Today is Latina Equal Pay Day

Dear Colleagues,

Today, December 8th is this year’s Latina Equal Pay Day. In practical terms, Latinas must work for 23 months, nearly twice as long, to be paid what a white man makes in a year. Last year’s Latina Equal Pay Day was Oct. 21st, which means Latinas are falling even further behind, despite showing up in the workforce in record numbers.

The problem is not that Latinas choose to do lower-paying work—since Latinas are paid less for the same work as white men or women—but that no matter what career Latinas choose, society undervalues our worth.

The money withheld from us is incredibly consequential to us as individuals and to our families. The disparity limits our opportunities, making us less likely to own homes or have capital to start our own businesses. We can’t hand off this same injustice to the next generation, to our hijasand our nietas.

To quote Joelle Gomez, the Commissioner of California’s Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, “Latinas are worth the whole dollar.” And so, so much more.

I hope you’ll join me in advocating for equal pay for equal work on #LatinaEqualPayDay, and every day.

In solidarity,

Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO

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