Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Black women were already contending with significant health disparities and systemic socioeconomic barriers that contributed to precarious financial stability. The pandemic catalyzed further disruptions in Black women’s physical, emotional, and economic well-being as they lost their jobs at higher rates and were more likely to be essential workers. Black women’s unique experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic are not singular occurrences but are instead intricately tied to systemic racism and their intersecting social identities, including race, gender, and class.

This fact sheet further contextualizes the pandemic and provides insight into its true impact on the mental health and working lives of Black women.