Skip to main content
Statement

65 Cents to a White Man’s Dollar: It’s Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Equal Pay Day, and Past Time for Congress to Take Action

August 30, 2023
Workplace Justice, Equal Pay

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Equal Pay Day, August 30 – the day that marks how long NHPI women have to work in 2023 to catch up to what white, non-Hispanic men were typically paid in 2022.

“Each day, across all occupations and education levels, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) women are robbed of hard-earned income by one of the most damaging, punitive wage gaps in the country. NHPI women working full-time, year-round are paid just 65 cents for each dollar paid to white men. When part-time workers are included, that figure falls to just 61 cents on a white man’s dollar. This appalling wage discrimination robs NHPI women of income they need to support their families and maintain their financial security, and the wage gap has made NHPI women especially vulnerable in the wake of the horrific fires that have devastated people on the island of Maui this summer. These shameful disparities must end. 

“NHPI Equal Pay Day is also a reminder that Asian Americans are not a monolith. Too often, NHPI women’s lived experiences are made invisible by insufficient data that groups all Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) together. That is misguided and misleading. We can’t effectively address the shameful wage discrimination facing NHPI women without data that pierces false stereotypes by reflecting the rich diversity of AANHPI communities and measuring the discrimination NHPI women face. 

“At its core, the wage gap NHPI women face is a policy failure, and we will continue to fight for solutions. They include the Paycheck Fairness Act; investments in a care infrastructure; and policies to root out structural racism, sexism and anti-indigeneity in our economy. NHPI women should not have to work nearly 20 months to be paid what white men are paid in 12. Moms will continue to raise our voices until the wage gap is closed for NHPI women, and all women.” 

# # # #

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.