In the midst of an emerging economic recession, The Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF), Georgia’s only public foundation focused exclusively on the needs of women and girls, examines the economic outlook for Georgia’s women in its recent study “The Economic Status of Women in Georgia.” Produced in partnership with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the study’s findings review a set of indicators of women’s employment and earnings and compare their status to that of women in other states.

“The goal of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation is to help women use the power that they all have to change their lives and the lives of those around them,” Deborah Richardson, CEO of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation explained. “One of the ways that we accomplish this is by funding research and this study is a shining example of how important it is to understand where women across the state stand in terms of economic status. Once we understand the current situation, we can create ways to help these women realize their earning potential, which will have a direct impact on families and communities throughout Georgia.”

According to the study’s findings, Georgia fares well in some areas such as women in managerial and professional occupations and women-owned businesses. However, the earnings ratio between men and women of color is dismal, and Georgia ranks poorly on women’s labor force participation, health insurance coverage, and poverty, underscoring the remaining obstacles to women’s economic security. As a result, Georgia falls in the bottom third of all states on the percentage of women in poverty.

Some of the specific issues relevant to the economic disparities and opportunities for metro Atlanta’s women include:

• Approximately 35.1 percent of women are in managerial/professional occupations;
• Only 27.5 percent of women in Georgia 25 and older hold a four-year college degree or higher;
• The median annual income for all women is $31,600, but that figure drops to $28,200, $30,100 and $22,800 for African American, Asian American and Hispanic women, respectively; and
• More than 13 percent of women in Georgia are in families where the income is inadequate to meet basic needs.

To address these issues and empower metro Atlanta women toward economic self-sufficiency, AWF will hold its first Summit on Women and Girls on April 16. Located at the Ritz-Carlton Downtown Atlanta, the Summit will give thousands of women a day of interactive workshops and enriching discussions on topics including the real cost of living for women and girls in Atlanta. Some of the nation’s most inspiring leaders from government, private business, education and the not-for-profit sector will be featured on the Summit agenda.

Conference attendees will learn the importance of 1) equal opportunities for women in the workplace; 2) becoming active agents in pushing for legislative policies on economic equality and 3) participating in your community in ways that impact the lives of women and their families.

Featured speakers for the Summit include:

• Lee Woodruff, ABC’s contributing editor and author of “In An Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love and Healing,” which chronicles her family’s journey when her husband was critically injured in Iraq, will serve as the keynote luncheon speaker.
• Maryland’s first female Lt. Governor, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, will deliver an evening call to action to address solutions for improving schools, establishing economic development and ensuring that children and seniors get the quality healthcare they deserve.
• Meizhu Lui, Executive Director, United for a Fair Economy, discusses “The ‘Real’ Cost of Living for Atlanta’s Women and Girls.”
• Gail Evans, the bestselling author of “She Wins, You Win,” and “Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman,” will give attendees the keys to success in the business world during “Leveraging Your Leadership Style.”
• Local Atlanta leaders including Dr. Beverly Tatum of Spelman College and Representative Kathy Ashe will participate in AWF’s “Follow the Leader: Conversations with Atlanta’s Women Leaders.” Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latin Elected Officials and Milton Little from the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta will participate in “Men on the Front Lines: Change Agents Tell Their Story,” an evening session moderated by Bill Bolling of the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

An electronic copy of The Economic Status of Women in Georgia is available to the media upon request. For more information on the AWF’s Summit for Women and Girls or to register, visit www.atlantawomen.org. To request an interview opportunity with Summit speakers and executives from The Atlanta Women’s Foundation please contact Tori Allen at tallen@brainchildassociates.com.