Dear Colleagues,
Today, Thursday, October 8, is Latina Equal Pay Day. It is also being observed as the #StopSexualViolence Day of Action. Both of these issues are central to Justice for Migrant Women’s mission. I founded the organization with the goal of ending sexual and economic exploitation, two issues that are interconnected and pervasive today.
Throughout my career I have represented farmworker and other migrant women working in factories, restaurants, hotels, and other places, who have experienced workplace sexual violence. They shared stories with me about their bosses who threatened to pay them less, reduce their work hours, or give them an inferior shift if they do not submit to their sexual advances. I represented women who were fired in retaliation for saying no or asserting their rights.
I have had conversations with women across the country who quit their jobs because they felt helpless and unsupported in their attempts to stop harassment. Unfortunately, in workplaces, schools, homes and many other places across the country there are people wielding their power by making unwanted sexual advances. Such power abuse results in a wide range of harm, including economic and financial harm.
That is why today we are raising our voices to say no to economic exploitation and sexual violence. On this Latina Equal Pay Day, we remind people that Latinas working across industries and sectors are being paid an average of just 53 cents to the dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. According to the American Community Survey from 2019-2023, immigrant Latinas with reported earnings were paid just 43 cents for every dollar made by white, non-Hispanic men.
Many of the women who we serve are Latina. They work in the agricultural fields, in small factories, at restaurants and in other essential jobs. Unfortunately, too often, they are enduring pay discrimination, as well as sexual harassment and other forms of gender discrimination.
On this day, we must double down on addressing both issues. We must see that these issues are interconnected and that the solutions must also be connected. No matter our role, whether it be as organizers, policy advocates, educators, philanthropists or consumers, we must understand that we have a place in this work, and we must do our part to address it. We can do this by investing in women’s leadership; advocating for improved policy protections at the state and federal level; shifting the narrative to uplift the power and potential of Latinas; and pushing companies to do the right thing to ensure that their workplaces are fair and all working people are treated with justice.
Today is a day to remind ourselves of the problem, and that there are solutions. It is also a day to commit to doing this work and supporting it year-round.
- Share Justice for Migrant Women’s workplace anti-discrimination guide.
- Amplify our new financial literacy resource.
Contact policymakers to advance economic justice and address discrimination.
In solidarity,
Monica Ramirez
Justice for Migrant Women
Founder & President