Publications
Numbers Matter: Women Working in Construction
In 2024, the number of women working in construction trades was the highest ever, with 366,360 working in construction and extraction occupations. Since 2015, the number of tradeswomen has increased by almost 160,000, or 77.3 percent. Construction careers, including apprenticeships, are attracting an increasing [...]
Black Women Need Better Access to Leadership Positions—and Equal Pay When They Get There
Attaining postsecondary education offers economic mobility for Black women; however, it is not enough to eliminate the disparities they experience in advancing to leadership roles. Black women in the United States continue to experience a steady increase in successfully earning college degrees but are [...]
When Care Fails, Generations Suffer: The Ripple Effect of the Black Maternal Health Crisis
The ongoing crisis of Black maternal mortality is not only a personal tragedy but also a preventable loss with profound, lasting effects on children, families, and entire communities. This brief builds on others in this series by shedding light on the broad and long-term [...]
Higher Risks, Lower Rewards – The Hidden Toll on Black Women Working in Health Care
Across the economy, Black women are disproportionately channeled into jobs with low wages and high levels of stress, uncertainty, and physical risk. Today, more than 1 in 5 Black women in the labor market works in the health sector, and while there are pathways to [...]
Working in Harm’s Way – How Occupational Segregation Impacts Black Maternal Health
Many conversations about Black maternal health—and about Black women’s health overall—focus on their role as patients within a health system that has historically harmed them and continues to do so today. However, the role of Black women who work within the health system is [...]
Across Degrees, Titles, and States, Black Women Earn Just 64 Cents on the Dollar
In 2023, Black women earned just 64.4 cents for every dollar made by White men when looking at all workers with earnings. This pay inequity isn’t new, and at the current rate—and without any significant policy changes—it could take over 200 years to close [...]
