Women’s History Month

Black advocates celebrate Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, and several California organizations are celebrating trail-blazing women making history in our state -- whether it’s recognizing the record-setting number of women who are state constitutional officers or lauding the unprecedented number of women serving in the legislature (50 out of 120).

Last week, the Black Women’s Collective kicked off Women’s History Month with an event organized to help build an economic action plan for Black women. It brought together experts in policymaking, labor, economic development, and entrepreneurship.

Shared Services Center, also located at the site. “I tell young people that their career path starts early,” Emery said. “It begins with the inspiration you draw from friends, family, and community.”

For Emery, that inspiration came from her parents, both of whom were educators. Emery sub-sequently earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and master’s in public administration from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Her university mentors eventually urged Emery to apply for a NASA professional leadership fel-lowship. “I didn’t think I would qualify, but my mentors really pushed me.” Emery recalled. “As it turns out, I was one of only 10 individuals selected out of hunreds of applicants.”

Emery enjoyed her experience with the agency. When the fellowship ended, she worked under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act to help manage NASA-funded grants to minority-serving institutions. She then joined the agency team in 2007 as project manager for NASA’s University Research Centers, which focused on promoting a competitive aerospace research capability among the nation’s minority-serving institutions.

Following more fully in her parents’ footsteps, Emery became director of the Office of Educa-tion at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in 2012. She moved to the same role at NASA Stennis in 2013. A large part of n NASA, see page 5

“Black women serve as breadwinners in 80% of Black households in California with over 70% headed by single mothers,” said Kellie Todd Griffin, president and CEO, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute. Griffin was citing statistics from a report on the State of Black Women in California from 2018 and 2022.

“Typically, Black women have higher labor force participation rates than other women, meaning a higher share of Black women are either employed or unemployed and looking for work,” Griffin continued. “However, the economic safety net is not secure as Black women makes less than most of their counterparts making .55 cents to White males, which is one of n Womens’, see page 2