Closing the Wealth & Wage Gap
To close today’s wealth and wage gap for women and particularly for women of color, it is critically important to increase the participation in capital markets for all. According to A Framework for Inclusive Investing: Driving Stock Market Participation to Close the Wealth Gap for Women of Color, “Participation gaps also reflect a perception among women and women of color that current investment options are not designed for them.” Black and Latinx women are even less likely to have a basic knowledge of investing.
Financial literacy is important, but not enough to substantially move the needle towards equal pay and equal wealth accumulation. Pairing investment education with access to trusted sources is required.
The Problem
Research indicates that girls in the US, UK and Canada perform on par with boys in math during elementary and middle school, but their performance wanes significantly in high school/secondary school, and beyond, known as the “gender gap.” Contributing factors include societal biases, lack of female role models in math-related fields, and gender-based socialization. It’s important to recognize that this gap varies across regions and cultures.
However, solutions are evident. Research affirms that interventions boosting girls’ math and science interest yield positive results in narrowing the gender gap. Urgent action is essential. We all share responsibility in reshaping the trajectory for girls in math, spanning schools, companies, and homes.
RTSWS’ initiative revitalizes girls’ enthusiasm for math within a pivotal life phase, as they make vital choices. At this crossroads of financial independence, college decisions, and career paths, the time to make a difference is now.
Wage & Wealth Gap
Wage Gap
For every $1 USD earned by a white man, women typically earn only the following:
- White: 79 cents
- Black: 63 cents
- Latina: 54 cents
Wealth Gap
The wealth gap encompasses broader economic disparities beyond just earnings. Women have only 32 cents for every dollar owned by a man and in these terms “wealth” is practically nonexistent for black and Latina women, who own a penny for every male dollar.
- Men: 1 dollar
- Women: 32 cents
Role Models
The primary factor discouraging girls from pursuing STEM careers? A lack of visible women in those fields.
The second factor? A scarcity of female peers opting for STEM studies in their classes and social circles. It’s as straightforward as that. And this is precisely where RTSWS makes a transformative impact in every classroom of students we engage with.
STEM careers have the power to uplift individuals from poverty within a single generation.
We Have a Solution
Our instructors are 100% Female Financial Professionals
We narrow the gender and racial wage and wealth gaps and boost girls’ interest in their financial lives and finance careers by showcasing real-world female role models in money management. RTSWS sparks high school girls’ enthusiasm for finance, expanding their horizons beyond stereotypes. Over 6,000 girls have completed our program since 2012, reshaping the financial landscape.
Change who we invest in to change what we invest in.
Want to Volunteer?
RTSWS mentors provide invaluable support by offering college and career guidance to our students. We’re transforming the student-to-guidance counselor ratio from a staggering national average of 482:1 to a remarkable 2:1. This transformation reverberates through our students’ college and career paths and life journeys, particularly benefiting those from underserved schools.
Our dedicated female volunteers contribute essential social capital, connecting students who might otherwise remain distant from professionals in the financial sector. As we build student cohorts among the girls, industry connections dismantle obstacles that have historically hindered women’s entry into STEM-related financial professions.
