Our Research
As part of the CA Black Women’s Think Tank, housed at California State University, Dominguez Hills, our Research and Innovation Institute is dedicated to uncovering solutions that uplift the economic and social well-being of Black women, girls, and all Black Californians. This research fuels smarter policies, deeper conversations, and effective programs—driving lasting change where it’s needed most.
The 2025 State of Black Women in California Report
Black women are an essential part of California’s success — leading classrooms, businesses, and movements that keep our communities strong. Yet, as our 2025 report reveals, brilliance and resilience are not enough when the systems around us remain unequal.
This report is both a mirror and a map — reflecting the realities we face and charting a path to change through data, policy, and leadership.
​ Wage Inequity
1
Black Women in California earn approximately $0.60 on the dollar compared to white men. For Black single mothers, this gap is even wider, with them earning just $0.56 compared to every $1 earned by a white man
Black Women are often underpromoted. In 2023, only 54 Black Women were promoted per 100 men, which is the lowest promotion rate among all gender-race groups. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 58 Black Women are promoted, even though they ask for promotions at the same rate
2
Promotion Inequity
3
Maternal Health Disparities
Black Women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in California
Black Girls (under 18) make up 1 in 14 girls in California yet face some of the lowest academic success rates in the state
4
Academic Struggle
Additional Research
Invisible Labor, Visible Struggles: The Intersections of Race, Gender, and Workplace Equity for Black Women
in California
State of Black Women in CA
Empowering Black Women in the Workforce Starts with Listening—and Action
Black women have long faced the compounded challenges of race and gender discrimination—not just in society, but within the very systems that shape our economic mobility and professional growth.
At the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CABWCEI), we believe it’s time to shift from simply naming the problem to actively driving solutions.
The workplace remains a battleground for equity, where systemic barriers too often:
State of Black Women in CA reports focus on critical issues impacting Black Women and the Black Community including political participation; work and family; health and wellness; employment and earnings; poverty and opportunity; education; violence and safety; and Black Women and aging.
Reports
California Women's Labor Report
Each month, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute releases its analysis of the labor market data on the employment situation of Black women workers across the state of California. The data compares Black Women in California’s employment rate verses their female counterparts as well as the overall state employment rate based on the data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.​