Tell Congress: Lift Up Our Communities!

United States Congress

Latinas are among the women who face the widest wage gap in the United States. Most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Latinas are paid, on average, 52 cents for every dollar made by white, non-Hispanic men. The National Partnership for Women and Families reports that if the annual wage gap were eliminated, a typical Latina working in the United States would have enough money to pay for approximately 38 months of food and more than 22 months of rent.

Latinas are taking matters into our own hands to drive change, from the picket lines of Hollywood and hotels, to the fields and warehouses of rural America, we are demanding equal pay and just working conditions. But, we can’t address this problem on our own. We need political leaders to step up to pass legislation that will help us address this issue to help lift Latinas and our families up. Join us and call on Congress to show leadership to support Latinas as we continue to rise and lift each other up. Take Action Now!

To: United States Congress
From: [Your Name]

Dear Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker McCarthy and Leader Jeffries:

Latinas are among the women who face the widest wage gap in the United States. Most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Latinas are paid, on average, 52 cents for every dollar made by white, non-Hispanic men. For full-time, year-round workers, the wage gap is 57 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. The wage disparity is a clear reflection of the economic hurdles Latinas continue to encounter.

The impacts of a lack of economic security are far reaching and have an impact on the mental and physical health of Latinas. Concerns over feeding one’s family, saving for retirement, or a lack of generational wealth can contribute to mental health challenges. Latina heads of households are paid nearly half of what white, non-Hispanic heads of households make. They report earning $30,360 in 2022, compared to $60,610 for white men.

Physical safety is also not guaranteed without economic security, including in the workplace. The inability to support oneself, particularly for immigrant and rural women, can lead to added vulnerabilities and continuing to live and work in places where violence exists, including sexual violence.

Latinas are taking matters into our own hands to drive change, from the picket lines of Hollywood and hotels, to the fields and warehouses of rural America, we are demanding equal pay and just working conditions. But, we can’t address this problem on our own. We need political leaders to step up to pass legislation that will help us address this issue to help lift Latinas and our families up.

This Latina Equal Pay Day, we call on Congress to:

1) Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, prohibiting employers from retaliating against employees who discuss wages and from requiring salary history for hiring, and reduce barriers to demonstrating that pay discrimination has occurred

2) Pass the Raise the Wage Act, which aims to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2028 and eliminate sub-minimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers.

3) Pass the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights and the Restaurant Worker Bill of Rights.

4) Support rural Latinas through passing a Farm Bill that prioritizes health and safety of workers, including by: funding the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, making explicit the funds support farmworkers as required through the proposed Supporting Farmworkers Mental Health Act; protecting and strengthening SNAP;
and prioritizing child care in US Department of Agriculture rural development programs as laid out in the bipartisan Expanding Childcare in Rural America (ECRA) Act.

Thank you for your leadership.

Sincerely,