Time and time again, the system has failed Black women, and when it comes to the recent allegations and case brought against Sean “Diddy” Combs, the sentiment is no different.

I want to preface this article by saying that two things can be true: my introduction to hip hop on my own terms occurred during the rise of Bad Boys Records in the 1990s. There was once a time when I wanted to be a part of the label, because I thought the energy was so infectious and exciting, a reminder that larger-than-life dreams were possible.

Despite rumors about his behavior behind the scenes, I had long admired Diddy for his ability to bring out the best in people. We saw it through acts like the Notorious B.I.G. and Mase, as well as with groups like Day 26 and Danity Kane. Although it was evident during the Making the Band days that he could be a little egotistical.

While I long adored what he represented in terms of Black excellence, and the glitz and glamor of making it as a star, I do not condone or support any behavior where people have been harmed, whether it’s mentally or physically. 

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When Cassie Ventura broke her silence in November 2023, I remember it vividly. I had lain down for a nap at my nana’s house during a visit home to Virginia, and when I woke up, I had dozens of messages asking about my thoughts on the matter.

As a Black woman, my stance will always be to support other Black women, period. Furthermore, as a victim of sexual assault myself, I have an even softer spot for women who, unfortunately, can say they’ve experienced the same.

I applaud Cassie and the other women who have come forward because it’s no easy feat, and now my heart aches for them following a verdict that seemingly holds this man partially accountable for some of the vile allegations that have been brought forth against him.

What Was The Verdict?

According to CBS News, Diddy was convicted of two counts of prostitution-related charges, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He was acquitted of the more severe charges, which included racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, and is set to remain in detention as he awaits sentencing, now set for Oct. 3.

The Message It Sends To The Culture.

It would be remiss not to discuss the greatness of hip-hop without acknowledging some of its darker moments. This is one of them.

No matter how one feels about the outcome of the Diddy trial, the things heard throughout the various testimonies, including one from Cassie while she was just over eight months pregnant with her third child, cannot be undone.

For me, this echoes the concern of many women, Black women specifically, who never speak out against their abusers, not only out of fear that they’ll retaliate and do something awful, but when the deed is done by a man with power and the stature of someone like Diddy, it’s hard to tell whether justice will ever fully be served.

The case reinforces that powerful men are often untouchable and plays a role in the many victims who walk around with the burden of what it means to be sexually assaulted. At the same time, the alleged abuser continues to live their lives, basking in the glory of what it means to be a power player in the game of life.

Whether that power manifests as money or, in my case, the hierarchy of the family structure, it still plays a factor in the silence that women often carry with them to the very end. One that becomes a silent killer, becoming the underlying cause of chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. 

Those suppressed emotions and the often spoken and unspoken expectation to be strong and resilient also lead to ailments that aren’t always visible, such as depression and anxiety.

With the case of Diddy, it’s hard to say where we go from here, but what I do know is that once again thanks to bravery of women like Cassie, and the women who’ve come before her like former Def Jam executive Drew Dixon who chronicled her allegations of sexual assault against another hip hop mogul, Russell Simmons, in the documentary on HBO Max titled On the Record.

We still have a very long way to go, and I would be lying if we were a step closer to uncovering some of the ills that are associated with men in power way too often.

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Update — Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 09:36 a.m. EST

The U.S. job market remains turbulent for Black women, who continue to face disproportionately high unemployment rates. A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released on July 3, shows that while the unemployment rate for Black women declined slightly in June, it remained notably higher compared to other ethnic groups. For Black women ages 20 and over, the unemployment rate fell to 5.8%—still considerably above the rates seen among other women.

By comparison, the unemployment rate for adult white women dropped to 3.1%, while the rate for Hispanic women declined to 4.5%. Meanwhile, Black men saw a sharp increase in unemployment, rising from 5.2% in May to 6.8% in June—the highest among the major worker groups.

Although Black women now have a lower unemployment rate than Black men, they continue to face disproportionately high joblessness relative to their peers. The report highlighted that federal government employment declined by 7,000 jobs in June and is down by 69,000 since its peak in January. As previously reported, experts suggest this drop in public-sector employment may have contributed to the persistent unemployment challenges faced by the group.

