Black History Month 2021

February is Black History Month when we celebrate the contributions and achievements that African Americans have made to history. This month also highlights the need to dismantle the barriers that Black communities have continued to face due to white supremacy and institutional racism.

In our ongoing commitment to working toward equity and justice for all, WAPPP's Gender Action Portal has compiled a list of actionable interventions that advance both gender and racial equity, with a specific focus on how we can address issues that are unique to Black women. Explore the summaries below for the latest research evaluating the impact of specific policies, strategies, and organizational practices to advance gender equity. 

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Black female students are statistically least recommended and rated as least prepared for AP Calculus by high school counselors, which has implications for their likelihood of success in the long-term. Systemic interventions that address implicit biases among school counselors could affect Black girls' interest in STEM courses. Read more.

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STEM

Featuring Black women scientists on science companies’ websites is one recruitment practice that can close gender and racial gaps within STEM fields by increasing feelings of trust and belonging for Black women job applicants. Read more.

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POLITICAL REPRESENTATION

Women may be encouraged to run for office when structural rather than personal challenges are emphasized to explain the gender gap, but effects vary by race and ethnicity. Messages that encourage white and Asian women may dissuade Black women and overlook Latinas, indicating the need for a better intersectional understanding of women’s interest in political office

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WORKPLACE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

White men perceive companies that highlight their gender diversity (by including White women) as being more prestigious than companies that do not, while companies that highlight gender and racial diversity are not seen as more prestigious by White men. The reason that companies receive reputation boosts when they advertise their gender diversity with white women but not with Black women may relate to what researchers call the “double jeopardy” that Black women face.

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Are there any other articles that focus on Black women that should be added to the Gender Action Portal? Do you have any feedback on how we can make this tool more equitable and intersectional? Please contact Anisha at anisha_asundi@hks.harvard.edu