Did you know that a Latina makes 53 cents per dollar a white man earns?

For years, society has valued women and people of color far less than men and white people. Until 1913, women were not even allowed to vote. Their opinion did not matter, as it was perceived that the man, if married held the power to make decisions on behalf of the families. During world war two when women entered the job force in droves to support the war effort and their families they were paid less for the same type of work than the men who were off at war.

Equal payday is a sad reminder that we as women continue to get paid less for the same work as our male counter parts. However, Latinas continue to get paid even less. In my experience a s a working woman, I have experienced pay inequity. I have seen first hand how some employers value white men more than Latinas. I have seen first hand how the barriers that are in place to addressing pay inequity affect a woman in combating discrimination. 

In a previous job, I was working as a bilingual program coordinator. My primary responsibilities were to make connections with schools, educate faculty and youth and promote the organizations programs. However, I soon found out that the white man who had my same job, started the job two months after I did, was getting paid $10,000 more than I was. I believe this was due to several factors:

1. Men are nurtured to demand compensation for their value. Women, and especially women of color are told by society and culture that we should not ask for money and be grateful for what we get.
2. Employers place barriers to prevent employees from discussing their pay with each other to avoid having to pay each person equally.

In addition to these factors, the law that governs our nation states that it is illegal to pay some one less because of a protected class, like being a woman or being a person of color. If it is illegal, why then are we not able to achieve pay equity?

Because when socially devalued individuals fight to be acknowledged for their true worth, the argument, the court cases, the discrimination claims fail. When Women are paid less, they don’t have the same opportunities as their male counterparts to care for their families, pay for health care, education, daily needs. Women who are often the caregivers of the family must work longer and harder to be able to provide the same as men. Today on Equal pay, we must stand and shout for equity. We must declare that today and everyday we will not tolerate discrimination. We will not accept less. We will demand wages that match our worth…. because we are worth it. 

Lorena Garcia 

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