2. Black & Indigenous Women

MOST AFFECTED REGIONS

HEALTH + SAFETY

In 2023, the U.S. maternal mortality rate for Black women was 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, nearly 3.5× the rate for white women (14.5). Overall U.S. maternal deaths declined, but the racial gap widened. More Info

indigenous women have among the highest pregnancy-related mortality rates in the U.S.; recent CDC analyses show native maternal mortality over 3× that of white women. More Info

WORKPLACE + INCOME

In 2024, Black women working full-time, year-round were paid only about 65–66 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. Over a 40-year career, this can cost Black women almost $1 million in lost wages. More Info

Native/Indigenous women working full-time, year-round make about 58 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men; when all workers are included (part-time, seasonal), the gap widens to about 53 cents. More Info

SCHOOL + EDUCATION

Black and Indigenous girls are heavily concentrated in high-poverty schools: in 2021, 37% of Black students and 30% of American Indian/Alaska Native students attended high-poverty public schools, compared with just 7% of white students. More Info

Black students are also suspended and expelled at roughly 3–4× the rate of white students, with Black girls and disabled Black students facing some of the highest exclusionary discipline rates—feeding the school-to-prison pipeline. More Info