This Labor Day Let’s Finally Honor Black Women’s Labor By Paying Them Fairly

by  MICHELLE HOLDER AND ANNE PRICE via https://www.essence.com/

“THE NARRATIVE WE’RE SOLD IN THIS COUNTRY IS THAT IF YOU WORK HARD AND BETTER YOURSELF THROUGH EDUCATION AND AMBITION, YOU WILL BE FINANCIALLY REWARDED. BUT THIS HAS NEVER HELD TRUE FOR BLACK WOMEN.”

While its meaning for many of us has been diluted to a Monday off work marking the unofficial end of the summer, the true spirit of Labor Day is to “recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”

As we approach the holiday this year, particularly in the wake of the recent SCOTUS decision against race-based affirmative action, we must reckon with the fact that this country has fallen far short of acknowledging that Black women are the backbone of our economy — yet they are consistently underpaid, overworked and funneled into positions with no hope of advancement.

This country’s economy could not function without the labor of Black women, yet our economy was built to marginalize them. It’s time for leaders to support them by passing policies that would improve their financial security like the Paycheck Fairness Act.

While the 1963 Equal Pay Act theoretically codified gender pay equity, loopholes in the legislation have long allowed employers to continue their discriminatory pay practices. The Paycheck Fairness Act…

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