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As reported by The 19th, between February and March, during the height of Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s so-called “Optimization Initiative,” approximately 266,000 Black women lost their jobs, marking a 2.52% decline in employment within that demographic. This wave of layoffs mirrored the scale of job losses experienced by Black women at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020.

Still, federal layoffs are just one part of the missing puzzle. The latest employment report highlighted that the healthcare sector—where Black women are significantly overrepresented—added 39,000 jobs in June, closely aligning with the average monthly gain of 43,000 over the past year. Notable increases occurred in hospitals (+16,000) and in nursing and residential care facilities (+14,000). However, it remains unclear whether these job gains translated into increased employment for Black women. But one thing is clear: despite growth in the sector, the additions were not substantial enough to offset the broader economic challenges disproportionately affecting sisters in the labor market.

We need change—and we need it now. The current labor crisis facing Black women is deeply concerning. When Black women become unemployed, they tend to remain jobless for longer periods compared to other groups. This prolonged unemployment not only affects their financial stability but also their ability to care for their families. Jasmine Tucker, the vice president for research at the National Women’s Law Center, revealed to The 19th that in June, Black women faced the longest average period of unemployment across all groups, with many remaining jobless for more than six months before securing new employment.

What was the unemployment rate in May 2025 for Black women?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released June 6, the unemployment rate for Black women ages 20 and over rose to 6.2% in May, up slightly from 6.1% in April. This figure outpaced the national average of 4.2% and even exceeded the unemployment rate for Black men, which stood at 5.6% last month.

By contrast, the unemployment rate for white women held steady at 3.3%, maintaining a stable trend seen throughout the spring.

Notably, the upward unemployment trend for Black women has continued steadily since May 2024, when the rate climbed to an alarming 5.3%. So what’s driving the surge in joblessness for Black women? Experts point to a sharp decline in federal employment opportunities, a sector where Black women have historically had stronger representation. Over the past year, the share of Black women working in the federal government has plummeted by nearly 33%, according to Bloomberg.

Much of this drop is being attributed to the controversial “workforce optimization initiative” spearheaded by former President Donald Trump and the quasi-government agency DOGE, led by Elon Musk. Launched in February, the initiative encouraged buyouts for roughly 75,000 federal employees, followed by sweeping layoffs across multiple federal departments, including the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security.

According to Pew Research’s 2024 data, Black workers make up 18.6% of the federal workforce, and Black women comprise a notable portion. In fact, as of FY 2020, African American women accounted for nearly 12% of the civilian federal workforce. However, they represented a disproportionately high share of employees at the agencies targeted for cuts, such as USAID, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education, where Black women make up 28% of the workforce, per ProPublica.

DEI Rollbacks Added Fuel To The Fire

These layoffs are only part of the story. Advocates say the Trump administration’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs has created additional barriers to employment—and retention—for Black women.

A class-action lawsuit filed in March with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board claims that hundreds of Black women were unjustly terminated from federal positions, according to a June 4 ProPublica report. Backed by the ACLU’s Washington office, the suit argues that the administration violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—which bans employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin—by enforcing the Trump-era rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Plaintiffs say the rollback disproportionately harmed Black women in the federal workforce, destroying what was once a stable path of employment for many.

Andre Perry, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, echoed these sentiments during a recent interview with Bloomberg, adding that the tariff war and lack of funding for small businesses that primarily hire Black women have added to the complex storm. 

“The layoffs at the federal level where Black people are more represented, the impacts of the tariffs, particularly on small businesses that hire Black women, and the overall use of DEI as a slur, which may be contributing to a lack of hiring of Black women, all of these factors are probably at play,” Perry said.

The Road Ahead

As federal employment contracts and DEI programs are dismantled, Black women—already underrepresented in private-sector leadership and overrepresented in low-wage jobs—are finding fewer paths to economic stability. Advocates say that reversing this trend will require both legal accountability and a renewed commitment to equitable hiring practices at all levels of government.

