Women of Color in Power: Why This Matters
The presidential election is finally winding down and alongside Joe Biden, Kamala Harris has been announced as vice president-elect of the United States. With her win, numerous women of color have been elected to positions of power across the country. Those victories – from the White House to city halls - were secured by the groundwork of Black women like Stacey Abrams and LaTosha Brown.
While women – including women of color – have held positions of power, for years in this country, this is the first time a woman has been chosen to represent one of the highest offices in the U.S. Why does this matter?
Women aren't a homogenous group and make up the majority of the country at about 51 percent of the U.S. population. So, the argument for us to be in positions of power is obvious at this point, although of course there will always be those that disagree. While the need for more women to be elected is still there, most Americans would agree that a woman can and should be elected if she is qualified.
However, the argument for women to be in positions of power has always been less clear when it pertains to women of color. The argument for this is heard far less.
Women of color are drastically underrepresented in U.S. politics. As of 2020, of the 127 women serving in Congress, only 37.8 percent are women of color. Even worse, out of all the members in Congress, only nine percent are women of color. Additionally, women of color make up only 25.5 percent of all women state legislators (2,162) serving nationwide. All of this in spite of the fact that the U.S. continues to grow more diverse and women of color have shown time and time again their ability to successfully work alongside politicians, do important grassroots work, and lead political movements.
Sadly, this is nothing new historically speaking. Black women were pushed to the back in the feminist movement (coined now as white feminism for that very reason) and in the civil rights movement (making way for Black men instead). We have always had to make space for ourselves, even when others have fought vehemently to make sure we don't get a seat at the table. All this to say, having women of color be active participants in the politics of this country is vital to our success. Since others often refuse or forget to make that argument, here it is:
Women of color have more at stake than other populations. We are usually most affected by political issues like jobs, the economy, and healthcare, and stand to gain or lose the most by the decisions made in those issue areas. Studies have shown that women of color face the most healthcare disparities amongst all demographics, make the least due to gender and racial wage gaps despite educational attainment, and are affected largely by labor segmentation.
Black and brown women easily navigate intersectionality like pros. We have far more experience compared to both white men and white women at navigating lived experiences and experiences of discrimination based on racial, gender, and cultural hierarchies. Considering the growing diversity of the U.S., this perspective is necessary for fair and effective policies to be enacted.
Not only are women of color qualified by typical standards (i.e. professional experience, education, etc.), our role in grassroots activism is unparalleled by any other group. For example, local Indigenous organizers helped flip Arizona blue with 97 percent of the Navajo Nation and 90 percent the Tohono O’odham Nation voting for Biden.
Black, Indigenous, Latina, and Asian women have been and still are at the forefront of many movements related to environmental justice, domestic work, housing, and women's and gay rights. That experience on the ground is usually unmet by politicians who have been in politics for nearly their entire lives. This experience matters, sometimes even more than just having political know-how. In order to best represent and fight for your constituents, you have to know what issues they're actually facing.
Women like Stacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, Cori Bush, and more are leading the charge for women of color to be seen and heard on a national level. This should be just a beginning for solid representation in our country, not the pinnacle. We need more of the women who are on the ground in local areas put into political positions.
Representation matters at all levels of government, as women often use their own time and money to fight for the issues that affect them and fellow women of color, but often reap little to no benefits when it comes to running for political office. It's far past time to expand the electorate, recruit more women of color to run, and vote them into office. We've worked way too hard for far too long without receiving the support we deserve and need.