The White House has announced its pledge of $118 million to go towards the economic prosperity of girls and women of color. This initiative, Prosperity Together, dedicates $100 million to low-income women and an additional $18 million from a group of research institutions to study the living conditions of females of color.

The efforts were shared during last Friday’s Summit at Wake Forest University. A forum with 30 speakers from various organizations came together to discuss the topic of advancing equity of girls and women of color in education and career development.

A report by the Council on Women and Girls was also released; advocates cite the opportunity gaps that girls and women face in the United States. This includes low levels of participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields.

The White House wrote in a statement, “The growth in the number of businesses owned by black women outpaces that of all women-owned firms. Teen births are down, and high school graduation and college enrollments are up. However, opportunity gaps and structural barriers still remain.”

According to statistics, young black males are likely at a higher risk for incarceration, death by homicide, and failure to complete college. Black male students also experience higher high school drop out rates. Their female peers struggle with comparable risks.

The Council on Women and Girls’ report has identified, based on data, areas where intervention can encourage opportunities for increased success at school, in the work place, and in the community. Ongoing research explores new efforts that may encourage equality for females of color.