#Consumer Insights Have Color

Vol 2.0

Change in the right direction is always a welcome guest. Leveraging the celebrity of Lebron James lends reach to the LeanIn initiative that will bridge the gap between genders, skin color and social status.

I expect it to open another door to what I hope will be a continuous and healthy dialogue about disparities in earning power not only between men and women but also between women of color and mainstream society.

So goes the saying, a rising tide raises all ships. I believe that will be the case with the combined efforts of Lebron James, the celebrities he will influence to echo his stance and those of LeanIn.

If being a good corporate citizen isn’t sexy enough for organizations to reduce the disparity in earning between men and women, and in particular Black women and mainstream society, consider what your company may be missing out on by not doing so.

According to the National Partnership for Women and Families:

Median wages for African American women in the United States are $33,885 per year, compared to median wages of $52,535 annually for white, non-Hispanic men – or a difference of $18,650 each year.7 Families, businesses and the economy suffer as a result. These lost wages mean families have less money to spend on goods and services that help drive economic growth.

For example, if the wage gap were eliminated, on average, an African American woman working full time, year round would have enough money for approximately:

• 147 more weeks of food for her family (2.8 years’ worth)

• 13 more months of mortgage and utilities payments

• 21 more months of rent

• 5,368 additional gallons of gas

Nearly two-thirds of voters support the Paycheck Fairness Act. In a 2014 nationwide survey, 62 percent of likely voters and 78 percent of African American voters said they support the Paycheck Fairness Act, a federal proposal that would help combat wage discrimination. Support for the Paycheck Fairness Act crosses demographic and ideological lines, with 83 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of independents, and 44 percent of Republican voters saying they support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Based on attitude and usage research conducted by Pew Research Center, the vote still has to catch up to attitudes and perception. Our vote is our voice. Our actions, our thoughts, the things that influence our decision making and interaction speaks to our deeper consciousness.

For details on the LeanIn initiative, access http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/05/living/feat-sheryl-sandberg-lebron-james-men-lean-in/index.html

For more information on how to connect your initiative to the Black Consumer, access https://www.diversityconnected.com

Til then, Keep Working Until You No Longer Have to Introduce Yourself!

Joyfully,

Sara Gregory