With the political spotlight blazing on Black female leadership in 2024, Kellie Todd Griffin, the President and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CABWCEI), is leveraging every moment to ensure that black women and girls in the state of California have access to a flourishing way of life right where they live.
Todd Griffin, a recipient of the Michelle Obama Courage Award from the Time for Change Foundation, has devoted over 25 years to championing positive change and empowering communities across the state. Her impressive achievements include securing $5 million in funding from Governor Gavin Newsom—with the support of the California Legislative Black Caucus—to establish the state’s inaugural and only Black Women’s Think Tank—at Cal State Dominguez Hills, focused on advancing the welfare of Black women in California.
This summer, her organization’s Black Girl Joy Festival received recognition from the state, with August 10 being declared as Black Girl Joy Day. She has also been honored with the Los Angeles County Woman of the Year award for her efforts in promoting healthcare equity.
Celebrated as a power player on California’s political stage, Todd Griffin and the CABWCEI fueled the “Keep the Seat” campaign in 2020, putting pressure on Governor Newsom to appoint a Black woman to the Senate seat that Kamala Harris vacating. They united a coalition of community groups and organizers through a series of Zoom calls, drawing in hundreds of women across the state and nation, and initiated a petition on Change.org. The petition urged supporters to help persuade Governor Gavin Newsom to replace Harris with either Congresswoman Karen Bass or Congresswoman Barbara Lee. In response to the mounting pressure, Newsom appointed Shirley Weber as Secretary of State, with Weber making history as the first Black woman to hold the post. Though historic, the move was viewed as a consolation prize and Todd Griffin worked with other groups to keep the pressure on.
Their efforts paid off in 2023 with the appointment of Laphonza Butler to the Senate to fill the seat left vacant following the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Her powerful advocacy extends through CBWC, which has launched pioneering programs such as a voter engagement initiative and a Black women’s professional leadership certification, underscoring her role as a catalyst for change in the political landscape of California.
“Kellie’s steadfast dedication to empowering Black women and girls across California is truly extraordinary, inspiring others to go beyond mere words and take action, said Assemblymember Lori Wilson, who serves as chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. “Through her leadership and relentless advocacy, she supports issues that bring about meaningful change for our community while also making sure that Black women and girls have the necessary tools, resources, and opportunities to thrive.”
California Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor (D-Los Angeles) echoed the sentiment, calling her a “dynamic strategist, championing the voices of Black women in California politics and policy.”
Said McKinnor, “If there’s a statewide issue impacting Black women, you can count on Kellie to be at the forefront, ensuring that we have our seats ready at the table of power.”
Along with her political advocacy, Mayor Karen Bass and other notable stakeholders have applauded the outstanding research that Todd Griffin has led to impact underserved populations in California. Since launching CABWCEI in 2022, she and her team have made it their mission to uplift the voices and issues of California’s Black women and girls. Throughout the state, CABWCEI is driving sought after innovative programs that include a voter engagement initiative, an economic summit, a black women’s professional leadership certification program, as well as policy initiatives that include a black women’s legislative day and a policy summit.
It was the results of the 2018 State of the Black Women in California report (which she steered) that prompted Todd Griffin to take a deeper look at the disparities around Black women and girls and how they compared to their female counterparts.
“What we saw in the data was that there were systemic barriers for black women in health and education and economics,” Todd Griffin recollects. “It was obvious that black women and girls were in need of specific attention and interventions to be able to fully live a life in California that has opportunities.”
Some of the research the CABWCEI quantifies shows that 67% of California Black households are headed by Black single mothers. Additional data observes that Black women in California are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Other research reveals how Black women overall earn less than their Black male and White female counterparts – regardless of their educational achievements.
“The economic obligations that Black women shoulder [is] overwhelming,” Todd Griffin writes in an opinion piece. “They spend up to 50% of their income on housing and nearly 30% on childcare, far more than any other demographic.”
As a single mother who raised two sons, Todd Griffin is motivated to leverage her personal story, influence, and determination to advance progress. She advocates for individuals who not only share her background but also encounter similar real-life challenges.
As a Los Angeles native who was also raised by a single mom, Todd Griffin can recall periods where she lived with her single father, and for a while, one of her aunts. Due to the socioeconomic challenges her parents faced, there were also times when she and her brother couch surfed between the homes of family and friends and at 17, she found herself without stable housing.
