In the midst of a devastating pandemic and a recession that has disproportionately harmed women of color, the urgency for raising workers’ wages and ensuring their economic security has never been clearer. Raising the federal minimum wage would benefit workers in low-wage and essential jobs across the country. This is especially true for women—particularly women of color—who are concentrated in jobs, such as cashiers and child care, that pay at or just a few dollars above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

The Raise the Wage Act would raise wages for nearly 32 million workers, and the majority of workers who would benefit—59 percent, or nearly 19 million people—are women. Seven million of these workers are women working in essential jobs. In total, more than 1 in 4 working women, both those working full and part time, would see a raise.

Women of color in particular would see substantial benefits, as many are segregated into low-wage jobs. Nearly one-quarter—23 percent—of all workers who would see a raise are Black women or Latinas, an overrepresentation of their share of the U.S. workforce in 2020. This includes 3.4 million Black women and 4 million Latinas.

Examining and addressing structural racism must be at the core of a modern American preschool plan. Preschool can be a critical lever for promoting children’s school success and equitably investing in this country’s future. However, like most early childhood programs, access to preschool is often determined by a family’s ability to pay or its residence in one of the handful of cities and states that offer widely available public preschool. Nationally, just 34 percent of 4-year-olds and 6 percent of 3-years-olds can access public preschool. 

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and many members of Congress have supported and proposed comprehensive early childhood agendas. Preschool must be part of the continuum of large-scale federal support for children from birth to kindergarten, including child care and Head Start. This report outlines the six components policymakers must consider when strengthening the early childhood system, including investing in infants and toddlers.