YWCA Survey Shows Greater Economic Concerns Among Black Women Than White Women

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Black women stand apart from White women on a range of worries about workplace, education and health care issues. Major obstacles to their own progress over the next decade cited by greater proportions of Black women than White women include:

    -- Major illness or medical expense (84 % vs. 68 %)
 -- Unequal pay (81% vs. 55%)
 -- Affordable and accessible childcare (72% vs. 57%)
 -- Limited opportunities for job promotion and advancement (72% vs. 41%)
 -- Lack of job training opportunities (66% vs. 37%)
 -- Student loan indebtedness (62% vs. 33%)

"These findings reaffirm the need for a long-term national agenda that addresses the economic and financial concerns of women," said Lorraine Cole, PhD, YWCA USA's CEO. "With the country in a recession, rising unemployment, flat wages, and income inequality at levels not seen in years, we must make sure our national economic and financial public policies work for all women, especially Black women whose economic and financial well-being often lag far behind White women."

The findings are revealed in What Women Want: A National Survey of Priorities and Concern, a national telephone survey of 1,000 women ages 18-70 during the week preceding the 2008 presidential election. It was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the YWCA USA, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

"Women's concerns about the future reflect the widespread economic uncertainty gripping the nation as the economy continues to shed jobs, housing prices continue to decline, and 401(k) retirement and savings accounts are shrinking," said Cole. "The YWCA looks forward to working with President Elect Obama and the 111th Congress to help women improve their economic security and financial well-being."

The YWCA USA is a national not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to social service, advocacy, education, leadership development and racial justice. Established in the United States in 1858, the YWCA is the oldest and largest national organization dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls and the elimination of racism. Through nearly 300 local YWCAs located across the nation in almost every state, and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the YWCA reaches 2.5 million women and girls, as well as their families. Globally, the YWCA USA is part of an international movement at work in 122 countries serving 25 million women and girls worldwide. For more information, visit our Web site, http://www.ywca.org or call 202-467-0801.

Website: http://www.ywca.org/

Jobless or not here I come...

Jobless rates are at its highest 7.2% as of December! This is the headline in most of the papers. I was reading an article on cnn.com “Take this job or shove it” www.cnnmoney.com. In these tough economic times and high unemployment rates, there are 3 or more job seekers for every opening. People are taking wherever jobs they can get. Personally I thought about this a lot, with the economy in the dumps almost everyone has been affected. As other companies, my agency is no strange to these tough times. I am so lucky I can say I have a job, at least for now. But if things don’t get better soon the layoffs are going to start so I decided to update my resume and started looking for jobs like everyone else.

The idea to start all over again scares me, but the idea to start all the way from the bottom again, it scares me more, but I must say if the situation arises, I, just like many people out there would take any job that I can find.

The rainbow always comes up after a storm, even if this one takes some time!
What is your take on this? What did you have to sacrifice? Did you find a job in your same field?

Why do women self-abort when abortions are legal?

For me, having had an illegal surgical abortion (no anesthesia, not even Tylenol), this article from The Times (For Privacy's Sake, Taking Risks to End Pregnancy)was a difficult, especially poignant, read. I'm sure it will resonate with many other women, especially Latinas, who may find themselves desperate, burdened by a pregnancy that is very wrong for them, yet ashamed to be at odds with their families and culture. The one happy note struck, though, is of the dominicanas who find support in sisterhood that helps get them through the physical and emotional trauma of self-abortion.