“My brother and I had to grow up very quickly in our life,” said Todd Griffin, who lost both of her parents by the age of twenty-two. “My brother went to ten different schools, and I went to eight different schools. My mother and father often made decisions based on their jobs…Seeing them struggle with trying to take care of us without us going into the system taught both of us resiliency.
“I just thought well this in my journey. “This is what we go through as Black people and Black women in California,” she resolved. “Now I ask, how do we turn the spotlight on these issues impacting our lives that get brushed under the table?”
Reportedly, more than one million Black females reside in the Golden State, making it the fifth largest population in the country. However, when it comes to education, Black girls face significant challenges, displaying the lowest high school graduation rates and highest dropout rates among their female peers statewide. This disparity is somewhat reflected in her own story. Despite graduating from Hawthorne High School, she struggled academically at community college and at 20, had to enroll in a “Step to College” program to re-qualify for her undergraduate studies at San Francisco State University. Following her mother’s passing, Todd moved to Dallas, Texas, to live with her brother and ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Research indicates that Black women in California account for just 4% of the bachelor’s degrees earned by women in the state. Despite their educational accomplishments, they continue to earn less than their White and Asian counterparts with equivalent education levels and yet, two-thirds of employed Black women are the primary breadwinners in their households.
In a CABWCEI Quality of Life public opinion survey—which polled more than 1,200 Black Women in the state—they found that nearly two in five Black women work multiple jobs and face significant challenges meeting basic expenses. This dilemma significantly hampers their ability to save, invest, or achieve economic stability, perpetuating a cycle of financial insecurity.
“Black women possess only 10% of the wealth of their white male counterparts, with a median wealth of just $6,000, the lowest among all racial and gender groups in California,” notes Todd Griffin. Griffin further highlights a finding from the Status of Women in California report, stating that Black women would need to work an additional 30 years to earn what a white man makes at age 64. In comparison, white women would need only ten additional years to reach that same level.
“This disparity is not only an injustice but a stain on our state’s reputation,” argues Todd Griffin, who’s influence has gained significant traction in California’s political landscape relative to the election of Black women.
Currently, there are more than 120 Black females in elected seats in California, according to Todd Griffin. Such wins are why CABWCEI has established the “We’ve Saved a Seat for You, Sis!” initiative. This program works hard to increase the number of Black women who are registered to vote and helps get them out to vote.
“We have participated in many campaigns from the federal to the local level that have helped to get Black women elected through our Political Action Committee,” explains Todd Griffin.
“Of course, we have leaned-in and are partnering with the Harris Walz 2024 campaign and making sure we do what is necessary through phone banking, sending postcards, and visiting surrounding states to urge residents to vote.
“We stand on the shoulders of people who did not have the rights that we have today,” she states passionately. “We have several generations who have not had to live with limitations on liberties. Today we see that our liberties are being rolled back because we have sat on the sidelines. It is time for us to take the baton and keep running.”
Although Black women running for office find their accomplishments, their ideas, and public images more highly scrutinized than their White male and female competitors, this reality is not stopping their plight.
“The reason I do this work is so that Black moms can show up and be there best self to build their families and communities,” she said. “I really wanted to start an organization that focused on data, policy change, and practice transformation…And I am so proud that we have created a safe space for Black women to be themselves because there are so few places where they can do that.”
While the CABWCEI is a relatively new nonprofit organization, the collaborative partnerships, resources, and political power they have amassed will undoubtedly fuel their efforts for many years. CABWCEI’s initiatives are anchored in the belief that with unwavering audacity Black women and girls can believe in the impossible and experience joy in every aspect of their lives.
The research initiatives, health and wellness programs, power building platforms and more are producing impressive outcomes that has Black women and girls singing the organization’s praises. Todd Griffin appreciates the love, but she humbly intends for the work of CABWCEI to outlive her and many others.
“My hope is that fifty years from now we will have a generation of black women and girls in California that have been able to participate in the opportunities that the state presents,” she says. “There are a lot of barriers such as funding, but I believe we have the innovation to stay the course.”
Todd Griffin is leading the way at the CABWCEI with a vision to influence top decision makers to close the wage and wealth gap; support entrepreneurship that will foster scalable and sustainable business ventures; expand educational opportunities through scholarships, improving health access by focusing on barriers to access to high quality care without causing financial hardship; and addressing housing affordability with specialized housing assistance programs particularly for single income families.
“We, as Black women, must recognize that we are beautiful, we are brilliant and together we can power the trajectory of our collective success.”
