Educational Resources and Opportunities
Looking for ways to get involved in the fight for gender and racial equity? Are you looking for educational resources to learn more about gender, race, and the intersections of each? We’ve got you covered. It is crucial to stay updated and learn about the root causes of systemic racial and gender inequity in efforts of moving the needle forward to ensure all women and girls thrive. To begin, we've created a glossary of important terms and concepts that are related to advancing gender and racial equity. We’ve also compiled links to various resources below to help you get started.
Educational Opportunities
Beyond the Razor Wire Fence
Beyond the Razor Wire Fence Podcast features WOMEN’S WAY Change the Narrative Fellows sharing their personal experiences with the carceral system. These illuminating stories are supported by interviews with community partners who are fighting for meaningful changes in policy and practical supports for incarcerated women and gender-expansive people. By exploring the extractive nature of the carceral system, each episode lays the groundwork for the narrative change that is necessary to close the gender wealth gap.
Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Series
Dismantling White Supremacy
No gender equity discussion is complete without discussing the impact of race. To achieve true liberation for all, the intersections of gender and race must be addressed in efforts of creating concrete solutions to dismantle systemic racism and sexism which are both products of white supremacy. **Please note, our panelists all identify as white women. This was intentional to ensure emotional labor is not put on those who identify as Black when discussing white supremacy and how to actively become anti-racist.
Intersections of Reproductive Justice and Economic Justice
When it comes to building wealth, threats to bodily autonomy have an enormous impact on the economic lives, livelihood, and mobility of women. In a time where reproductive rights such as abortions are under threat, reproductive justice is as vital as ever.
To view the full “Closing the Gender Wealth Gap” video archive, click HERE.
Educational Resources
Reproductive Rights and Justice Resources
Abortion is Essential Healthcare, a new publication by the Center for Reproductive Rights and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, explains why abortion access is imperative during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABORTION LAW DATABASE: An online tool by the Abortion Law Project, the Center, and other organizations with data about each U.S. state’s abortion restrictions.
Additional information on abortion
Contraceptive Pearl: Contraception During COVID-19: E-Visit Contraceptive Template
Race, Poverty, and Reproductive Rights
The Color of Choice: White Supremacy and Reproductive Justice
THE WORLD’S ABORTION LAWS MAP: An interactive tool showing the legal status of abortion in countries across the globe.
After Roe Fell An interactive tool showing how abortion rights have been affected in each U.S. state after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
To Be Pro-Choice, You Must Have the Privilege of Having Choices
Closing the Gender Wealth Gap: Intersections of Reproductive and Economic Justice
Roe V Wade Overturned: What Now? This WOMEN'S WAY reader provides a condensed overview of abortion access in PA, key actions that can be taken, and helpful resources for getting involved.
How PA Paved the Way for Abortion Restrictions in the U.S. This one-pager shares information about the history of abortion restrictions and sheds light on what's at stake with abortion access in PA.
Destigmatizing Abortion: You Might Be Doing Abortion Advocacy Wrong!
Talking About Abortion: Reference Chart
What Would it Mean to Codify Abortion Rights? This one-pager shares information about what it would take to codify access to abortion.
IRTH App Find prenatal, birthing, postpartum, and pediatric reviews of care from other Black and brown women. Made by and for people of color.
MLUC’s Unitarian Universalists for Reproductive Justice Resource and Learning Guide
Safety (Gender Based Violence)
Abusive Red Flags Everyone Should Know
Barriers to Leaving: Law professor and DV survivor says there are at least 50 reasons a survivor may not be able to leave an abuser
College Women Among Highest at Risk for Partner Violence: Domestic violence widespread on college campuses
Domestic Violence & Education: This section contains information on the symptoms and impact of Domestic Violence.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN PHILADELPHIA: Domestic violence is a delimitating public health epidemic in Philadelphia.
Steps That Women Can Take If They are a Victim of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
The Language We Use: Words are powerful, so the language we use throughout this site was chosen with intention.
Violence Against Women in the United States: Facts and Statistics
Women In Leadership
Committed to Breaking Glass for Decades: A List of Books, Resources, Reports, and more by the Center for Creative Leadership
National Committee on Pay Equity
Shattering the Glass Ceiling: The Growth of Women in Leadership Positions
The Women’s Leadership Gap: Women’s Leadership by the Numbers
What's The Next Trend In Leadership? Black Women: What's The Next Trend In Leadership? Black Women
Women In Leadership: How To Move The Needle
Women in tech statistics: The hard truths of an uphill battle
Economic Security
NATIONAL SNAPSHOT: Poverty among Women and their families.
Poverty and Opportunity in Women: A Breakdown of Poverty, Education, Access to Healthcare, and Entrepreneurship.
