passion lies elsewhere as an undergraduate, and later find that advanced studies in economics align with your career interests. others may already feel that economics is your calling. and just as there are a variety of reasons that people decide to deepen their studies in economics, so too there are many career fields where a degree in economics can be a powerful enabler. in my case, although i did not have an undergraduate economics degree, i later decided to pursue advanced study in economics because it provided a rigorous analytical framework and approach to data to address important problems facing america. growing up, i saw how every family ’ s well - being is affected by their financial resilience and their economic opportunities. i decided to study economics because it provides powerful tools to help promote a better future for many americans. i have found different ways to approach that throughout my career — from teaching the next generation of problem solvers, to assessing the challenges facing american manufacturers, to seeing the potential of microfinance for financial inclusion, to promoting maximum employment and stable inflation in my current job. i recognize that it is challenging to look around a classroom or conference room and not see colleagues who you can relate to. it is humbling to imagine how that first economics class looked to dr. sadie alexander. but now there are a number of leading scholars and practitioners in the field to provide inspiration and serve as role models. today, you will hear from several, including dr. julianne malveaux, dr. willene johnson, and dr. lisa cook, who will share with you their perspectives and discuss their important and interesting work. so what might you find by pursuing economics? as i have noted, you can influence people ’ s lives for the better. you can craft policy to change our world. you can teach and help shape the next generation. you can find the answers to questions that matter most to you. you can develop the intellectual framework and tools that will enable you to pursue a range of opportunities, not just in economics, but also in business, finance, policy, and nonprofits. conclusion i hope you will take away the message that the field of economics would be the richer from your engagement and has much to offer as you decide how to make your contribution. there are many opportunities for you in the field of economics, both here and abroad, in government, academia, and the private sector. dr. sadie alexander knocked down the door, and i hope you will consider following her through it. 1 i want to

lael brainard : is economics for me? increasing the participation of black women in economics speech by ms lael brainard, member of the board of governors of the federal reserve system, at the sadie t. m. alexander conference for economics, washington dc, 23 february 2019. * * * it is an honor to be a part of the inaugural sadie t. m. alexander conference in economics and related fields. i want to thank each of you in this room and those of you livestreaming who form the sadie collective. special thanks go to mykelle richburg, kayla jones, olusayo adeleye, george - ann ryan, jada houser, fanta traore, and anna gifty opoku - agyeman for taking the initiative and launching this organization and this conference to increase the representation of black women in the field of economics. i applaud your efforts, and i support your mission. 1 the story of dr. sadie tanner mossell alexander is an inspiration for us all. a woman of firsts — the first african american to receive a ph. d. in economics and the first woman to receive a law degree from the university of pennsylvania — she was a pioneer who knocked down some daunting doors. the question for the women in this room here today is whether you will follow her through those doors and maybe knock down a few of your own. the need for greater diversity let me start by making two observations about economics. first, the field of economics is rooted in evidence and research. the second observation follows strongly from the research and the evidence : economics has a diversity challenge. there is a stubbornly persistent lack of diversity in the economics profession. 2 year after year, minorities and women are underrepresented in the pool of individuals awarded a doctorate in economics in the united states relative to their share in the broader population, and the gap is especially acute for women of color. the american economic association reports that in the 2016 – 17 academic year, seven black / african american women were awarded a doctorate in economics in the united states, along with eight black / african american men, out of a total pool of 1, 150 economics ph. d.'s awarded overall. the economics diversity gap starts even earlier. as amanda bayer and david wilcox have documented, women and minorities are also underrepresented in undergraduate economics programs. from 2011 to 2015, women accounted for only 31 percent of undergraduate degrees in economics — substantially below their