Black Women in the US: Progress Made, But Key Areas Need Dire National Attention and Urgent Action
Washington, DC – A report released recently by Black Women’s Roundtable Public Policy Network (BWR), Black Women in the U.S., 2014, found that significant progress has been made since key historical markers however, there are many areas that remain in need of dire national attention and urgent action. The report was released during a legislative briefing at the historic headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). The event kicks off the BWR National Summit taking place over the next three days.
“This report is a quick glimpse at where we are. We use this document as a road map during our BWR summit,” says Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO National Coalition and convener, BWR. “Black women are a powerful force and we plan to demonstrate that power by working collaboratively and intentionally across issues to usher in a new set of progressive polices and leaders to champion our cause. In the coming days, we will unveil specific details about the implementation of the Power of the Sister Vote!”
“We look at the tragedies and the triumphs surrounding Black Women’s lives across a variety of different indicators and areas of inquiry,” Adds Avis Jones-DeWeever, PhD, Incite Unlimited and editor of the report. “Black women have made progress since key historical markers such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Brown v. Board of Education, and the onset of the War on Poverty, but many areas remain that need urgent action.”
The following are some of the key findings from Black Women in the U.S., 2014:
Black Women’s Health Still in Need of Dire Attention
Sixty Years Post-Brown, Education Still Separate, Still Unequal, Yet Black Women Still Excel
Black Women Work, but Lag Behind in Pay
No Golden Years for Black Women
Labor Unions Make a Difference in the Working Lives of Black Women
Black Women Vulnerable to Violence and the Criminal Justice System
Black Women Mean Business
Black Women and Politics, Still Unbought and Unbossed
Black Women Trailing in the Technology Race
BWR, an intergenerational women’s policy network of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), stays at the forefront of championing just and equitable public policy on behalf of Black women and girls and promotes health and wellness, economic security, education and global empowerment as key elements for success. For more information or a copy of the report visit www.ncbcp.org.
The Economy – Channel Hardy, J.D., National Urban League Policy Institute
Education – Avis Jones-DeWeever, Ph.D., Incite Unlimited
Politics — Elsie Scott, Ph.D., Ronald W. Walters Leadership & Public Policy Center, Howard University, Waikinya Clanton, NOBEL-Women
Business — Felicia Davis, Building Green Network
The Labor Movement — Carol Joyner, Labor Project for Working Families,
Robin Williams, UFCW
STEM — Joycelyn Tate, J.D., Telecom Talk
Exposure to Violence & the Criminal Justice – Avis Jones-DeWeever, PhD,Incite Unlimited
Health & Wellness — Avis Jones-DeWeever, PhD, Incite Unlimited and
Dr.L. Toni Lewis, SEIU Healthcare
The Retirement Years — Edna Kane-Williams, AARP
What’s At Stake: A BWR Public Policy Agenda for 2014 &BeyondMelanie Campbell, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Makani Themba, The Praxis Project, Rev. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Ph.D., Skinner Leadership Institute
BWR Civic Engagement and Empowerment Strategy (2014-2020)-
Melanie Campbell, NCBCP, Letetia Daniels Jackson, Tandeka LLC, Groundswell Fund
BWR, an intergenerational women’s policy network of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), stays at the forefront of championing just and equitable public policy on behalf of Black women and girls and promotes health and wellness, economic security, education and global empowerment as key elements for success. For more information or a copy of the report visit www.ncbcp.org.