In summary
A recent state study found that two out of three black women are breadwinners. Eight in 10 people said they were concerned about discrimination and mistreatment and said they were more like Gov. Gavin Newsom than Vice President Kamala Harris.
Two out of five black women in California are just one paycheck away from becoming economically unstable, according to a new poll.
of Unprecedented investigation Of the 1,258 Black women in the state, 37% were found to be working two or more jobs, and 62% of them said their second job was “essential” and that without it, they “couldn’t make a living.” I can’t stand up,” he replied.
of Evitalus Last spring, a research company surveyed women on the following questions: California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institutea research nonprofit located in Carson near Long Beach.
The findings could be important for political strategists. More than 80% of Black women surveyed voted in the November 2020 election.
In general, the results quantify how Black women’s views on politics, economics, family issues, and daily life differ from other demographic groups.
For example, nearly one-third of black women surveyed said they had experienced emotional or psychological abuse in the past 12 months. And half said they felt unsafe when interacting with law enforcement.
Survey respondents also cited discrimination, economic instability, and health disparities as their top concerns.
“We show up for everyone,” Kelly Tom Griffin, president of the California Black Women Collective Empowerment, said during her speech. online presentation Research progress from the beginning of this week.
“Black women in California are engaged and connected, yet they struggle socially and economically while serving as the primary breadwinners in their households.”
No trickle down
According to the report, more than 75% of black households are headed by a black single mother, and 80% of black households have a woman as the breadwinner. Another report in 2022 By a group.
There are approximately 1.1 million black women living in California, according to Census Bureau estimates. Women and girls make up 51% of the state’s black population.
“I’m at my limit. I’m blocked at every turn because I’m a black woman.”
Unidentified, 21 years old, resident of Los Angeles
Some of the study’s surprising findings highlight the burdens faced by Black women.
- 2 in 5 Black women find it difficult to pay for basic expenses
- 4 in 5 Black women report difficulty coping with inflation
- 8 in 10 Black women report their biggest concern is experiencing discrimination or abuse based on race or gender
- 4 in 10 black women say racism and discrimination has limited their income and ability to earn money
These results show that Congressional policies aimed at protecting women aren’t necessarily helping black women, said Lori Wilson, a Democrat from Suisun, who chairs the California Congressional Black Caucus. Stated.
“It’s not really spilling over to black women,” she said after her presentation. “And what[this data]shows is that we’re missing a whole segment of our population.”
Wilson said he plans to discuss the findings with his colleagues in Congress who will discuss budget priorities.
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“What matters is how we as a community use the insights of Black women to inform our own thinking,” added California State University Dominguez Hills Chancellor Thomas Parham. “Despite facing significant economic and social burdens, Black women continue to lead their families, communities, and the Democratic process.”
The poll is the California Black Women’s Think Tank’s first public project. Created by the California Institute for Black Women’s Collective Empowerment and housed at California State University, Dominguez Hills.Governor Gavin Newsom Bill signed last year Funded a think tank with $5 million.
Griffin said the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute will use its research findings to develop policy recommendations aimed at achieving equal pay for equal work, increasing housing affordability, and protecting Black women and girls from violence. He said he would do it.
Newsom surpasses Harris
The researchers also surveyed women about their opinions about specific state and federal elected officials and found that 73% had a favorable opinion of Newsom, leaving Democrats with a favorable opinion of Newsom. This was higher than the 69% who had a favorable opinion of Vice President Kamala Harris and the 66% who had a favorable opinion of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Presentation participants did not comment on the political outcome. Newsom’s office declined to comment, and his campaign spokesperson did not respond to CalMatters’ request for comment.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points, said Shakari Byerly, managing partner at Evitals.
John Nienstedt, who runs Competitive Edge Research & Communications, a polling firm often used by Republican candidates in the San Diego area, said he appreciates the effort and intent of the poll.
“It is important to collect hard data to inform policy, in this case the challenges faced by Black women, in order to make evidence-based policy decisions,” Nienstedt said. .
He said his firm’s survey of San Diego County residents generally corroborates the findings of the statewide survey.
“For example, our barometer shows that Black communities are more affected by rising costs of living than other people of color or white communities,” he added.
Nienstedt said one of the shortcomings of Ebitalus’ findings was the lack of reference points to other groups.
“In other words, the challenges facing Black women voters may be very different or no different than those faced by other groups. But surveys don’t tell us that. Without it, it is difficult to justify policy proposals that target black women.”
‘i am tired’
Evitals researchers said they included personal comments from survey participants, further emphasizing the need to study this voter group.
“I’ve reached my limit,” said the 21-year-old from Los Angeles. “I’m a black woman, so every turn is locked down…I’m a high-performing individual, but I can’t get ahead. Banks won’t lend to us. Corporations won’t tokenize us. , often only consider us when it comes to DEI marketing…I don’t have access to quality healthcare, including mental health. I’m tired.”
DEI refers to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is often an umbrella term for policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of people from various underrepresented groups.
“Despite facing significant economic and social burdens, Black women continue to lead their families, communities, and the Democratic process.”
Thomas Parham, California State University President — Dominguez Hills
In the survey, a 64-year-old black woman living in Los Angeles cited concerns. “Unsafe public transportation, being able to find an affordable car…finding a black female doctor…(I) need to see a doctor for my health and I’m worried about being sick.” . ”
She added that doctors “disrespect black women over 50.”
The 38-year-old woman from the Inland Empire said her family is still dealing with the after-effects of the pandemic.
“There has been little to no help for the long-term effects of COVID-19,” she says. “I lost my business. There was a lot of support for large companies, but very little support for small businesses that were supporting their families. Since then, our bills have continued to rise and we… is struggling.”
Byerly said research shows that women living in rural California are hit harder by inflation and rising housing costs than women in other areas.
“One of the most surprising things about these findings is that the burden falls particularly heavily on women and young women in rural areas such as the Central Valley, Sacramento and even the Far North,” she said. Ta.
For the record: This article has been updated to reflect that the survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
