Today we recognize Black Women’s Pay Equity Day. Unlike other days of recognition, Black Women’s Pay Equity Day is not static. September 21 is the day we acknowledge this systemic gap in 2022 because in the United States Black women are on average paid 58 cents for every dollar earned by men. That would mean today marks the time of the year that Black women have to work to in 2022 to earn what their male, white, non-Hispanic counterparts earned in 2021.
This pay inequity is not a new concept, but one that was furthered by the COVID-19 pandemic when millions of women were forced out of the workforce due to layoffs and increased caregiving demands, with many women of color sustaining the greatest economic losses.
This day should also not be construed as a holiday, but rather a call to action. The barriers that limit the economic security of Black women are ones that we can actively work to tear down. We can pay Black women equitably, work to increase the minimum wage, support greater rights and working conditions for employees, and invest equitably in public goods that will uplift women and families.
There is much work to be done on this front, but we would urge the community to join us in learning about the disparities that exist for Black women and working to improve them moving forward.
