Listen Live
97.9 The Beat Featured Video
CLOSE

The Black Women’s Roundtable released its fourth annual report today, detailing a “prescriptive lens” for African-American women and the issues that affect them most.

Titled Black Women in the U.S., 2017: Moving Our Agenda Forward in a Post-Obama Era, the 72-page document was released in Washington D.C. at the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), a nonprofit that “works to expand, strengthen and empower our communities to make voting and civic participation a cultural responsibility and tradition.”

The report arrives in conjunction with BWR’s 6th annual “Women of Power” national summit, happening this week in D.C. and Arlington, Virginia.

Written by multiple contributors from various fields, the report provides research and action plans for promoting their public policy agenda. The protection of women’s health care access and Black women’s rise in political power are just a couple of topics covered in the report.

Here’s some of what it shows us:

Black Women Are Rising In Political Power

Black women were the largest demographic group to cast ballots during the 2008 and 2012 elections. In 2016, they showed up once again when Kamala Harris, former California Attorney General, was elected U.S. Senator.

Zena Stephens was elected as Texas’ first Black woman Sheriff, while nine Black women were elected to the judicial bench in Jefferson County, Alabama.

Black Women Are Rising In Entrepreneurship

Black women remain the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, BWR reports. An estimated 1.9 million Black women owned firms in 2016, employing 376,500 workers and generating $51.4 billion worth in revenues.

Black Women Earned The Majority Of Associate And Bachelor Degrees Among Blacks

Among degrees earned by Black people, Black women earned 67% of Associate Degrees and 65% of Bachelor Degrees.

The report also notes: “While women across race are more likely to compete with men in completing higher education, Black women outpace their male peers more than any other group.”

More Than 40% Of Sex Trafficking Victims Are Black

According to the Justice Department, over 40% of sex trafficking victims are Black, outnumbering White (25.6%), Hispanic (23.9%) Asian (4.3%) and Other (5.8%) victims.

Black Girls Are More Likely Than White Girls To Be Sent To Juvenile Facilities

Black girls are 2.7 times more likely than White girls to be referred to the juvenile justice system from other social service agencies (schools, mental health facilities, child welfare system). They are often accused of committing “technical” violations such as truancy and running away or being “hard to control.” 31% of these violations result in Black girls being incarcerated.

SOURCE: Black Women’s Roundtable Annual Report

MORE NEWS

VP Mike Pence Breaks Tie On Senate Measure Targeting Planned Parenthood Funding

A Mom Shows Up To Her Daughter’s High School To Defend Her Bullied Daughter And Ends Up Behind Bars

 

More Than 40 Percent Of Sex Trafficking Victims Are Black, According To Annual Black Women’s Roundtable Report  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com