In 2021, the Drake Institute’s fellows examined how air pollution and respiratory illness intersected to create one of the most pressing women’s health challenges of our time. They noted that more than 12 million women in the United States were living with asthma, compared to about 6.6 million men, and that women of color—particularly Black and Hispanic women—faced higher rates of hospitalization and emergency room visits for respiratory conditions. At the time, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranked among the most costly medical conditions in the country, and the gender disparities were already clear. The conclusion was unavoidable: air pollution was not only an environmental crisis, but also a women’s health and economic equity issue.