A new study by media site CityLab reveals that there is no perfect city for Black women in America. However, data analysed by the media states there are certain metro areas that have a greatest livability Index for women.
CityLab does original reporting and in-depth analysis and the metrics used to determine these cities were education, economics and health which saw Washington DC at the top of the list.
The team worked with Junia Howell, an urban sociologist, and an average value was derived across all categories. The cities that were eligible for the study had about 100,000 Black women or more.
This was followed by Boston in second place. Taking into consideration the best cities that emerged top for Black women to live in, most of them are in the South which saw North Carolina outranking the other states for livability.
The top five best cities were Washington DC, Boston, Raleigh, Dallas and Greensboro. Charlotte, Atlanta and DC have black female mayors and they made it to the top 10.
The cities that were least favourable were in the Midwest. Meanwhile, the report hints at the fact that the best performing cities could have come on top because they have a high number of HCBUS.
Greensboro, North Carolina outdid the other cities in health service, educational and economic outcomes with D.C. emerging at the top once again.
This research was evidence-based and the methodology was very thorough but Sherrell Dorsey, founder of BLKTECHCLT, a tech hub for minority innovators in Charlotte said, the study does not negate the fact that the best performing cities even in the South have a grave tendency to “prioritize white males” and “demonize Black women.”
Dorsey also said the analysis falls short with regards to the fact that it doesn’t measure Black women’s lack of access to capital because she has worked in the 42 metropolitan areas.
“At BLKTECHCLT, we serve a bevy of Black women technologists and entrepreneurs who fight daily for visibility, access, and scalability,” Dorsey said, according to CityLab. “Some have entered business ownership as a means to escape harsh discrimination and psychological warfare in the corporate environment.”
