Women of color in the U.S. have long faced oppression based on an intersectionality that includes race, gender and class. In 2015, Black women had the highest labor force participation rate among all women at 59.7 percent yet ranked near the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, not reflecting their tremendous gains in education outcomes. Evidence has shown Whites’ are likely to make negative judgments of a Black target in real life based on negative stereotypical television portrayals.

To educate females of color about the nexus between current media representations and their well-being, we will conduct an outreach and education campaign targeting Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions, and civic and social organizations with a large membership of women of color. We will develop a discussion guide to ignite conversations that consider the current state of media representations of women of color on prime time television, how those representations can help or hinder the social reality for women and girls of color and suggested strategies for coping and resilience when confronted with race and gender bias in a contemporary setting.