From the classroom to the boardroom, Black women and women of color have persistently experienced gender – and race-based wage inequity that has perpetuated the systematic cycle of discrimination and oppression.

The disparity between what we are paid and what we are worth does not reflect our invaluable contributions within the public and private sectors of our workforce. We can no longer continue to shortchange hard-working women who deserve their fair share as the economic drivers of our city and breadwinners. Our paycheck should not be the gateway towards poverty, homelessness, or stigmatization for seeking public assistance to make ends meet.

As the cost of childcare and quality healthcare continues to outpace salaries, women are increasingly at risk for undue stress and illnesses – choosing to prioritize their family’s needs over their own.

Through progressive public policy that advances wage equity and transparency, we can close the wage and opportunity gap to empower women and their communities. From City Hall to our nation’s capital, we must amplify the importance of Black women and eliminate the economic barriers that continue to hinder career advancement.