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Statement

It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Pay Day, and It’s Time to Recognize Diversity and Close the Wage Gap for All

April 3, 2024
Workplace Justice, Equal Pay

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement from leaders of MomsRising, the national online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Women’s Equal Pay Day:

“Today is a reminder that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women continue to lose significant income to a devastating wage gap, because Congress has failed to take the action needed to close it. Year after year, that has tangible, painful consequences for AANHPI women, their families, their communities and our economy. It is outrageous that on average, for every dollar paid to a white man in our country, AANHPI women working full-time are paid just 93 cents. When AANHPI women working part-time or part-year are included, that gap widens to a mere 80 cents on the dollar. 

“Still, we know these averages obscure the full story. Shamefully, many AANHPI communities are paid even less – in fact, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, and Burmese women face some of the widest wage gaps of any racial or ethnic group in the nation.

“Enough is enough. Congress must finally end this discrimination and build an economy where everyone can thrive. That includes passing the Paycheck Fairness Act to close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act, which was enacted more than six decades ago. Today and every day, we must recognize diversity within the AANHPI community and fight for a future where no one is shortchanged on her paycheck because of her race or gender.”

– Statement of Taylor Austin, Campaign Manager, Workplace Justice at MomsRising

“Systemic wage discrimination leaves AANHPI women with fewer resources for food, housing, health care, child care and more. And because we have not built the care infrastructure our families and economy need, AANHPI moms face even greater wage hits. That won’t change until Congress makes this issue a priority.

“AANHPI women need the protections offered by the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would promote transparency, increase penalties for discrimination, and end retaliation against those who speak up about unfair pay. It’s also unacceptable that despite the enormous economic disparities faced by Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian women, federal agencies are not required to disaggregate wage gap data for these communities. That must change if we are to craft and advance solutions that truly lift all women and families. 

“We will continue to raise our voices until everyone is paid fairly and we dismantle the structural racism and sexism that wreaks so much harm on our families and our economy.”

– Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.