California Black Women’s Collective (CABWC) in partnership with CA Black Media and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) released the State of Black Women in CA 2022 and Beyond Report – Essays from Black Women Thought Leaders report.

 

The report focuses on critical issues impacting Black Women and the Black Community including political participation; work and family; health and wellness; employment and earnings; poverty and opportunity; education; violence and safety; and Black Women and aging. More than 20 different authors provided insights and highlighted legislative and non-legislative recommendations.

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“This report is critical to the work we need to do around improving the lives of Black Women and Girls throughout California and to ensure we don’t get left out of the conversation,” states Kellie Todd Griffin, convener of the California Black Women’s Collective. “So often we are behind the scenes doing the work to help all communities thrive but there is still a need to focus on our specific issues to ensure there is intentionality to making sure change happens for us and our communities. That is why it was imperative to have this report center around the intersection of gender, race and location.”

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California has the fifth largest Black population in the nation with 2.1 million people. However, based on the 2020 census results, this only represents 5.7% of the overall state population. Black females in California represent 51% of the Black population. According to the data in the report, 80% of Black households in the state have Black women breadwinners and over 70% are headed by single mothers.

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“Black Californians, particularly Black Women have been in the forefront of every movement that has moved our state forward on issues that matter to every resident and yet we still see so many disparities when it comes to us,” said Hon. Dezie Woods Jones, co-founder and state president of Black Women Organized for Political Action, an organization founded in 1968 to build the Black political power and bench throughout the state. “We have seen so much progress, but the work must continue, which is why we are unapologetically advocating for the needs of Black Women and our community. We have never shied away from pushing for what we believe is the right thing to do for Black people in this state.”

 

According to Todd Griffin, the report will serve as a roadmap for individuals and organizations to rally behind as they advocate for the resources and policies to bridge disparity gaps. The first State of Black Women in Ca report was released in 2018. To read the reports click the link below.

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The report was released at the CA Black Women's Collective Empowerment Series, which included the State of Black Women's Issues Forum 2022 and Beyond. Thank you to our sponsor for the series: 

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• Platinum Sponsors – UDW, Molina Healthcare, and The Hutts Group

• Gold Sponsors – Evitarus, SEIU 2015, and LA Care

• Silver Sponsors - Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, CA Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, Blue Shield Promise Health Plan, and SEIU 721

• Bronze – Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Health

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