From working to narrow the wealth gap, to healing communities, to fighting for free and fair elections, to inspiring the masses, Black women have been pushing forward change. Obviously, this push has not been limited to the last two years as Black women have historically always been at the forefront of social movements.

This Black History Month, we are showcasing women who are making strides for the Black community through their inspiring careers or perseverance to fight for the common good. These women inspire us to step out of our comfort zone and “be the change we want to see in this world.”

Although Black History Month is almost over, educating yourself and celebrating the wins of Black women is an ongoing practice. It is so important to honor and recognize Black women that have been overlooked by our history books (check out “Black Women I Wished I Learned About in History Class”), but it is equally important to celebrate women that are making a difference —and making history— today.

Here are just a few of the many Black women making history in 2021, pushing back against systemic racism, uplifting, and empowering an entire generation.

Latina women are estimated to lose $1,163,920 over the course of a 40-year career. This means they will have to work until the age of 92 in order to earn what her white male peer earned by age 60.

We wanted to know more about the causes of this discrimination, and what Latina women can do to combat bias in the workplace. We invited 4 compelling female-founders to discuss the wage gap and how Latinas can fight for equal pay in the workplace and help narrow the wage gap. Because fifty-five cents just isn’t enough.

In 1963, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, making it illegal for employers to pay their workers lower wages solely because of their gender. Today, 57 years later, the wage gap still disproportionately affects women but it impacts some women even more than others. Indigenous American women face the second-largest wage gap, earning only 42% of what White men make. Indigenous groups have had their own set of unique challenges over the last 200 years that have led to ongoing social problems and implications for employment and economic attainment.

We sat down with Stephanie Poston (Pueblo of Sandia), who founded her own consulting communications firm, Poston & Associates LLC, 18 years ago. We wanted to learn more about her mission, how COVID-19 has impacted Indigenous communities, and what individuals and companies alike can do to mitigate the wage gap.

While women are slowly climbing the corporate ladder, barriers still exist for many women in the workplace. There is still a shortage of women in leadership positions and for women of color, the numbers are even smaller. As many companies strive to create a more inclusive culture for women, core to this issue is the unconscious bias that occurs throughout the hiring (and promotion) process.

There’s a troubling pattern where women’s and minority’s competencies and experiences are consistently being overlooked. Efforts to diversify workforces has proven to be difficult.

We sat down with Cherise Bernard, the Campus Team Lead at Spotify, to uncover what other companies can do in order to help eliminate bias and create a more inclusive culture.

This year, August 13th is recognized as Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. This day symbolizes how far into the year, Black women must work to earn the same as her White male counterpart in the previous year. The wage gap can be attributed to a number of factors, but bias is one significant hurdle. Black women are unique as they rest in the intersection of gender and racial discrimination. On average, Black women earn 62 cents for every dollar their white non-Hispanic male counterparts earn. If nothing changes, the pay gap won't close for more than 100 years for Black women and women of color.

We sat down with 6 powerful Black female leaders, from diverse backgrounds and industries to discuss corporate bias, to see if the Black Lives Matter movement had shifted perspectives in the workplace, and seek their advice to help rising young Black female professionals.

In the United States public school system, anti-racist pedagogy is a concept barely put into use. As a person who attended public school for the majority of my life, I have seen and experienced this first hand. The failure to incorporate African American figures, especially women, into the curriculum has left students with little to no knowledge about the actions of empowered women of color throughout history. While we do learn about major historical figures such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet B. Tubman, history largely overlooks women and especially women of color.

While there are countless others who deserve to be taught, here is just a shortlist of 10 African American women I wished I had learned about in class.

“The Overdue Awakening” is what Time Magazine has titled their cover spread in their latest issue and rightly so: racial justice is making major headlines these days. Although discrimination and bias are not new things, it seems there is a hopeful promise that we as a country are finally waking up. In order to address systemic and deeply embedded racial discrimination however, we need to gain awareness towards its byproducts of implicit and explicit bias. This effect trickles down from the price paid for a new car to how we are perceived during a salary negotiation. It is a known fact that the gender pay gap for women of color is even worse than the average gender pay gap at 63 cents on the dollar according to the US Census Bureau.

Over the last few days we have been collectively searching for the right words and the right actions, for a path forward, questioning, how can we do better than we have in the past? How can we turn this pivotal moment into one that has lasting impact? There is so much justified pain out there, and we acknowledge that there is no easy fix for the racial bigotry and systemic bias that has plagued our country for generations. Additionally, set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, it is especially hard not to feel hopeless and helpless about the future.

At WIN, we are committed to disassembling implicit (and explicit) biases, cultivating diverse leadership, and empowering women from all backgrounds.

We’ve assembled a list of resources to help support the Black Lives Movement from home or better educate yourself about racism and bias in America.

Throughout February we celebrate the achievements of black men and women in the United States. In honor of this annual observance, we celebrate the women whose courage and intellect have pushed our society forward. As the month comes to a close, we want to recognize the challenges that black women still face in the workplace - and the ways they can overcome those barriers.

Despite systematic issues of discrimination, black women are a rapidly emerging power full of untapped potential. Inspired by an exceptional group of black women, we asked for the negotiation advice they have for other women and how they can be better advocates for themselves.