Child care within the United States, especially in Ohio, is in a state of crisis, with the workforce lacking adequate access to affordable, high-quality programming. The pandemic further exacerbated this dilemma, resulting in millions of American workers leaving their jobs to care for children at home. Many of these workers are women, and the pandemic shined a bright light on the stark inequities women have already endured in the workplace for decades. This is harming not only working parents and their children, but also the overall economic stability of the United States.

Mayor Ginther offers strategic and equitable solutions to alleviate the child care crisis in this blog post for Groundwork Ohio.

COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world, and minority groups have been hit the hardest in terms of career setbacks and economic instability. Seventy percent of young Black women worry daily about paying their bills, while women of color also have less access to financial assistance compared to white women and men. Eighty percent of all young women favor policy changes to raise the minimum wage and guarantee child care assistance.

To read the full IWPR report, click here.

To find out how you can help, click here.

2020 saw an increase of women working in the trades, with over 300,000 women engaged in these careers. With participation growing, it is important to reflect on the factors that both help and hinder women in the trades. Diversity and change will be key to growing these numbers even further, and there is no better place to learn what is needed than from the women already working in this sector. This IWPR survey draws from the voices of tradeswomen from all across the country and gives advice on how to help them feel welcomed and supported.

To read the full report, click here.

To learn how to help support Central Ohio Women in the Trades, click here. 

An early adopter of the Columbus Commitment Pay Equity Pledge, the Columbus Metropolitan Library has recently hired Anthony Wilson to serve as their first-ever chief of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We applaud CML’s continued work to advance this important work.

Delaney Connor is a second-year public management, leadership and policy student participating in the Ohio Government Internship Program through the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University. As a member of the Global Ambassador cohort on campus, Delaney has a passion for community engagement and public affairs. Originally from Calcutta, Ohio, she is excited to learn with the Columbus Women's Commission and do her part to make Columbus a better place.

WELD Pathway to Management Program for Women of Color – Registration Now Open!

The Women for Economic and Leadership Development’s (WELD) new Leadership Academy Pathway to Management Program for Women of Color is now open for registration. This in-person, cohort-based, members-only program will focus on the broken “first-rung” pipeline issue and emphasize the obstacles that women of color face in the workplace. Attendees will build meaningful relationships and participate in authentic conversations.

The number of registrations for the cohort is limited, so sign up soon!

Contact Mindy Koenig for more information, and check out the WELD website to learn more about all they do!

Evolve Women’s Network: Hilliard, Ohio

Friday, February 4, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Join the Evolve Women’s Network in Hilliard to connect with women entrepreneurs around the Columbus area and to develop authentic networking connections. To learn more about this free event, click here.

Webinar:

ICYMI:  Black Girl Rising: Placing Black Girls at Promise

Black Girl Rising is a nonprofit organization working to find and promote the right answers to the challenges facing today’s young people, in particular Black girls ages 11-18. One of their main goals is discovering how young people in Ohio can be placed “at promise” instead of “at risk,” and how the adults in their lives can help them succeed. Join the conversation and help guide the young people in your life toward success.

Click here to watch part 1 and part 2 of the Black Girls at Promise event.