About 300,000 Black women left the U.S. labor force between February and April 2025. The number was appalling to Sheletta Brundidge, owner of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com, a multimedia production and podcasting company. She said the worst part was the lack of attention.
“Nobody was talking about it,” Brundidge said. “There was one story in Detroit, and I thought, somebody has gotta do something.”
So that’s what Brundige did. She organized a Job Fair for Black Women in Minneapolis on Oct. 17. “I called these companies and asked them if they would come, and 15 said yes, and 500 Black women came to get jobs, interviews, connect, sip on mimosas, and we had a food truck.”
Local employers in attendance included Metro Transit, M Health Fairview, Fraser, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Minneapolis Police Department, to name a few.
“At our two hospitals and 25 clinics, we need to be reflective of the people we are serving,” said Elizabeth Edenland, a recruiter with North Memorial Health who was at the job fair.
The event was perfect for Nadvia Davis, who is looking for work. “I just really loved the fact that she’s focusing on Black Women. I wanted to explore and see what it would be like, and it’s exceeding my expectations. I’m glad I showed up.”
Not only were attendees able to connect with potential employers, but the event also included a raffle in which two women were picked to have their November mortgage or rent paid by the event sponsors ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com and Spotlight Staffing LLC.
Joy because of paid rent or a potential connection were overarching themes from the job fair, despite an isolated but concerning response. “I had to hire additional security officers because of credible threats,” Brundidge explained. “People saying, ‘Why you doing this for Black women? You should be hiring anybody.’ Folks calling me all kinds of names.”
Even with the threats, Brundidge, employers and attendees classified the day as a success and a dose of hope. “Don’t give up, apply, leverage your resources and use LinkedIn, but don’t lose faith,” said Davis.
Brundige hopes it’s just the start and a format that can easily be replicated. “I want other Black women who are boss ladies with connections in other cities to see how successful our event was and they start duplicating our efforts in Dallas in Washington D.C. in Milwaukee, in Chicago and Boston and Houston and Phoenix and get 500 Black women in their city to come to come to an event like this and find jobs and then those numbers are going to go in the opposite direction.”