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Supporting Black Women on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day 2021

Written by TeoSaragi

by Teo Octavia Saragi, Policy Communications Coordinator

Tuesday, August 3 is #BlackWomensEqualPay Day—the day in 2021 when the average Black woman working full-time year-round finally catches up to what the average non-Hispanic white man earned in 2020. In other words, it takes Black women 8 extra months on average to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earn. 

For every dollar paid to white men, Black women are paid just 63 cents. See the list below for 5 ways you can support equal pay for Black women starting tomorrow July 29.

According to a survey conducted by Time’s Up, only 17% of working Black women are sure that their employer pays men and women equally, and, 55% of Black women surveyed have faced gender or racial discrimination or related obstacles to higher-paying jobs.

This Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, join the fight to ensure Black women have what they need: stable, well-paying jobs that allow for savings, pays for bills and basic needs like food and housing, and promotes well-being.

Raise awareness about #BlackWomensEqualPay in several ways:

#1 Register for a special event happening Thursday, July 29 at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET#1

Black women were over-represented in many low-paying jobs recognized as “essential” during the pandemic, but dismissed as “low-skilled” before. Despite this recognition, these jobs continue to be undervalued with low wages and few benefits, and if pay trends continue, it will take Black women more than another hundred years—until 2133—to reach pay equity with white men. Join the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and Equal Pay Today for a discussion of recent research on the pay gap for Black women, the causes and consequences of racial and gender pay disparities, and policy strategies for pay equity. Waiting another century is not an option.

Register here

#2 Register for “Black Women Can’t Wait,” happening Tuesday, August 3 at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET

Join us for a discussion on race and the economy coming out of the pandemic and beyond. Hosted by Equal Pay Today, Equal Rights Advocates, National Urban League, and Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

Register here

#3 Join the Twitterstorm on Tuesday, August 3 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PT / 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

Use the hashtags #BlackWomensEqualPay and #BlackWomenCantWait to help us raise awareness about the wage gap and its impact on Black women and their families. Use the social media toolkit linked below to engage in a robust online dialogue with advocates and supporters across the nation.

Visit the toolkit

#4 Take Action to support equal pay in New York

New York’s pending pay transparency legislation, S5598A Ramos / A6529 Joyner, is another step forward in promoting pay equity for all. We are supporting PowHer New York in advocating for these bills. If passed, the legislation would require employers to disclose compensation or salary range to job applicants and employees for internal or public viewing or upon employee request. Email and tweet at New York legislators to support pay transparency this Black Women’s Equal Pay Day!

Take action now

#5 Donate to support Equal Pay

Support the work of Equal Rights Advocates, and our national coalition project Equal Pay Today, in our fight to close gender and racial wage gaps. Every gift helps make a difference! Donate here.