Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day!
[ [link removed] ]Take Action Now
[ [link removed] ]SIGN NOW
Dear Friend,
[ [link removed] ]Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Join in on the action by calling
on Congress and the Trump Administration to pass policies that close the
wage gap!
Right now, Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in
the U.S. and are among the most educated groups! (Yet we are largely
excluded from many of the higher-paying occupations that make up nearly
half of the national workforce). [1]
We are currently killing it in workforce areas like caregiving,
healthcare, education, and service industries with one of the highest
labor force participation rates among all women in the country! (But we
are overrepresented in these industries that don’t pay us what we
deserve). And despite receiving far less pay, funding, and support, many
Black women serve as the breadwinners, primary caregivers, and pillars of
not only their families but entire communities.
How bad is the wage gap for Black women? Black women in the United States
earn only 66 cents on the dollar compared to non-Hispanic white men,
working full-time year-round. And that gap widens to 64 cents when we take
into account all Black women earners, including full-time, part-time and
part-year workers. [ [link removed] ] The wage gap for Black mothers is even more
devastating, with Black moms earning just 49 cents for every dollar paid
to a white father. This translates to a loss of over $42,000 dollars
annually. [ [link removed] ]
Working harder doesn’t close the gap.
Passing policies that make wage transparency the law, make paid family and
medical leave possible, and make affordable childcare within reach? These
things can help close the wage gap.
Choosing higher education and/or high-paying professions doesn't close the
wage gap.
In fact, the wage gap widens with higher education because Black women who
invest more in degrees and credentials still face systemic pay
disparities.
Negotiating “better” salaries does not close the gap.
Black women do negotiate their salaries and they still face more backlash
and are less likely to be rewarded for it. Why? Racism. Sexism. Bias. Lack
of structural accountability in how wages are determined.
All of these systems work together to suppress the value of Black women’s
labor, no matter how hard we work, how educated we are, or how much we
give.
That is why we’re demanding that Congress and the Trump administration end
the attack on Black women’s economic security and pass policies that
promote salary transparency, livable wages, paid family and medical leave,
affordable childcare, and workplace protections. Sign on here:
[2][link removed]
If we want to close the wage gap, we must confront our history and
understand the whole picture. The promises of the sixty-plus-year-old
Civil Rights Act have never been fully realized for Black women. Instead,
many Black women have inherited a labor system built on racial and gender
exploitation, a familiar practice that dates back to the way they were
treated during slavery. Emancipation did not liberate Black women
occupationally. Post slavery, Black women were funneled back into low-wage
roles that systemically undervalued them and reinforced racial and gender
hierarchies, with little to no labor protections. [ [link removed] ]
Occupational segregation is a system that functions within racial
capitalism. It limits access to opportunities and reinforces pay
inequality, job insecurity and sex discrimination at work. According to a
National Employment Law Project (NELP) study, “Occupational segregation,
the concentration or underrepresentation of groups of workers within
different jobs or industries, remains a significant driver of racial and
gender inequities in the labor market.” [ [link removed] ] And we did not arrive here by
accident. Throughout American history, public policies have consistently
positioned Black women first and foremost as laborers and not as people
and mothers deserving of care, rest or support. And it’s been this mindset
that has fueled economic instability for Black women and their families
for over a century now.
Enough is enough. Today, we are fighting to end this dreadful legacy. On
this Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, we demand that the Trump Administration
and Congress take immediate action to advance transformative policies that
center Black women as essential human beings! It’s time to close the pay
gap and pay people for what they deserve. Join us by signing here:
[3][link removed]
Together, we will dismantle these structural inequities, one by one, and
create pathways to economic stability, dignity and wellness for Black
women and ALL people, families and communities.
Thank you,
Diarra, Monifa, Namatie, Ruth, Kristin, and the whole MomsRising.org &
MamásConPoder Team
P.S. - Have you or someone you love faced workplace discrimination or
unfair pay? Sharing personal stories with our lawmakers is a powerful tool
in the fight against discriminatory wage gaps! [4]Tell us about your
experience!
References:
[1] “[5]Why Black Women are Carving New Career Pathways as Entrepreneurs"
[2] “[ [link removed] ]Black Women’s Equal Pay Day 2025”
[3] “[ [link removed] ]The Parenthood Pay Divide: Why Mothers Earn Less Than Fathers in
the US”
[4] “[ [link removed] ]Black women’s labor market history reveals deep-seated race and
gender discrimination”
[5] “[ [link removed] ]Occupational Segregation of Black Women Workers in the U.S.”
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