Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and the Economy
IWPR’s Program on Race, Ethnicity, Gender and the Economy conducts original research and policy analysis using intersectional and racial equity frameworks to better understand the experiences of women of color, their families and communities in the economy and society.
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day 2023: No Matter What State They Live In, Black Women Make Less Than White Men
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is a symbolic commemoration of a stark reality: no matter which state they live in, whether they work part- or full-time, or part-year or year-round, Black women make substantially less than White men . This year, Black Women's Equal Pay Day falls on July 27th. While Equal Pay Days used to be described as the day when women “caught up” to men’s earnings from the previous year, IWPR senior researcher Ariane Hegewisch explains, "Equal Pay Days do not mark the date of catching up because the reality is that most women never catch [...]
Black Women Earn Less Than White Men in Every State, Won’t Reach Pay Equity Until 2144
The COVID-19 pandemic and related recession both highlighted and exacerbated the persistent racial and gendered economic inequalities that Black women face in the labor market. Whether they worked full-time, part-time, year-round, or part-year, Black women were paid substantially less than White men. This brief shows that Black women face a substantial gap in earnings with White men in each state; data are the most recent available based on the 2017-2021 American Community Survey. Read More
Supreme Court Undercuts Higher Education Access for Communities of Color
For Immediate Release June 29, 2023 Contact: William Lutz 202-785-5100 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court today turned its back on 50 years of precedent and gutted programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina that enabled students from communities of color to overcome systemic barriers to higher education, increasing campus diversity across the country. The decision could affect thousands of admissions programs across the country, creating challenging new barriers for students of color to navigate, potentially affecting millions of college-bound students. Statement of IWPR Interim President and CEO Daisy Chin-Lor “Every student deserves equal opportunity to [...]
Black History Month and the Importance of Black Women’s Experiences
As a leading think-tank focusing on gender equity issues, intersectionality is a core value of IWPR. Intersectionality applies a lens to how systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class, and other forms of discrimination intertwine to create unique dynamics and experiences. In our research and policy work, IWPR uses the tool of intersectionality to observe and analyze inequities. In honor of Black History Month, IWPR recognizes the importance of lifting up Black women's experiences. Since women's experiences are not a monolith; it is important to explore the experiences of Black women while [...]
