MSMU RSWG 2023 final - Flipbook - Page 35
CONCLUSION
Turning Research
Into Action
We stand at a pivotal time in California’s history.
The last few years have been undeniably painful.
But amidst the pain, there is hope. And, as
this Report shows, opportunity. Together, we
have the power to create a more equitable and
meaningful future for California’s women and
girls.
That is why we always compile this Report with a
laser focus on data specific to California women
and girls. We want this research to serve as
an effective tool for all who advocate for the
advancement of women in our state — from
policy analysts, elected officials and business
leaders to nonprofit advocates and everyday
citizens.
Here are three additional steps you can
take today to help us all advance equity in
California:
Read the California Blueprint for
Women’s Pandemic Recovery.
If you are interested in advocating for women’s
economic security in California, please equip
yourself with the knowledge contained in this
report, published in the fall of 2022 by our allies
at the California Commission on the Status of
Women and Girls. One of their key findings:
“Pandemic response through government safetynet programs demonstrably helped women meet
life’s basic needs, pay down debt and significantly
reduced child poverty, highlighting a clear path
forward to an equitable economy that has now
demonstrated to be feasible.”
Research the status of women in
your own community or corporation.
A statewide report is valuable, but we also know
that statistics can vary significantly from city to
city — even street to street. The Center for the
Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s
University has developed dozens of customized
research reports for nonprofits, foundations,
corporations, and government agencies — from
Los Angeles County to Sonoma County and
beyond. Commission us to produce a report for
your community. Or use our Guide to Using U.S.
Census Data to create your own localized report.
Support women’s colleges
and universities.
Mount Saint Mary’s University is not only home
to the Center for the Advancement of Women;
it is also home to the national Women’s College
Coalition. The WCC is the only organization
that singularly focuses on the advancement
of women’s higher education. As we have
seen in this Report, a college education is
vital to improving women’s quality of life and
decreasing poverty rates in homes headed by
women. Learn how you can collaborate with
women’s colleges nationwide through the WCC.
And women’s education isn’t the only way
you can help California’s women find more
opportunities to pursue their purpose. Support
organizations that advocate for policy changes
that improve the quality of life for women,
their families, and their communities. Frequent
women-owned businesses and invest in their
success. Vote for women running for office.
We all have a role to play and we all have a
responsibility to lift each other up along the way.
THANK YOU
Thank you for reading this Report and for
sharing it with friends, colleagues, and allies
statewide. We want to hear if this research is
useful to you and your organization. Are there
unplowed fields of study that you would like us
to address in future Reports? Please let us know:
info.caw@msmu.edu.
The Center for the Advancement of Women
at Mount Saint Mary’s University operates as a
hub for intersectional gender equity research,
advocacy, and leadership development. Our
vision is to find solutions to persistent gender
inequities and work with partners to eradicate
those inequities in our lifetime.
Join us: msmu.edu/caw.
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