't know then was that I wasn't alone. Across the country, over 300,000 Black women were being pushed out of the workforce between February and July 2025—many of us in management, white-collar roles, and positions we'd fought twice as hard to earn.

Some were already burned out from performing at levels 2-3 times higher than their peers just to prove they belonged. Others were on sabbaticals, trying to recover from workplace trauma. Many were baffled by the lowball offers they received after years of excellence.

And now? We're disappearing. Not by choice—but by design.

The Numbers Don't Lie: Black Women Are Being Erased

Let's be clear about what's happening:

Black women's unemployment jumped from 5.1% in March 2025 to 6.1% in April, then to 6.2% in May. By September, the rate hit 7.5%—more than double the rate for white women.

Meanwhile, unemployment for white women and Asian women stayed steady around 3%. Latinas hovered near 5%. Every other demographic group remained relatively stable—except us.

Black women have the highest labor force participation rate of any female demographic, yet we're being laid off at the fastest pace. We show up. We work. We lead. And when budgets get tight? We're the first ones shown the door.

Where are we disappearing from?

• Federal government: Mass layoffs decimated agencies where Black women historically found stable employment

• Professional and business services: Women lost jobs at a rate of 1.3%—four times faster than the overall industry rate

• Tech and aerospace: AI-driven restructuring and "efficiency" cuts disproportionately targeted our roles

• Healthcare and education: Budget cuts and restructuring eliminated positions we dominated

Rep. Ayanna Pressley called it what it is: "Black women are the canary in the coal mine on the health of the economy." When we start disappearing, it's a warning sign for everyone.

Why This Keeps Happening: The Pattern Nobody Wants to Name

Here's what I learned from 15+ years on the other side of the hiring table as a recruiter and talent acquisition leader:

1. Last Hired, First Fired—Still True in 2025

Despite all the diversity talk, Black and Brown women are often the last to be hired into leadership roles. When companies restructure, we're the easiest to cut. No tenure protection. No executive relationships to shield us. No "old boys' club" to advocate behind closed doors.

2. The DEI Rollback Isn't Theoretical—It's Personal

DEI positions decreased by nearly 13% from 2023 to 2025. When companies gutted these programs, they didn't just eliminate roles—they eliminated the infrastructure that helped us get in the door and stay there.

The same companies that posted black squares in 2020 quietly dismantled their diversity initiatives when the political winds shifted. And guess who paid the price?

3. We're Expected to Perform at 200-300% Just to Be Seen as Equal

I've watched it for years. Black and Brown women working twice as hard, staying twice as long, delivering twice as much—just to be considered "as good as" our peers.

And even then? We're "too aggressive." "Not a culture fit." "Lacking executive presence."

The exhaustion is real. The burnout is real. And when we finally break, we're told we're not resilient enough.

4. The "Restructuring" Excuse Hides Bias

Call it what you want—budget cuts, reorganization, AI-driven efficiencies, rightsizing. The result is the same: Black and Brown women are disproportionately impacted.

Federal agencies with the highest workforce reductions were also those with the highest percentages of women, minority, and Black employees. That's not a coincidence. That's a pattern.

What We're Losing—And What It Costs

When Black and Brown women disappear from the workforce, here's what goes with us:

• Institutional knowledge built over years of service

• Cultural competence that can't be taught in a training

• Pipeline development—we were the ones mentoring the next generation

• Innovation—diverse teams perform better, period

• Economic stability—for our families, our communities, our economy

As one policy expert put it: "Black women are at the center of the Venn diagram that is our society." When we're pushed out, everyone loses.

The Ladder Out: What Happens Next

Here's what I know from walking through this fire myself:

You don't have to stay down.

I didn't just survive my layoff—I rebuilt. I took everything I learned from 15+ years of recruiting in IT, Cybersecurity, Engineering, and Aerospace and created something that couldn't be taken from me.

But here's what I also know: you can't do this alone.

The rules have changed. AI is scanning your resume in 8 seconds. Recruiters are overwhelmed. Companies are looking for reasons to say no, not yes.

You need strategy. You need someone who understands both sides of the table. You need a ladder—not empty motivation.

Here's What I'm Offering You

If you're a Black or Brown woman who's been laid off, overlooked, or lowballed—this is your space.

I help you:

• Rewrite your story so it positions your value, not your trauma

• Optimize your resume for AI systems and human decision-makers

• Prepare for interviews with confidence and clarity

• Rebuild your professional brand on LinkedIn

• Navigate severance negotiations so you leave with what you deserve

• Translate military experience into corporate language (for my fellow veterans)

This isn't therapy. This isn't cheerleading. This is rebuilding with strategy.

I only work with 70% of the people who inquire because I'm selective about who I serve. If you're coachable, motivated, and ready to move—let's talk.

The Conversation Doesn't End Here

This blog is just the beginning. I want to hear from you:

• What was your experience?

• What did your 15-minute call look like?

• How are you rebuilding?

Share your story in the comments or reach out directly. Let's keep this dialogue going. Let's make sure our voices aren't erased along with our jobs.

Take the Next Step

📅 Book Your Free 15-Minute Strategy Session
Let's map out your comeback—no obligations, just clarity.
Schedule Your Session Here

📥 Download Your Free Career Reflection Worksheet
Start identifying what's holding you back and what you need to move forward.

💬 Join the Conversation
Follow Nehemiah's Ladder for real talk about navigating layoffs, career transitions, and rebuilding after setbacks.

"Your comeback is possible. You don't have to figure this out alone. Let's walk it out together."

— Nichole Walls
Founder, Nehemiah's Ladder
8-Year Army Veteran | 15+ Years Talent Acquisition | CASR Certified
www.nehemiahsladder.com

Additional Resources

Related Reading:

• "The Silent Crisis: Why Unemployment Rates Don't Tell the Full Story for Black Women"

• "From Burnout to Breakthrough: Rebuilding After Corporate Betrayal"

• "Military to Corporate: Why Veterans Face Similar Challenges"

Support Networks:

• Global State of Women Relief Fund

• Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

• National Urban League Career Centers

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