I am taking a break from writing next week to recharge at a lake in the Idaho mountains.

But these two reports from the Center from American Progress speak to the core issues I will discuss in my next book. How do we tap the great economic potential of women--in the case of these two reports women of color and unmarried women? And how do we move beyond our own economic insecurities to fully use the economic power that we have?

The two reports can by clicking here for the report on unmarried women. And clicking here for the report on women of color.

I've added a few paragraphs of statistics and information here as food for thought.

More when I return the week of Aug. 24.

From the report on unmarried women:

"New information is emerging about the economic importance of unmarried women and the vital contributions they make to our economy. Almost half (47 percent) of all women in America today are unmarried—divorced, separated, widowed, or never married. Unmarried women now make up nearly a quarter (24 percent) of our total adult population, and they head 3 in 10 households. Unmarried women are raising one-quarter (25 percent) of all American children under 18 years old. Unmarried women are workers and homeowners, our neighbors and community leaders, our family members and friends."

And from the report on women of color:

"Unmarried women of color have even less economic security than their white counterparts. This is a particular concern because women of color are more likely to be unmarried and facing the economic insecurity associated with their marital status. For instance, 68 percent of adult black women are unmarried, as are 47 percent of Hispanic women, compared with 43 percent of white women."