Black Women

Black women experience a unique intersection of patriarchal and white supremacist oppression, leading to statistics like disproportionate maternal mortality in the U.S. and foundational feminist theory like the writing of Audre Lorde. Black women are not a monolith, however, and include women from all around the world who are a part of the African diaspora. They have often led social movements for a wide variety of causes because of the intersectional oppressive structures on their lives.

Kamala Harris and the Political Power of Black Women: The Ms. Q&A with Kimberly Peeler-Allen

As we stand poised to potentially elect our first female president who is also a woman of color, we know this moment builds on a long history of other women and Black women trailblazers who have helped to pave the way.

Kimberly Peeler-Allen is the co-founder of Higher Heights, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to building Black women’s collective political power from the voting booth to elected office. Higher Heights has helped drive the national narrative about the power of Black women voters and has inspired countless Black women to step into their power whether as voters, activists or elected leaders. We discussed what it would mean to elect our first woman president who is multi-racial, why it is important to elevate Black women’s leadership, what issues are mobilizing Black women in this election, what biases and barriers women candidates face, the significance of the ERA on the ballot in New York and more.

California Becomes First State to Enshrine Intersectionality in Law, Recognizing the Amplified Harms of Overlapping Discrimination

Thirty-five years ago, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” to explain how multiple forms of discrimination interact to exacerbate each other, resulting in amplified forms of prejudice and harm. Last week, California became the first state to explicitly recognize intersectionality in discrimination law.

The Size of Discrimination: Racism and Bias in the Fight Against the ‘Obesity Epidemic’

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The thread of social stigmatizing and racism has long woven through the fabrics of science and medicine. Sarah Baartman, an indigenous South African woman born in 1789, was subjected to profound cruelties, specifically associated with her body size and shape—placed at first in a cage alongside a rhinoceros, and later in circuses and so-called “freak-shows” throughout Europe under the name Hottentot Venus.

To this day, women experience weight discrimination at significantly higher rates than male peers.

Addressing the Sexism and Racism Aimed at Kamala Harris, Transcending Leadership Stereotypes and More: The Ms. Q&A with Anita Hill

I first interviewed Anita Hill over 10 years ago for my book What Will It Take to Make a Woman President?: Conversations About Women, Leadership and Power, where we discussed the various factors involved in why the U.S. had not yet elected a woman president and what could be done to move us closer to this milestone, as well as pave the way for more women leaders.
Now, as the U.S. is poised to possibly elect Kamala Harris as not only its first woman president but its first Black and South Asian woman president, I wanted to talk to Hill again to get her insights on this potentially history-making moment.

Abortion Ad ‘Something’s Missing’ Spotlights the Families Left Behind

2024 has seen a flurry of abortion-themed campaign ads, from January’s ad featuring Dr. Austin Dennard, the OB-GYN in Texas denied an abortion for her dangerous pregnancy, to July’s featuring testimony from Hadley Duvall, the Kentucky woman raped and impregnated by her stepfather as a child.

Now, in the wake of horrors like Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller’s 2022 deaths—officially deemed “preventable” by a Georgia maternal health board last week— the latest ad from All* Above All and Project 68 hones in on the families left behind when abortion bans kill women by keeping them from life-saving care.

The Majority of People Are Caregivers. How Do We Invest in a Care Economy?

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Over 90 percent of Americans view themselves as caregivers—whether child, parent or neighbor.

We need public investment in the care economy to build a culture rooted in rest, mental health, and caring for a neighbor without risking your income. There is already an action plan for policies that can improve the quality of life for parents and the overall community.

People are hurting in so many ways that I no longer expect kindness or joy. The U.S. demonstrates what we care about through the policies it enacts and retracts, and we don’t seem to have the capacity to invest in care. 

Ubuntu in Action: How Black Giving Circles Redefine Community Support

Black philanthropy has a rich history, exemplified by trailblazers like Madam C.J. Walker. As the first woman to become a self-made millionaire in America, Walker built her fortune by creating a successful line of hair care products for Black women. While she used her wealth to fund anti-lynching campaigns, give scholarships to women and more, her philanthropic journey began long before she amassed her wealth, as giving is deeply rooted in personal experiences and identity. 

Walker is just one of many Black philanthropists who have made significant contributions throughout history. While women like Rihanna and Janelle Monae are widely recognized for their charitable work, most Black philanthropists are working behind the scenes to make a big impact on countless causes in their community. This Black Philanthropy Month, it’s crucial to recognize both the historical and current landscape of Black giving, drawing important lessons from this legacy of generosity and community support.

This essay is part of a Women & Democracy package focused on who’s funding the women and LGBTQ people on the frontlines of democracy. We’re manifesting a new era for philanthropy—one that centers feminism. The need is real: Funding for women and girls amounts to less than 2 percent of all philanthropic giving; for women of color, it’s less than 1 percent. Explore the “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy” collection.

It’s Time to Protect People With Albinism and Their Right to Live Safely

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Albinism is a non-contagious, genetically inherited condition that affects people regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. The condition is characterized by a lack of melanin in the hair, skin and/or eyes. This lack of melanin makes people with albinim susceptible to ultraviolet rays, increasing their risk of developing deadly skin cancer. Although it is a relatively rare condition, albinism disproportionately affects people in poverty and those facing multiple and intersecting forms of stigma, discrimination and violence.

This summer marked a decade since the creation of International Albinism Awareness Day. Ten years on, we reflect on the challenges faced by individuals with albinism and to celebrate the significant strides made to advance their human rights.

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: It Will Take 137 Years to Lift All Women Out of Poverty; U.S. Women Still Waiting for Equal Protection Under Law

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation. 

This week: At current rates, it will take 137 years to lift all women and girls out of poverty; Fannie Lou Hamer’s legacy; women make up 53 percent of voters, yet their rights remain vulnerable without the Equal Rights Amendment; and more.