The departure of 300,000 women of color from the workforce is a warning about our future
Three hundred thousand women exiting the workforce is a shift that will be felt in our communities for years to come. Many have exited not by choice but because of inequity, bias, and economic pressure. Their absence is felt in our offices, our classrooms, our hospitals, and our communities.
This is more than an (un)employment story. When women of color are pushed out of jobs, the loss resonates far beyond a paycheck. It means fewer families building generational wealth, fewer mentors for the next generation, and fewer leaders shaping the policies and workplaces of tomorrow. It weakens entire communities and wears down the progress made toward equity over decades.
Unequal pay, lack of affordable childcare, burnout from carrying both professional and caregiving responsibilities, discriminatory hiring and promotion practices, and industries that shed jobs in ways that disproportionately impact women of color all play a role. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified these inequities, forcing many women of color to leave the workforce at alarming rates as they took on caregiving for children and elders, navigated remote learning, or faced job losses in vulnerable industries. The aftermath of that period continues to ripple through our economy and our communities.
While women across the board have faced challenges in recent years, women of color have carried a disproportionate share of the burden. Black women, Latina women, and Native women are concentrated in sectors such as healthcare support, retail, education, and hospitality. These are industries hit hardest by pandemic layoffs and have been slow to recover in wages and job stability. Even as jobs return, they often come with fewer hours, reduced benefits, and lower pay. Many of these women were the frontline workers who kept the country running during the height of COVID-19, yet today find themselves treated as expendable.
In Baltimore, women of color are the backbone of the state’s workforce in healthcare, education, government, hospitality, and small business ownership. When their economic footing weakens, the impact ripples through our communities, with less spending in local businesses, fewer resources for schools, and widening gaps in home ownership and wealth-building. Baltimore’s economy is at its strongest when women of color are working, thriving, and leading.
The problem is big and there is no one answer. However, any solution must be targeted and intentional. Businesses must audit pay equity and promotion pathways, implement flexible work options, and address bias in recruitment and retention. Policymakers and state programs must prioritize affordable childcare, paid family leave, and workforce development programs tailored for women of color re-entering the workforce. In Maryland, this also means leveraging state programs and partnerships to ensure workforce development initiatives reach those most impacted. Most importantly, jobs must be available for those who are seeking to return to the workforce. To accept this as the new normal is to quietly concede that the talents, ambitions, and leadership of women of color are expendable. They are not.
Employers, lawmakers, advocates, and community leaders must treat this as the crisis it is. It will require uncomfortable conversations about bias and inequity, bold investments in policies that work, and a willingness to dismantle systems that no longer serve. But the cost of inaction is far greater. We have a chance right now to bring these women back, to build workplaces where they can thrive, and to ensure that no one else is forced to choose between survival and a career. It is a matter of justice, equity, and national competitiveness. If we fail to address it now, we risk cementing a legacy of exclusion that will take generations to undo.Colette F. Colclough is the Executive Director / CEO of Forward Women’s Leadership Forum – https://www.forwardwlf.org/