In the meantime, the data paints a stark picture. For Black women in the U.S., the road to stable employment is becoming increasingly steep and uncertain.

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Director Victoria Mahoney is preparing to unveil her bold vision for The Old Guard 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2020 Netflix action hit originally helmed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. This next chapter reunites the film’s core cast—including Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne—as they return with a renewed sense of purpose, battling dark outside forces that could threaten mankind’s existence. 

Ahead of the film’s July 2 premiere, MadameNoire caught up with Mahoney and leading star KiKi Layne to discuss the making of the sequel, their experiences navigating the industry as Black women, and what audiences can expect from this thrilling new installment.

Speaking at the Netflix Presents Black Excellence Brunch during the American Black Film Festival on June 13, Layne shared how “amazing” it felt to reimagine her role as Nile Freeman for the second time. The 33-year-old star told MadameNoire that she was honored to bring a fresh and powerful presence to the action genre, a category of film that “hasn’t always centered” Black women. For Layne, The Old Guard 2 is more than just a film, it’s a moment of representation and creative evolution.

“It means everything to me,” the Hollywood standout shared. “I’m always thinking about how we are being seen and how I am representing us in every project that I do. To be the lead of an action film, and to do that alongside Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, these women who have kicked down so many doors for women in action. Now I get to take it to the next level and represent for Black women in action. It’s amazing.”

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As Nile, Layne plays the role of the youngest and newest member of the immortal mercenaries, a Marine-trained warrior who proves she can hold her own among seasoned superheroes. The film demanded intense physicality, with Layne taking on several challenging stunts. While she admitted it was tough at times, the Ohio native described the experience as “physically exciting” and “fun,” embracing the thrill of pushing her body to the limit.

One of the most daunting moments came during a scene where she had to leap from a high balcony onto a flag. Fear crept in, and the crew was moments away from calling in her stunt double. But Layne dug deep, faced her nerves head-on, and made the jump herself—delivering a powerful, adrenaline-fueled performance.

“I said, ’No, today is the day, the cameras are rolling. Oh, I’m about to make this jump.’ And I got into my gear and I did it!,” she gushed with pride. 

The power of filmmaking is in the details, shared Mahoney

Mahoney was thrilled to bring her sharp visual instincts to The Old Guard 2. For the award-winning filmmaker, storytelling lives in the details—every scene, every movement, and every action was meticulously crafted to add depth and nuance to the film. It’s an approach she honed through years of studying theater and working off-Broadway, where precision and intentionality are essential.

Mahoney shared that she worked closely with Layne and the rest of the stellar cast to fine-tune every aspect of their on-screen presence, from how they walked and moved to the subtleties of each scene. This careful “calibration,” she explained, was crucial to creating a layered, immersive, and visually captivating experience for viewers. She’s excited for fans to see it all come together when the film premieres on Netflix July 2.

“Everything from props to location to camera angles to lens, which lens, why we’re close to you, why we’re far from you, what we want the audience to feel and what we don’t want the audience to feel—all the tools that are built to elicit emotion, I enjoy calibrating,” Mahoney said. ”Not only that, [but] sort of getting each aspect to then hit some crescendo or magnum opus. I have a clear visual beat.”

Leading a major action franchise as a Black woman comes with its own set of obstacles, but Mahoney remains confident, committed to standing in her power, and leading with strength, clarity, and creative vision. She acknowledged that while the industry is still “catching up” when it comes to equitably representing filmmakers of diverse backgrounds and identities, she’s focused on pushing boundaries and creating space for more inclusive storytelling to open up doors.

“One must know oneself so well that you are equipped in the face of any circumstance that reduces your greatness,” the director said bluntly. “So, if people standing around you do not see what your full capability is, you have to have an unwavering sense of your greatness and what you have to give that isn’t greater than the person standing next to you, but it’s great in the capacity of all that you have to give on planet earth with your time and your life and your talents and your skills.”

Watch our full interview with Victoria Mahoney and KiKi Layne on The Old Guard 2 above. 

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