Nerdy Girl Success Empowers Black Girls to Be Leaders

By Aswad Walker Originally appeared in Word in Black According to a Houston-born singer you might have heard of, girls run the world. And by some measures, the assertion seems on point. In terms of degrees earned, Black women are the most educated demographic in the nation. Moreover, Black women are using their skills and smarts, whether degreed or not, to find businesses at a faster clip than any others, regardless of race or gender. But while there is much to celebrate regarding our sisters, there are reasons to be concerned. Black women are hit hardest by the lack of access to healthcare because, as the primary caregivers of children, they have to deal with, in real time, the fact that Texas has the highest rate of uninsured youth in the country. And Black women have fewer resources to deal with their own and/or their children’s issues, as they’re paid roughly 65 cents for every dollar earned by white men doing the same job. Moreover, Black women represent the fastest-growing demographic entering prison. Black women are victims of more violent crimes (including murder) than any other group. Black girls from elementary to high school suffer from “adultification”& —& school officials,...