MSMU RSWG 2023 final - Flipbook - Page 5
ON PURPOSE
An Introduction
From the President
Over the past few years, we have lived through
a pandemic that has claimed more than 100,000
lives in California alone1 and affected survivors
physically, emotionally, and financially. We have
reckoned with systemic racism and violence
against our Black, Asian American and Pacific
Islander, Jewish, and LGBTQIA+ siblings, among
others. We have witnessed assaults on our very
democracy and a political polarization that too
often prevents us from seeing the humanity in
each other.
Amidst all this turbulence and trauma, it is no
wonder so many women are reassessing their
priorities and seeking out new paths. Nationwide,
nearly 2 in 3 employees say the pandemic pushed
them to reflect on their purpose in life.2 Indeed,
the pandemic-era “Great Resignation” continued
in 2022, as 46.6 million Americans left their jobs.3
As we reflected on this exodus, we decided that
our 2023 edition of The Report on the Status of
Women and Girls in California™ should attempt
to assess what women need in order to attain
agency for themselves, add meaning to their
lives, and contribute fully to their families,
communities, and businesses.
The answers we found resonate with much of
what we all know. To pursue a more fulfilling,
purposeful life, we need:
• Good health and healthcare
• Economic security and education
• Work-life balance and support at home
As our faculty authors focused on these areas, we
discovered a complex story of progress in some
areas, and stagnation or regression in others.
(See key takeaways in our Highlights on the
following pages.)
For one example, on the economic front:
Unemployment is trending downward, earnings
upward, and remote work flexibility has become
an expectation. Yet California women still lag
behind men when it comes to both annual
earnings and long-term wealth. And Latinas
and Black women in California consistently feel
those inequities much more acutely, and for much
longer, than anyone else.
This Report also reaffirms a truth that has
long inspired Mount Saint Mary’s University
to produce this research: Education’s
transformational impact on women’s economic
security cannot be overstated.
Consider that among California households
headed by a single woman without a high school
degree, the poverty rate is 34%. When that woman
instead has a bachelor’s degree (or higher), the
poverty rate drops to 10% — even without a
spouse or partner present to provide additional
family income. Education remains a constant and
dramatic game-changer when it comes to solving
gender inequities and economic insecurity.
This Report also includes our annual Scorecard,
which highlights women’s progress, or lack
thereof, when it comes to gender parity in
education, media, earnings, and corporate and
political leadership. All areas that have a significant
impact on women’s quality of life, as well as on
their families, companies, and communities. This
year’s Scorecard is particularly instructive amidst
an ever-evolving post-pandemic landscape.
We hope this research opens eyes and influences
policies. Because we owe it to ourselves and the
girls who follow in our footsteps to pursue more
equitable opportunities for all. Indeed, to help
more California women go beyond “making a
living” to making a life instead.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and caring.
Sincerely,
Ann McElaney-Johnson
President, Mount Saint Mary’s University
Chair, Women’s College Coalition
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