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.
The Data Tells a Story; and So Do We.
Wage Inequality
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
Promotion Inequity
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
Maternal Health Disparities
Black Women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in California
Academic Struggle
Black Girls (under 18) make up 1 in 14 girls in California yet face some of the lowest academic success rates in the state
Turning Data Into Action
The California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute is using this research to power real change through programs like:
