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The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimated 582,000 Americans experienced homelessness in 2022. The increase in the number of people without a place to live is a result of outrageous housing costs and steadily rising prices for essentials like food and transportation. Sadly, the rising face of homelessness is African American women.
The over-representation of Black women in the homeless population is not by accident. Women — already the most vulnerable to job loss, the most likely to be single heads of households, the ones who are most often the sole providers for their children — are also the most likely to be evicted. Even before the pandemic hit in 2020, Black women faced evictions at twice the rate of white people in at least 17 states, according to a study by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Homelessness experienced by women is made unique by their disproportionate experiences of gender-based violence including domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault. Service providers across the country often acknowledge these risks but lack the resources to address them comprehensively.
I moved to Los Angeles County in 2017, and the first time I saw Skid Row for myself I was speechless. Skid Row makes up about 50 blocks in downtown L.A., where nearly 3,000 people live in tents, shanties, and vehicles that trail on the sidewalks and streets. It’s sad and shocking to see it, including the number of Black women. You’ll never see a sight like this in the movies; only the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
Los Angeles’ new mayor, Karen Bass, spent most of her campaign last year focused on the homeless epidemic and declared a state of emergency on her first day in office. It basically gives her office expanded powers to accelerate the construction of affordable housing and cuts through all the rules and regulations that might hinder the process. Meanwhile, more people continue to fall into homelessness faster than housing can be put up, faster than these programs can help people that are already on the streets. For every person housed, more fall into homelessness — an unrelenting cycle that even the best-intentioned advocates struggle to interrupt.
Sixty-eight percent of Black women are the sole breadwinners of their household. This fact is tremendously significant to understand why so many Black women are homeless. With the pandemic came financial challenges that have posed a substantial threat to their ability to remain housed and support their families. Black women are also the primary caregivers for aging parents and family members. Those obligations, coupled with the greatest income and wealth disparities between them and other demographic groups, have made Black women especially vulnerable to eviction.
Research shows significant differences in how homelessness is experienced across ethnic groups. We have to acknowledge that structural racism and systemic barriers such as unequal pay and discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect Black women and greatly contribute to high-cost burdens with housing. Women are more responsible for taking care of children and the elderly so they have less time to commute, which means they have less time at work. They are not making as much money as they could be.
The truth is, welfare to reform/welfare to work doesn’t really provide support and resources if you’re working. There are women struggling; they can’t get any public assistance; they can’t get Medicaid; they can’t get enough food stamps. But they absolutely need the help.
To be a Black woman is one layer of invisibility. But to be a Black woman and homeless is on another level. As a woman, I know how important it is to just claim space for femininity, and that has to be nearly impossible when homeless. Women remain mothers, wives, nurturers, and students. None of those roles are lost just because they are without a home. Your identity is non-negotiable.
Homelessness seems to erase the past and blurs the present. Black women are filtered with race, gender, sexuality, and economics. Navigating these things and more that have been assigned to Black womanhood, while struggling for stability, is an almost impossible balancing act. Issues of mental health, poverty, and domestic violence are not exclusive to Black women. However, Black women experience the impact of these conditions with a different intensity.
The trope of the angry, hyper-sexualized, or lazy Black woman melt into the reality of homelessness. We know that homelessness is a human condition, yet Black women are too easily compartmentalized and marginalized. Our society is selective on who is worthy enough to receive sympathy and assistance: Black or white, sober or addicted, mother or father, married or single. We choose according to personal politics who is worthy of stability, who doesn’t deserve support, and when it is acceptable for someone to be without shelter.
This time of year, I think about students returning to college campuses, along with the reminder that many Black women on campus are homeless. Many are sacrificing food and shelter to achieve a college degree. How do we reconcile the value of an education with women living in their cars?
What are viable solutions to homelessness? For one, building more housing in cities. In a lot of major cities, women tend to rely more on public transportation. So, the closer they can live to childcare and work, the more they are able to do. Also, there needs to be more of an investment in supportive services that actually work and not hinder. Sometimes, women need longer-term rental assistance and services that support their stability. Lastly, programs need to be put into place to increase women’s incomes. It is crucial to maintaining housing they may already have in place.
There has been a lot of conversation and debate about what protection of Black women looks like. What does it mean to truly protect us? Mostly, the conversation goes a couple of ways: People ask how they can protect us, only to dismiss what we’re asking for. Some are willing to listen, but only if they can argue their personal examples of how to protect us. The rest? Well, they remain silent. There lies the problem.
The post Black Women: The Rising Face of Homelessness appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimated 582,000 Americans experienced homelessness in 2022. The increase in the number of people without a place to live is a result of outrageous housing costs and steadily rising prices for essentials like food and transportation. Sadly, the rising face of homelessness is African American women.
The over-representation of Black women in the homeless population is not by accident. Women — already the most vulnerable to job loss, the most likely to be single heads of households, the ones who are most often the sole providers for their children — are also the most likely to be evicted. Even before the pandemic hit in 2020, Black women faced evictions at twice the rate of white people in at least 17 states, according to a study by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Homelessness experienced by women is made unique by their disproportionate experiences of gender-based violence including domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, human trafficking, and sexual assault. Service providers across the country often acknowledge these risks but lack the resources to address them comprehensively.
I moved to Los Angeles County in 2017, and the first time I saw Skid Row for myself I was speechless. Skid Row makes up about 50 blocks in downtown L.A., where nearly 3,000 people live in tents, shanties, and vehicles that trail on the sidewalks and streets. It’s sad and shocking to see it, including the number of Black women. You’ll never see a sight like this in the movies; only the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
Los Angeles’ new mayor, Karen Bass, spent most of her campaign last year focused on the homeless epidemic and declared a state of emergency on her first day in office. It basically gives her office expanded powers to accelerate the construction of affordable housing and cuts through all the rules and regulations that might hinder the process. Meanwhile, more people continue to fall into homelessness faster than housing can be put up, faster than these programs can help people that are already on the streets. For every person housed, more fall into homelessness — an unrelenting cycle that even the best-intentioned advocates struggle to interrupt.
Sixty-eight percent of Black women are the sole breadwinners of their household. This fact is tremendously significant to understand why so many Black women are homeless. With the pandemic came financial challenges that have posed a substantial threat to their ability to remain housed and support their families. Black women are also the primary caregivers for aging parents and family members. Those obligations, coupled with the greatest income and wealth disparities between them and other demographic groups, have made Black women especially vulnerable to eviction.
Research shows significant differences in how homelessness is experienced across ethnic groups. We have to acknowledge that structural racism and systemic barriers such as unequal pay and discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect Black women and greatly contribute to high-cost burdens with housing. Women are more responsible for taking care of children and the elderly so they have less time to commute, which means they have less time at work. They are not making as much money as they could be.
The truth is, welfare to reform/welfare to work doesn’t really provide support and resources if you’re working. There are women struggling; they can’t get any public assistance; they can’t get Medicaid; they can’t get enough food stamps. But they absolutely need the help.
To be a Black woman is one layer of invisibility. But to be a Black woman and homeless is on another level. As a woman, I know how important it is to just claim space for femininity, and that has to be nearly impossible when homeless. Women remain mothers, wives, nurturers, and students. None of those roles are lost just because they are without a home. Your identity is non-negotiable.
Homelessness seems to erase the past and blurs the present. Black women are filtered with race, gender, sexuality, and economics. Navigating these things and more that have been assigned to Black womanhood, while struggling for stability, is an almost impossible balancing act. Issues of mental health, poverty, and domestic violence are not exclusive to Black women. However, Black women experience the impact of these conditions with a different intensity.
The trope of the angry, hyper-sexualized, or lazy Black woman melt into the reality of homelessness. We know that homelessness is a human condition, yet Black women are too easily compartmentalized and marginalized. Our society is selective on who is worthy enough to receive sympathy and assistance: Black or white, sober or addicted, mother or father, married or single. We choose according to personal politics who is worthy of stability, who doesn’t deserve support, and when it is acceptable for someone to be without shelter.
This time of year, I think about students returning to college campuses, along with the reminder that many Black women on campus are homeless. Many are sacrificing food and shelter to achieve a college degree. How do we reconcile the value of an education with women living in their cars?
