Advancing Black Women in Leadership Initiative (ABWIL)
A research-driven, movement-building effort to elevate Black women’s leadership across sectors.
What Is ABWIL?
The Advancing Black Women in Leadership initiative confronts systemic barriers and fills a critical research gap on Black women’s leadership. Led by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, in partnership with The Maven Collective, ABWIL transforms research into action through data, narrative strategy, and advocacy.
The initiative strengthens the leadership pipeline, drives institutional change, and advances inclusive policies that support Black women across workplaces and communities.
Why This Initiative Matters
Across the country, equity and inclusion programs are being dismantled or rolled back. Over 30 states have introduced more than 100 bills restricting DEI efforts. Federal DEI programs have been targeted through executive actions, and the 2023 Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action has intensified barriers to advancement.
At the same time:
- Black women are earning degrees at rising rates, but advancing into leadership at declining rates (McKinsey, 2024).
- Black women leaders drive better outcomes for organizations, including reduced corporate risk and improved social responsibility (Nonprofit Quarterly).
- COVID-era increases in DEI leadership for Black women (a 55% surge) are now being reversed (SHRM estimates).
- Bias, microaggressions, and stereotypes—such as the “Angry Black Woman” trope—continue to impede advancement.
The result: widening gaps in leadership representation, public awareness, and workplace support.
ABWIL meets this moment with research, advocacy, and community-powered action.
Featured Publications
Who leads ABWIL
ABWIL is co-led by two nationally respected, Black women–led organizations with complementary strengths.
The IWPR team
Dr. Jamila K. Taylor
President and CEO, IWPR — Project Lead
Dr. Taylor is a national leader in health equity and social justice with more than 20 years of experience advancing reproductive rights and racial equity. She has held leadership roles in Congress and major national organizations and is a widely published expert across top media outlets. She holds degrees from Hampton University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Howard University.
Dr. Kate Bahn
Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research, IWPR — Research Strategy Lead
Dr. Bahn is an economist and national expert on gender, race, labor markets, and care work. She has held major research leadership roles, testified before Congress, and been featured across leading media outlets. She holds a BA from Hampshire College and a PhD in economics from the New School.
Dr. Jennifer Turner
Senior Research Associate, IWPR
Dr. Turner is a sociologist and former university professor whose work centers intersectional research design, student parents, and single mothers. Her scholarship is widely published, and she brings deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research. She holds degrees from James Madison University, Old Dominion University, and Virginia Tech.
The Maven Collaborative Team
Anne E. Price
Co-Founder, Maven Collaborative
A national thought leader on racial and gender wealth inequality, Anne has 30 years of experience across the public sector, including child welfare, community development, and higher education. Her work appears in The New York Times, The Nation, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. She holds degrees from Hampton University and The New School.
Jhumpa Bhattacharya
Co-Founder and Co-President, Maven Collaborative
Jhumpa leads work on racial and gender economic inequality, guaranteed income, and narrative change. With more than 20 years of experience, she centers Black women and families in her research and capacity-building efforts. Her writing appears in TIME and Ms., and her work has been featured in Fast Company and The New York Times.
Ofronama Biu
Chief Economist and Senior Research Director, Maven Collaborative
Dr. Biu is an expert in racial and gender stratification, labor markets, wealth equity, and workforce development. She has held senior research roles across multiple national institutions and holds degrees from NYU and the New School.
How IWPR and Maven Work Together
This collaboration grew from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s BIPOC Women in Leadership Roundtable in December 2023. From that convening came a shared vision—followed by the 2025 virtual Rest Retreat and the ABWIL launch in Martha’s Vineyard.
A values-aligned partnership.
IWPR and Maven share:
- Black women–led leadership.
- Deep research expertise.
- A commitment to storytelling as a tool for change.
- Strong community ties and national reach.
The organizations collaborate through shared workstreams, joint decision-making, and aligned advocacy strategies—ensuring transparency, accountability, and impact.
What ABWIL Will Deliver
- Actionable policy recommendations rooted in research and lived experience.
- A pipeline of emerging Black women scholars and economists.
- Employer toolkits designed to dismantle bias and strengthen pathways to leadership.
- Conversations and convenings that elevate Black women’s voices.
- Narrative and cultural shifts redefining what leadership looks like.
- Increased visibility, representation, and structural change.
A New Standard for What’s Possible
The Advancing Black Women in Leadership initiative offers a scalable, replicable model that strengthens leadership opportunities, transforms institutions, and expands what’s possible when Black women lead.
By pairing rigorous research with powerful storytelling, ABWIL drives the systemic change that Black women—and all women—deserve.
