“It is appalling that in the United States today, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women, including those who work part-time and seasonally, are paid just 83 cents compared to their White, male counterparts. AANHPI communities are incredibly diverse, and sweeping averages obscure the full extent of the harm the wage gap is causing – for example, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) women are paid just 59 cents for every dollar paid to White men, and many ethnicities are paid even less. Every lawmaker should be working tirelessly to end this discrimination once and for all. 

“For years, advocates have called for federal agencies to better disaggregate wage data for AANHPI workers so we can more effectively study and address these huge disparities. But instead, the Trump administration is threatening to set us back by rescinding the EEO-1, the wage data the federal government has collected since the 1960s that illuminated these inequities in the first place. Erasing the experiences of AANHPI women does not erase the discrimination AANHPI communities face – it only makes it harder to understand the problem and target the solutions that will allow us all to thrive.

“The wage gap is an urgent challenge facing AANHPI women – and all women – that robs families of the resources we need to build good lives, at a time when costs are soaring. We simply can’t afford to go backward. We need leaders who are willing to tackle pay discrimination head-on by demanding better data, strengthening protections for workers, and investing in the care solutions families and our economy desperately need. Only then will we finally end the systemic wage disparities that have harmed families and our economy for much too long.” 

– Statement of Taylor Austin, Campaign Director, Workplace Justice at MomsRising

“It is shameful that in 2026, AANHPI women are still only paid 83 cents – and many AANHPI communities are paid less than 60 cents – for every dollar paid to White men. It’s appalling that AANHPI moms face additional wage hits compared to dads. These wage gaps should ring alarm bells for every decision-maker. Something is deeply broken in our country. These disgraceful wage gap figures underscore how urgently we need solutions. We need detailed, comprehensive data that reflects the diversity of AANHPI communities. And we need a care infrastructure that enables every one of us to show up for our families and contribute to the economy without taking wage hits. 

“When AANHPI women are shortchanged on fair wages, it doesn’t just harm individuals and families – wage discrimination also has a devastating ripple effect that damages businesses and our economy. It’s up to each of us to fight for a better future and policies that open opportunities for all. Moms will continue to mobilize until everyone is paid fairly, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, status as a mom, or any other factor.” 

– Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO at MomsRising