Media clips

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• DC beauty supply store facing evictions, trying to keep business and hope alive

  In 2025, Black women’s employment rate fell by 1.4 percentage points to 55.7%, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

  WJLA April 13, 2026
• The Trump ally cracking down on immigration in Washington — and bringing in foreign workers back home

  To close followers of visa policy debate in Washington, it’s clear that Harris is “the ringleader” of the push to expand the pool of temporary foreign workers, said Daniel Costa, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, a group that is critical of the way workers are treated under the H-2B program.

  While Harris’ stance is not “a paradox,” Costa said in an interview, it’s certainly in conflict with the MAGA vision of top Trump advisers, including Stephen Miller. Harris’ lobbying effort is reminiscent of the “fracture in the Republican coalition” last year when Elon Musk pressed the president to boost a separate visa program for high-skilled workers against the guidance of other close Trump allies, he added.

  Politico April 13, 2026
• Report shows 616,700 Ohio workers would benefit from minimum wage increasing to $15 an hour by 2030

  Policy Matters Ohio recommends the state increase the minimum wage one dollar each year until reaching $15 per hour in 2030. More than a dozen states and Washington, D.C. have minimum wages of $15.

  Economic Policy Institute modeling shows 616,700 Ohio workers would get a raise due to a state minimum wage increase of $15 an hour by 2030, according to the report.  

  Ohio Capital Journal April 13, 2026
• Higher housing costs in Gainesville force some students to work more to get by

  The financial pressure students feel locally mirrors broader economic trends. Inflation has cooled compared to its 2022 peak, according to the Economic Policy Institute, but wage growth for entry-level workers has not kept pace with the cost of living, particularly in housing.

  WUFT public radio April 13, 2026
• American Leaders Have Lost Their Commitment to Mutual Consent

  Today the pattern is everywhere. CEO-to-worker compensation has gone from 21-to-1 in 1965 to 281-to-1 in 2024, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

  Bloomberg April 13, 2026
• US fertility rate drops to all-time low, continuing a two-decade decline

  According to the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank focused on economic issues, the average cost of childcare in the state of California was nearly $22,000 per year. In states with a lower cost of living such as Alabama, it was nearly $8,000.

  Al Jazeera April 13, 2026
• Is ‘Tipflation’ Finally Over? More Than 40% of People Say They’ve Cut Back on Tips

  Other researchers were even more blunt in their assessments. A report by Economic Policy Institute found that most tipped workers wouldn’t see anywhere close to four figures.

  “Most workers, including a large portion of tipped workers, will not benefit from this policy whatsoever,” left-leaning think tank concluded.

  Money Magazine April 13, 2026
• Wall Street Bonuses Are Up, Worker Paychecks Are Down

  This Week in Middle-Out

  The Economic Policy Institute has published an excellent report detailing how community benefits agreements can transform manufacturing jobs in the South from extractive, low-wage jobs into high-wage jobs that invest in the workforce.

  The Pitch from Civic Ventures April 13, 2026
• Louisiana rejects bill to establish minimum wage for poorest workers

  But Phelps cited state statistics showing that 90,000 Louisiana workers earned $7.25 per hour or less in 2025.

  Jan Moller of Invest in Louisiana said one in five workers would have received raises through Phelps’ bill directly or indirectly, quoting data from the Economic Policy Institute.

  “People in Louisiana deserve a raise so life can be more affordable,” he said.

  Shreveport Times April 13, 2026
• Wage gains have outpaced inflation for nearly three years. The war could quickly change that

  Last month, average hourly wage growth slowed to 3.5%, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

  “We’ll definitely see elevated prices eating away at people’s paychecks,” Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, told CNN.

  CNN Business April 13, 2026