DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Iris Martinez, DNC Women’s Caucus Chair Lottie Shackelford and Member of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee Artie Blanco released the following statement to recognize Latina Equal Pay Day: 

“October 5 marks Latina Equal Pay Day. This date symbolizes the additional days into the year Latinas must work to earn what their white male counterparts earned on average in the previous year. Despite the progress we’ve made closing the gender pay gap, it is still unacceptable that Latinas working full-time make 57 cents for every dollar a white non-Hispanic male makes.”

“As we observe Latina Equal Pay Day, it is important to remember that this disparity hurts not only Latinas, but also the families and communities they support. Even as Latinas have entered the workforce in record numbers, they remain overrepresented in lower-paid industries such as service and domestic work, and often lack basic workplace protections. The pay gap is even larger for Latinas who are immigrants, because their citizenship status often makes them more vulnerable to wage theft and other types of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Until the women who perform some of the most essential jobs are able to achieve economic security, our economy and communities will not reach their full potential.” 

“President Biden and Democrats understand the importance of closing the gender and racial pay gap, and remain committed to advancing pay and gender equity, fighting for economic security for all, and expanding women’s access to good jobs. Throughout the course of the Biden-Harris administration, President Biden and Democrats have been able to deliver historic progress for the Latino community, and will remain focused on the issues that matter.”