Centering Women of Color in the Workplace: Going Beyond Representation in 2021

As we think about economic recovery in 2021 and beyond, how do we center women of color in the workplace in order to achieve equitable outcomes?

Before the pandemic hit, Black and Latina women were already making less money and facing greater systemic barriers than their white counterparts. COVID has only further worsened that divide. We're at a crisis point, and if we’re going to recover, we have to explicitly prioritize the needs of women of color moving forward.

Where We’re At

As noted by Clipped Wings—a report by Asset Funders Network, the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, and Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap—our “current social and economic policies and practices prioritize the needs of men and ignore the specific needs and economic roles of millennial women, particularly women of color.”

This has a huge impact on wealth and wellbeing. Single white millennial men have almost six times more wealth than single Black millennial women ($15,377 and $2,683 respectively).

Via the US Bureau of Labor Statistics — *Via the* US Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Pandemic’s Effect

On top of this already deeply inequitable playing field, COVID-19 has wreaked additional havoc. Over 2.5 million women have lost their jobs or been forced out of the workforce during the pandemic, with McKinsey reporting that women of color are more likely to have been furloughed or laid off. Vice President Kamala Harris noted the crisis in her recent OpEd for The Washington Post, calling the exodus of women from the workplace a national emergency.

What the statistics show—and what we see every day in our crisis text line for workers—is that most of the women exiting the workforce work in hospitality, health care, retail, or are small business owners. Women in lower-wage jobs—oftentimes women of color—have been hit hardest. Women have long been undervalued, underpaid, and forced to deal with workplace bias, and now, too many of them are out of work.

This not only jeopardizes financial security, it stalls working opportunities, negatively impacts mental health, devastates families, and pushes an already left-behind population even further behind. If you find yourself in this situation, know you’re not alone.

Moving Forward

We’re at a unique moment when the inequities and challenges of the past year have brought new attention and energy for change. From recent federal legislation to support pandemic recovery to discussions around raising the minimum wage, there is opportunity for large scale change. And centering women of color is how we must do it.

Change can come at the policy level, within workplaces, and beyond. What are we hearing from women?

Women need:

Accessible and affordable child care
Paid family and medical leave
Access to mental health, career, job search, and legal resources and support
Equitable pay
Supportive, respectful, and empowering work environments

Centering women of color means inclusion in decision-making processes and explicit attention to the way race impacts each of these issues. By implementing policies that prioritize those who historically have been the most marginalized, we can lift up everyone in the long run and ensure no one is left behind.

That’s Why We’re Here

At Empower Work, we believe that women’s economic security and mental health are table stakes. Every woman should feel supported and empowered in her work. When that happens, we know it has a ripple effect.

When women rise, families and their communities rise, positively impacting the economy and society at large. Studies have shown that the US gross domestic product could be five percent higher if women participated in the workforce at the same rate as men.

Women, our communities, and our economy cannot fully recover unless women—including and especially women of color—can fully participate.

Despite the moment of opportunity, we know that too many are being left behind. So as we push forward for positive change, we recognize immediate, ongoing needs must be met as well. If you're not getting what you need from your workplace—you can't take time off to take care of a family member or you're being disrespected—we're here for you. Our trained peer counselors are here to talk about and help guide you through these trying and unprecedented times.

If you’re frustrated, hurt, or wondering what to do about losing your job during the pandemic, free, confidential support is just a text away: 510-674-1414.