What are viable solutions to homelessness? For one, building more housing in cities. In a lot of major cities, women tend to rely more on public transportation. So, the closer they can live to childcare and work, the more they are able to do. Also, there needs to be more of an investment in supportive services that actually work and not hinder. Sometimes, women need longer-term rental assistance and services that support their stability. Lastly, programs need to be put into place to increase women’s incomes. It is crucial to maintaining housing they may already have in place.
There has been a lot of conversation and debate about what protection of Black women looks like. What does it mean to truly protect us? Mostly, the conversation goes a couple of ways: People ask how they can protect us, only to dismiss what we’re asking for. Some are willing to listen, but only if they can argue their personal examples of how to protect us. The rest? Well, they remain silent. There lies the problem.
The post Black Women: The Rising Face of Homelessness appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Out of all the female characters in the DC comic universe, Catwoman is easily one of the most notable. The reason people are so intrigued by Catwoman is that she’s an intense and gritty antihero who goes from being the complete adversary of Batman to eventually changing her behavior. She does bad things, but she does them for the right reasons — and there’s something endearing about that.
She was introduced to the public in the spring of 1940 in a comic book titled Batman #1 thanks to the creative minds of Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Over the years, several talented actors have taken on this character. While stars like Michelle Pfeiffer and Anne Hathaway played the role incredibly well, it’s time to reflect on the memorable Black women who have played Catwoman too.
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt was the actor to play Catwoman in the 1960s Batman television series. Kitt took over the role in the third and final season of the show, replacing Julie Newmar who originally played the role for the first two seasons. Kitt is often thought of in regards to her amazing music career, but her acting career deserves some attention too — especially with how amazing she was as Catwoman.
Just like a cat, Kitt was able to bring on a sultry and soothing vibe to the role. The ’60s was a great era for Kitt, and she looked incredible in the skin-tight, black costume she was told to wear for the part.
Halle Berry
Although Halle Berry can acknowledge the negative criticism she received after starring in 2004’s Catwoman, she’s still revered as one of the most unforgettable to play the role. According to Glamour, she explained, “I followed my intuition and I did a movie called Catwoman, and it bombed miserably. While it failed to most people, it wasn’t a failure for me because I met so many interesting people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise, I learned two forms of martial arts, and I learned what not to do.”
Berry also revealed that she doesn’t regret the movie regardless of how poorly it was received by audiences since she received such an amazing financial payout for her time in the role. It’s pointless to fully regret something like this when you’re able to walk away with a huge chunk of change in your pocket. That was obviously the case for Berry.
Sanaa Lathan
We don’t get to actually see Sanaa Lathan‘s face as Catwoman but we do get to hear her voice. She voices the character of Catwoman in the animated series Harley Quinn in its second season. The show is animated, yet still totally geared towards adult audiences. A lot of the dialogue and jokes are clearly not written for children to see. The show focuses on the wacky misadventures of Harley Quinn and her devious crime partners.
Lathan was excited to voice the character of Catwoman, telling Black Film, “It was literally an offer that came to my agents, and it was thrilling for me because obviously, it’s Catwoman. I also just love doing animation because it’s so fun. It’s so easy. You just roll out of bed, in your sweats, and you don’t have to do hair and makeup. You just go into the booth and you’re in and out.” She voice acted the role of Catwoman alongside the likes of Kaley Cuco, Lake Bell, and Alan Tudyk.
Naya Rivera
Before Naya Rivera’s tragic passing in 2020, she did a bit of voice acting. Rivera drowned in a California lake during a boating trip with her son. Prior to this devastating blow, she voiced the character of Catwoman in Batman: The Long Halloween Part 1.
Rivera successfully completed her voice work for the movie before her untimely death. Her voice acting role as Catwoman is the last official project she was part of before she passed away. Rivera’s biggest role outside of her animated Batman film was on Glee between 2009 and 2015 where she played the LGBTQ character Santana Lopez.
Zoë Kravitz
The latest actor to take on the role of Catwoman will be Zoë Kravitz, who’s starring in the 2022 movie The Batman alongside Robert Pattinson. Kravitz is a super talented and beautiful performer who is undoubtedly going to dominate in the role. She’s done a lot to prepare for the movie including a fitness and diet regimen, reading classic comic books, and so much more.
