Hi John,

It’s time for me to bid you adieu—at least as your newsletter messenger. My temporary run as newsletter writer comes to an end as our new writer and editor, Gemma Simoes Decarvalho, takes over the coveted role. While I will no longer be giving you reality TV recs you never asked for (this week I’m watching Selling the OC, a Selling Sunset spinoff!), or give you news about my roommate’s cat (Mike is currently recovering from surgery), I’ll still be at NWLC working behind the scenes, as we continue to fight for gender justice.

I’ll let Gemma introduce herself in the next issue (you all will love her!), but until then, let’s dive in:

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Does Exist

Tomorrow is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day (BWEPD). It’s not an occasion for celebration but a day to recognize how much longer Black women need to work in the year to be paid what white, non-Hispanic men were paid in the previous year. Black women working full time year-round are paid just 67 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, which means over the course of a 40-year career, Black women are losing $907,680 to the wage gap. In other words, because of the wage gap, Black women have to work five years beyond their life expectancy to catch up to their white, non-Hispanic male peer’s lifetime earnings.

And that just skims the surface. Not only do Black women face pay discrimination, but they also face racism and sex discrimination. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout especially impacted Black women. It’s a whole mess. Check out our fact sheet on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day to learn more.

If you or someone you know doesn’t believe the wage gap exists, check out our explainers.

• How the wage gap works.
• Why sexism and the wage gap are intertwined.

Housing Is a Human Right

At the beginning of every month, rent is due and millions of people—particularly women of color and LGBTQ+ people—are still behind on their rent and facing eviction. Today’s housing crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is rooted in centuries of underinvestment and discriminatory government policies that helped white men build wealth while stripping wealth from women and people of color. We need the federal government to take action now because every individual deserves a roof over their head and the opportunity to thrive. Remember, housing justice is gender and racial equity. Read our latest on housing and how we can improve women's lives.

We Need a Health Care System Free of Discrimination

I think we can all agree that health care is a human right. The health care we receive shouldn’t be dependent on how we look, where we live, who we love, the languages we speak, the type of care we need, or biased assumptions made about us by a health care provider. The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a new regulation to strengthen protections against discrimination in health care. This is our chance to shape this proposed rule. If you agree that discrimination in health care is wrong, and especially if you or someone you know has faced discrimination, we have until October 3 to tell the Biden administration why we need a health care system free of discrimination.

Let’s Celebrate All of the Parenting Students

This month is National Student Parent Month! We're celebrating by honoring parenting students' voices and highlighting how we can better support them in higher education. Nearly one in five undergraduate students is also a parent, and most are women and students of color. Let’s make sure we can support them and ensure their success. Check out how you can support parenting students at #SupportStudentParents.

Must-do:

• Call your senators and tell them to support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. This bill would ensure pregnant workers get accommodations when they need them and to keep their jobs when they need that income most.

Must-reads:

• To Fix Child Care, It’s Time to Ask Families What They Actually Want. (And Then, Actually Implement It).
• Biden’s Proposed Title IX Rules Would Restore Protections Lost Under Trump—But They Should Go Even Further.
• America’s Moms Are Still Suffering. We’ve Just Stopped Talking About It.
• No One Should Have to Choose Between Getting an Abortion and Paying Their Rent.

My Moment of Joy

It’s been such a delight bringing you our newsletter each month! But as Mike the cat would say, all good things must come to an end. Thank you for reading these emails the past few months. I hope they’ve brought as much joy to you as they have for me. While Mike the cat is recovering from getting a tumor removed, he’s still in good spirits and is looking forward to life without a cone.

This good boi’s final advice to you? Stay resilient, choose joy, and eat as many treats as possible. And because this is my last newsletter, you get a bonus photo of Mike (and me).

Thank you for being the gender justice baddies you are,

Selina Tran
she/her/hers
Senior Manager of Creative and Digital Strategies
National Women’s Law Center