Black women have long been told that education, hard work, and perseverance are the keys to getting ahead. But a new national survey suggests that even those who check every box still confront familiar barriers—from unequal pay and rising costs to the rollback of DEI programs.
Released on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the 10th annual “Power of the Sister Vote” poll—conducted by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and its Black Women’s Roundtable in collaboration with The Root —surveyed 1,000 registered Black women voters.
The findings reveal a population navigating tough economic realities, yet remaining stubbornly hopeful.
Irene Marlon, Head of Special Projects at The Root, reflected on the detailed survey, noting how it has built a vital record of Black women defining their own experiences. “Ten years of this work is a milestone,” Marlon said Tuesday (July 21) during a live media briefing on the poll.
“It means we now have a decade-long record of Black women telling us in their own words what they’re living through and what they need. These findings land in a moment when that voice matters tremendously.”
Melanie L. Campbell, NCBCP president and CEO, echoed that sentiment during the briefing, pointing out that while resilience is a strength, it can quickly become a burden.
“With all the barriers that Black women face, we are resilient. We are still hopeful,” Campbell said. “That is a strength, but also the challenge that we face because people think that we are invincible in so many ways.”
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That resilience, she explained, can sometimes become a double-edged sword.
“That is a strength, but also the challenge that we face because people think that we are invincible in so many ways,” Campbell said, noting that the findings take particular meaning, “in the time that we are living in, this political environment that we find ourselves in.”
Nearly half of the women say they have personally been paid less than a coworker for doing the same job. Among Black women with college degrees, that figure jumps to 53%.
For a group often recognized as one of the most educated ethnic groups in the country, these numbers are a reminder that a degree does not necessarily protect Black women from workplace discrimination or economic insecurity.
The concern is widespread. Eighty-eight percent of respondents say they are concerned about Black women being paid less than white men and women for the same work, including 71% who say they are “very concerned.”
And the economic pressure extends far beyond the paycheck.
Nearly 8 in 10 Black women–78%–say economic conditions are getting worse. Thirty-eight percent say their wages are falling behind the cost of living, while just 11% say their income is helping them get ahead.
For many, making ends meet has become a daily calculation. Forty-four percent say they have cut back on groceries the past three months. Almost half say their household budget has reduced over the past year.
Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever of Nouveaux Strategies, who assisted with the study, explained as the economic reality becomes more concerning, Black women’s priorities begin to shift. “In 2024, economics was at the very top of the list,” she pointed out. “And though economics is still extremely important to Black women, it’s interesting to see the degree to which that top priority issue [in 2026] is protecting Social Security and Medicare, something that was further down the list in 2024.”
In addition to Social Security and Medicare, the rollback of DEI programs is another source of concern. Eighty-four percent say they are worried about cuts to DEI programs since 2024, while 43% say those cuts have already affected them or someone close to them.
Still, the survey found a striking thread of optimism, particularly among younger Black women.
Overall, Black women are nearly evenly split on the future, with 51% saying they are hopeful and 49% saying they are worried. Gen Z is the most hopeful generation, with 32% saying they are “very hopeful.”
Katrina Gamble, Ph.D., CEO of Sojourn Strategies, which conducted the survey, said that contrast is one of the most revealing findings.
“The one thing that is really interesting to point out here, too, is that when it comes to young Black women–despite Millennials and Gen Z having the deepest levels of economic insecurity in the data–they’re also indicating that they’re very hopeful,” Gamble said.
That hope, however, exists alongside a growing sense of urgency. Black women are navigating unequal pay, higher living costs, financial strain and a shifting workplace culture while continuing to demand something that has often been promised but remains out of reach: genuine economic security.
The message from the survey is clear. Black women are resilient–but resilience should not be mistaken for invincibility.
