According to thelatest numbers from the United States Department of Labor unemployment rates,there are 139.5 million Americans without employment, with 10.7 percent of thembeing black people have not found any relief from a job market that has declinedsince the Clinton Administration.
Many studentshave turned to creating their own opportunities through starting their ownfirms.
Starting aclothing company right out of his dorm room, Ifae Okwumabua has found a measureof success in the past year.
“After my storyran in the Digest (spring semester) things really took off for me,” Okwumbauasaid. “I have acquired some new clients and have been working hard to designpromotional pieces for artist like 3 6 Mafia and Crime Mob.”
Employers ofmajor firms are looking to recruit the best of the best and are not alwayswilling to hire those without formal internships or other training.
Okwumabua hopesthat he can find someone who shares his vision of self-employment.
”I’ m really looking for a partner tocomplement my artistic style with their own business knowledge,” Okwumabuasaid.
House PartyProductions hopes to build on the success of the parties that they hadpreviously been throwing for friends.
“We startedthrowing parties out of our house and knew that we could fill a void in BatonRouge” said Da’Vanti Bryant, a partner in the production company
House Party hasbeen hosting parties at Club Exposure for four weeks and hopes to expand theirname and build on the reputation they have established here on campus.
“We’re trying tobring something different to Baton Rouge,” said Charles Bell, a seniormarketing major from New Orleans.
They hosted apajama jam during homecoming and know that this could be their chance to openup other opportunities in different areas.
“We would liketo take our parties to New Orleans and Mississippi,” Bryant said.