State Fact Sheets: Economic Security for Women and Families. The following fact sheets provide an in-depth look at the status of women and their families in a given state
“The Basic Facts About Women in Poverty”
“Why the majority of the world’s poor are women”
“An Honest Look at the Personal Finance Crisis” Ted Talk by author, Elizabeth White, about the systemic factors that have caused a $7.7 trillion retirement income gap.
Saving and Planning for Retirement Community Resource: A comprehensive document with external links to information and resources compiled from panelists from Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Forum: We Need to Talk About Retirement – A Gender Justice Issue.
Deeper in Debt: Women & Student Loans
Housing is a Racial and Gender Justice Issue: This one-pager digs deeper into the intersections between housing, gender, race, and economic security.
Building an Equitable Ecosystem for Women of Color Community Resource: comprehensive document with external links to information and resources compiled from panelists from Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Forum: Building an Equitable Ecosystem for Women of Color Entrepreneurs.
Wealth Supremacy Community Resource Document: a comprehensive document with external links to information and resources compiled from panelists from Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Forum: From Extraction to Equity – Tackling Wealth Supremacy.
Resources from MoneyGeek: Guide to Financial Independence, States with the Worst Gender Pay Gap, and The Best Cities for Black Women to Flourish Financially
Catalyzing Change in the Labor Movement Community Resource: comprehensive document with external links to information and resources compiled by panelists and staff from Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Forum: Catalyzing Change in the Labor Movement.
Advancing Gender Equity with Guaranteed Income: a comprehensive document with external links to information and resources compiled by panelists and staff from Closing the Gender Wealth Gap Forum: Advancing Gender Equity with Guaranteed Income.
Racial Equity
A Detailed List of Anti-Racism Resources: Book, movie recommendations, and more.
A guide to starting anti-racist conversations with friends and family: To all non-Black people of color — it’s time to start speaking up against the anti-Blackness in our communities.
Advancing Racial Equity Resources: This list is full of articles, books, and articles all compiled about anti-racism.
Black Women Economics: Investing in the Under Invested
Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and Help Others
Racial Equity Glossary of Terms: To start speaking out against systemic racism and oppression, it is essential to learn the definition of related terms and concepts.
The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap Recommended reading that examines how Black communities have been systemically shut out of the American banking system. Written by: Mehrsa Baradaran.
The Whiteness of Wealth: Recommended reading about how our tax system impoverishes Black Americans and solutions for how we can rethink America's tax code.
White Allyship 101: Resources to Get to Work: The following documents may be used as tools to educate yourself, your peers, employees, committees, etc.
White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better: “White Women is a call to action to those of you who are looking to take the next steps in dismantling white supremacy—your white supremacy. If you are in fact doing real anti-racism work, you will find few reasons to be nice.”
Ready to Take Action?
We all have a part to play in ensuring women and girls are treated equally and have equal access to opportunities, regardless of race or gender. Below you will find ways you can take action to fight against gender and racial inequity to create an equitable world that allows all women and girls to thrive.
Identify and prevent unconscious bias
In order to advance gender and racial equity, we first have to look inward. We all have unconscious biases that affect our language, actions, and decisions without knowing. Pay particular attention to bias related to age, disability, gender, marriage, pregnancy, race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation that could possibly be forms of discrimination. Learn more about unconscious bias here.
Understand your own privilege.
One of the major steps to advancing gender and racial inequity is to understand your own privilege. Race, gender, religion, sexuality, ability-status, socio-economic status, language, citizen status, and the intersections of each all can affect your privilege. Using your privilege to take action against gender and racial inequity first requires introspection, education, and acknowledgment of these implications. Learn more about the different forms of privilege here.
Pay (and Demand) Equal Pay for Equal Work
The gender and racial wage gap highlight the difference in earnings between women and men. Women consistently earn less than men, and the gap is wider for women of color. It is important to support companies that pay the same salary, benefits, and bonuses to employees with equivalent positions and call out organizations that do not.
Reach out to your Elected Officials
There are multiple ways to reach out to your elected officials to advocate for change and to express your concerns. Whatever your political affiliations, contact with elected representatives — local, state, and federal —is a great way to take action against laws and policies that violate gender and racial equity. Learn how to reach out to elected officials here.
Be Intentional About Your Spending
Women of color are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the country but receive far less capital funding than their white counterparts. By redirecting economic resources, buyers and brands have the potential to address this wealth gap and better distribute dollars to create change. Learn about the power in your spending here.
Use Your Voice and Platforms
There is power in your voice and platforms. If you see any form of discrimination, bias, stereotyping, racism or any other oppressive actions or language, speak out against it. Whether it's in the workplace, at school, the grocery store, or online, using your voice to speak up has power. Social media is growing as a platform to speak out against injustices taking place worldwide as well. Utilize your social networking profiles to promote, share, post, and acknowledge to advocate for gender and racial equity. Learn how to use your digital platform for activism here.
These resources are not exhaustive and will be updated regularly.
