“65 cents. That’s how much Black women working full-time are paid on average for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men in our country today. When part-time and part-year workers are included in the data, this shameful wage gap widens to an even more punitive 63 cents on the dollar. Today is a painful reminder that the wage discrimination Black women face continues to drain much-needed resources from our families, communities and our economy, as our nation’s affordability and care crises worsen. It is more urgent than ever that policymakers act to close this unjust gap. 

“The wage gap is an alarming result of the structural racism and gender discrimination that pervades our workplaces and economy. It is unacceptable that Black women’s work is grossly underpaid and undervalued. It is deeply disturbing that Black women are over-represented in low-wage jobs and have been hit hardest by the rising unemployment President Trump’s policies are driving. Now, there are alarming indications the Trump administration may try to hide that disgraceful reality by rescinding the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) EEO-1 data collection, which would make it harder to track wage and hiring discrimination. That would be a disaster and a fundamental betrayal of the agency’s mandate to ensure equal opportunity for all. Moms would reject any attempt to erase our experiences. We will continue to fight until everyone is paid fairly, and we can all build the good lives we want for our families.” 

– Statement of Taylor Austin, Campaign Manager, Workplace Justice, MomsRising 

“Soaring costs, rising unemployment, a worsening care crisis, and pervasive wage discrimination are creating a perfect storm for too many Black women in this country – harming our families, our communities, and our economy. We know which policies would help end the wage gap that is trapping so many Black women in poverty: stronger workplace protections, investments in care, paid family and medical leave, and a minimum wage that is a living wage. But year after year, Black women lose more than a third of our paychecks because our elected leaders have not made these urgently needed, common-sense policies a priority. This week marks 17 years since lawmakers increased the federal minimum wage, leaving low-wage workers – disproportionately Black women – without the resources needed to cope with rising costs. We deserve better. 

“Moms want our elected leaders to address these crises by making our workplaces more fair. We will fight any Trump administration attempt to eliminate the data collection that helps make these economic disparities visible. We won’t stand by as Trump weaponizes the EEOC, and we won’t stop raising our voices until Black women are paid what we deserve.”

– Statement of Monifa Bandele, Senior Vice President, MomsRising