To mark AAPI Women’s Equal Pay Day, DNC Women’s Caucus Chair Lottie Shackelford and DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong released the following statement:

“Across the country, women are rising up and making their voices heard more loudly than ever in the political sphere. They’re getting involved on the ground level as organizers, volunteers, activists and campaign managers, and they're running for office in record numbers. But even in the midst of this powerful movement, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women still only make 87 cents to every dollar white men are paid. In the year 2018, this is unconscionable, and for certain groups in the AAPI community the gap is even wider. Over a lifetime, this disparity can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In many cases AAPI women simply do not have access to well-paying jobs for a sustainable livelihood. This isn’t just unjust; it also severely hinders AAPI women’s long-term financial growth and stability, hurts hardworking families, and is bad for the economy.

“The Democratic Party is proud to champion equal pay for equal work, a fundamental principle of our platform. Women are the core of our party, and we will not rest until all women and all working families receive fair and equal pay, so we can create a stronger America for all.”