Economist Claudia Sahm Leaves Center for Equitable Growth
Economist Claudia Sahm Leaves Center for Equitable Growth
(Bloomberg) -- Claudia Sahm, the former Federal Reserve economist who in July wrote a blog post detailing professional, sexist and racist harassment in her field, has left the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
The blog post, titled “Economics is a disgrace” renewed focus on the profession, which is dominated by White men. While critics have long pointed to the lack of diversity in economics, the pandemic’s disparate impacts on people of color and women -- and the renewed national conversation on inequality -- has put a fresh spotlight on the field and others.
Sahm’s resignation from the Center for Equitable Growth, where she served as director of macroeconomic policy, is effective Oct. 2, after which she doesn’t have full-time employment, she said. Sahm is a regular contributor for Bloomberg Opinion and writes for the New York Times.
“The Washington Center for Equitable Growth wishes Claudia well in the next chapter of her career and looks forward to engaging with her as part of our network,” said Elena Waskey, a spokeswoman for the organization.
In her July blog post, Sahm, who was also a member of President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, detailed dozens of specific examples accumulated in the 13 years since she earned her doctorate.
Sahm is the creator of a namesake economic rule that attempts to identify recessions as they’re occurring. If the three-month moving average of the unemployment rate rises by half a percentage point or more from its low of the previous 12 months, the Sahm Rule is triggered.
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