This Wednesday, Representative Janet Cruz (D-Fla) hosted her second annual job fair -or feria de trabajo– to help her constituents find jobs. Unemployment affects every demographic, but certain groups more than others. According to the latest unemployment statistics, the national unemployment rate was 9.2%, but for Latinos/as the number was 11.3%. With District 58 primarily composed of Latinos/as and African Americans, Cruz’s constituents are particularly affected by the economic downturn.
Admission to the event was free, but the only requirement for the estimated 100 employers was that they had to have available job openings. Before doors even opened, a large crowd was gathered outside Higgins hall hoping to be the first inside. An estimated 1800 people attended throughout the five-hour event.
“I’m thrilled, honestly,” said lawmaker Cruz over the success of the event. “I would encourage anyone that doesn’t believe there’s an issue with unemployment in Florida to come and see the face of unemployment at the job fair.”
This article appears in Aug 18-24, 2011.