Kravitz is a seasoned actor prepared to take on the sultry role of Catwoman after starring in huge blockbuster movies like Divergent, X-Men: First Class, and Mad Max: Fury Road. There is no slowing Kravitz down, and it’s exciting to see how exactly she plans to take on the role of Catwoman in her upcoming movie in comparison to these other amazing Black women who have done it in the past.
The post These Memorable Black Women Have All Played Catwoman appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
From crunchy spears to tangy cocktails, pickles are having a moment. Whether you’re enjoying pickles in surprising combinations like a new sorbet, cooling down with a briny slush, or sipping on a pickletini for the first time, this flavor-forward trend is taking center stage. To find out what’s fueling the pickle craze, Instacart dove into the data to see how America is snacking on pickles, and which brands are topping the charts.
Top Pickle Brands on Instacart
Whether diced into a salad, deep-fried at a fair, or eaten straight from the jar, everyone has their go-to pickle brand. Tried-and-true shelf classics like Mt. Olive and Vlasic continue to hold strong, while newer, fresh-packed favorites like Grillo’s Pickles and OH SNAP! are spicing things up in the refrigerated aisle.
Top Growing Pickle Brands on Instacart
As consumer taste shifts toward bolder and spicier flavors, emerging brands are having their moment in the spotlight. Small-batch favorites like Yee-Haw Pickle Company and flavor-forward innovators like SuckerPunch, known for varieties like arbol pepper and three-pepper pickles, are bringing new heat to the category.
Trend Alert: Unexpected Pickle Pairings Are Popping Off
Pickles are teaming up with some unexpected pantry favorites, and social media is eating it up. These viral combos aren’t just trending on the FYP; they’re making waves in grocery carts, too:
- Crunch Meets Heat: The Takis + pickles combo is winning fans with its fiery, salty contrast. Takis are 118% more likely to be ordered when pickles are in the cart.
- Fruity Flavors: It might sound unexpected, but fruit snacks and pickles are a big hit on social media. Fruit Roll-Ups are 116% more likely to be in carts when pickles are also on the list.
- Pickles on Pizza Night: Cheeseburger pizza has been having a moment, and Instacart data shows Red Baron Frozen Pizzas are 55% more likely to be ordered alongside pickles.
- Viral Crackers, Real Demand: The TikTok-famous parmesan-pickle cracker recipe only needs two ingredients and its driving behavior. Parmesan cheese is 50% more likely to be in pickle-filled carts.
Methodology: Instacart calculated the percentage difference between the share of orders on the Instacart platform that contained each category when pickles were in the same cart compared to how often each category was purchased on Instacart overall between June 2024 and July 2025.
Most Popular Pickle by State
Pickle passion runs deep — and varies by location. Instacart data shows that your favorite pickle brand might say a lot about where you live:
- State Pride: In true hometown spirit, Wisconsin backs MILWAUKEE Pickles, showing love for the local favorite.
- Southern Tang: Mt. Olive is the clear winner across the Southeast, topping carts in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and beyond.
- West Coast Crunch: With its iconic stork mascot, Vlasic leads across the West and Great Plains, from California and Oregon to Kansas and Nebraska.
Beyond the Jar
Pickle flavor isn’t just for spears anymore. It’s showing up in chips, salads, dips, nuts, and beyond. According to purchase data, here are the top-selling pickle-flavored products that aren’t actually pickles:
Pickle flavor isn’t just staying in the jar anymore — it’s popping up in all kinds of fun and unexpected ways. From dill pickle chips to chopped salad kits, people are loving this twist across their meals and snacks. Pickles have gone from a simple side to the main flavor event.
Crowning the Pickle Capital of America
When it comes to pickle passion, the Midwest is leading the charge. According to Instacart’s purchase data, North Dakota tops the list with a 68.2% higher order rate than the national average, closely followed by South Dakota (+67.6%) and Wisconsin (+66.8%). Heartland states are really all-in on the brine.
Get Your Dill On
As the heat rises, so does the collective craving for that crisp, tangy crunch. Whether you’re reaching for a classic dill spear, a spicy pickle chip, or a briny snack with a twist, pickles are having a well-deserved moment.
This story was produced by Instacart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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