GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
June 6, 2025
AframNews.com
Vol.30, Issue 20
FREE
African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
DR. LUCKETT JOHNSON’S JOURNEY
BLACKS IN THE JOB MARKET
By: Roy Douglas Malonson
Despite historic highs in college graduation rates and professional certifications, Black Americans are still being pushed to the bottom of the employment ladder—hired last, promoted slower, and fired first. Let the numbers speak for themselves: • Black men earn just 71 cents and Black women only 63 cents for every dollar paid to white men, according to the National Women’s Law Center. • In executive roles, only 3.2% are held by Black professionals, despite making up over 13% of the U.S. population (McKinsey & Co., 2023). • A March 2025 report from the Economic Policy Institute shows Black unemployment remains double that of whites—7.1% vs 3.5%, even in a “strong” economy. So why, after decades of “progress,” are Black workers still losing? Diversity Talk, No Action When companies made bold diversity promises after George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Black
professionals hoped for real change. But by 2025, most of those pledges have quietly disappeared. A LinkedIn study revealed that more than 40% of DEI roles created post-2020 have been cut in the last two years. Even worse? Tech and media companies, once eager to showcase Black talent, are now laying off those very workers. A 2024 analysis by Revelio Labs found that Black employees were 18% more likely to be laid off during corporate downsizing than their white counterparts. Overqualified, Underpaid, and Overlooked Black professionals aren’t just showing up— they’re overperforming. The National Center for Education Statistics reports Black women have the highest college enrollment rate among all racial and gender groups. But degrees aren’t translating into promotions. “I have two master’s degrees and ten years of experience,” said Dr. Angelica Coleman, a healthcare administrator Market on pg. 3
By Sharon C. Jenkins
In a world where adversity can often define a person, Dr. Luckett Johnson chose to let it refine him instead. From the humble beginnings of rural Mississippi to the halls of medical academia, Dr. Johnson’s life is a testament to survival, perseverance, and the unwavering will to make a difference. His story, rich with history, hardship, and hope, is a powerful narrative of what it means to rise above your circumstances while staying rooted in purpose. A Name, A Beginning Born weighing only three pounds, Dr. Johnson’s life began against steep odds. “My mother named me Luckett because I was lucky to live,” he explains. “I had to drink goat’s milk to survive, and my first bed was a shoebox—I was so small.” In a time when premature babies often didn’t survive, his life began with a miracle, one that instilled in him a deep appreciation for the very act of living. Roots in Rural Mississippi Growing up in rural Mississippi during the 1950s shaped Dr. Johnson’s identity in profound ways. The heart of blues country was filled with song, hardship, and Johnson on pg. 7