​According to a news article’s assessment of recent government data, Black women are leaving the corporate labor force due to economic uncertainty and current federal policies and are increasingly choosing self-employment. I will provide a basic quantitative framework on how to determine if this is indeed the trend for black women over time, and if true, is the trend consistent spatially. I will also introduce a high-level assessment of its impact on local economies. These results can be used to develop strategies to enhance employment opportunities not only for black women, but for the entire working class regardless of race, ethnicity, and gender.

The Issue: Finance companies are taking advantage of a relaxed regulatory environment to pursue “zombie” mortgage loans, i.e., 2nd mortgages that were previously written off by the original lender. These companies pay pennies on the dollar for the rights to these loans and pursue the borrowers for the unpaid principle and accrued interest.

The Problem for zombie loans borrowers: An increased financial burden in an economy already impacted by slow economic growth, geopolitical uncertainty, and escalated inflation of  goods and services.