Feb 13, 2025 Story by: Editor
CLEVELAND—Black women in Greater Cleveland continue to face significant barriers in healthcare, education, and the workplace, with little improvement since 2020, according to findings from a survey presented at the Cleveland Commission on Black Women and Girls’.
A 2020 City Lab Livable Index study ranked Cleveland among the worst cities for Black women to live.
The nonprofit research and advocacy organization Enlightened Solutions conducted the latest survey, Project Noir 2024, expanding on a similar 2021 study. The survey gathered responses from 1,324 Black women from diverse backgrounds across Northeast Ohio. Enlightened Solutions co-founders, Chinenye Nkemere and Bethany Studenic, released the report late last year and presented it to the commission and community members in January.
Established in 2022 by Mayor Justin Bibb and City Council, the commission aims to propose programs and policies to support Black families.
Workplace Disparities: ‘A Starkly Different Reality’
“In Cleveland, where economic statistics often paint a rosy picture of post-Covid growth, the experiences of Black women in the workplace reveal a starkly different reality,” the report stated.
Project Noir 2024 found that Black women frequently experience workplace sabotage, exclusionary gossip, and a lack of professional development opportunities.
Key findings include:
- 79% of respondents reported being paid less than colleagues in similar positions.
- 77% felt micromanaged or believed their work was unfairly scrutinized.
- 71% said they were overlooked for job promotions.
Additionally, many Black women surveyed recalled hearing remarks such as “DEI hire,” “you’re articulate for a Black woman,” or “you’re too aggressive.”
Nkemere noted that the shift toward remote work has positively impacted the mental health of Black women overall.
Healthcare Inequities: ‘Some of the Worst Health Outcomes in the Nation’
The report highlighted that Black women often feel dismissed when seeking medical care, with their concerns overlooked or treated with a lack of empathy.
“Northeast Ohio healthcare systems hyper-focus on weight, sexuality and reproduction, often neglecting other critical or chronic needs,” the report stated.
Among the survey’s healthcare findings:
- 56% of respondents reported being spoken down to regarding their health symptoms.
- 55% felt uncomfortable with their healthcare provider.
- 40% said healthcare staff’s body language made them feel unwelcome.
The report also pointed out that health disparities between Black and white women persist regardless of socioeconomic status.
“Black women of means, class and education in Northeast Ohio experience some of the worst health outcomes in the nation when being treated in traditional healthcare systems,” the report noted.
Educational Barriers: Exclusion, Microaggressions, and Discouragement
Survey participants also reported experiencing microaggressions from both peers and educators in academic settings.
- 63% felt they had to work harder than their peers to earn the same grades.
- 54% believed they were excluded from professional development and educational advancement opportunities.
- 49% said they were guided toward entry-level careers rather than encouraged to pursue their passions.
“A professor in college told me I wasn’t good enough to be an engineer,” one respondent shared. Another recalled, “My startup business was belittled and called ridiculous by my professor in front of my peers at a college—which led me to shelve it immediately.”
Community Discussion and Next Steps
During the City Hall meeting, the commission invited nine members of Motivated and Empowered Inc., a nonprofit supporting young people, to participate in a Q&A session.
Audience members had the opportunity to ask questions before the young women of Motivated and Empowered Inc. shared their experiences. One participant spoke about her struggles with anxiety and moments of suicidal thoughts.
The commission’s next public listening session is scheduled for March 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Hall. Source: Signal Cleveland
