A Monumental Victory
Dear Judy,
Hispanic Heritage Month, which concluded earlier this month, is a time to honor the diverse and rich history of Hispanic and Latina/o/x communities. We are reminded of the remarkable contributions that Latina/x women make in our society. They serve as leaders, innovators, advocates, and pillars of strength in their communities. Their resilience, tenacity, and cultural tapestry enrich the very fabric of our nation. This month is not just a time for celebration but also an opportunity to reflect on the progress we've made and the challenges we continue to face in Hispanic and Latina/o/x communities. The stark reality is that, despite their indispensable contributions to society, Hispanic and Latina/o/x communities still grapple with systemic challenges, including persistent economic disparities.
Even amid their countless accomplishments, Latina/x women continue to confront economic disparities and, despite their relentless efforts, are still undervalued and underpaid in the workplace, earning a mere 52 cents for every dollar earned by their white male counterparts. This stark reality underscores the urgent need to uplift Latina/o/x voices and build economic power within our communities.
Recently, Chicago achieved a monumental victory that signifies a significant step towards economic, gender, and racial justice. The elimination of the subminimum wage for tipped workers, a long-overdue reform, represents a significant milestone in our ongoing struggle for equality. This change is not merely a policy shift but a testament to our collective commitment to dismantling the persistent pay equity gap.
This victory is particularly crucial due to the harsh realities faced by Black and Latina/x women. Due to occupational segregation, they are disproportionately represented in low-paid, low-opportunity jobs, many of which rely on tips. In addition to the financial disparity, women working in these positions endure appalling injustices such as sexual harassment, wage theft, and unpredictable schedules. Our fight for economic justice extends far beyond mere numbers; it is a battle for the dignity, respect, and security of every Latina/o/x worker.
As we celebrate the diversity, culture, and heritage of the Hispanic community throughout not just Hispanic Heritage Month, but all year long, we must also reflect on the work ahead to address the systemic inequalities that persist. By recognizing the struggles faced by Latina/x women and taking concrete steps to dismantle the barriers they encounter, we can advance economic power, gender equality, and racial justice in Illinois.
Join us in celebrating Hispanic and Latina/o/x Heritage and in our ongoing efforts to create a fairer and more just society for all.
In solidarity,
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P.S. Chicago has another historic opportunity to support working families by expanding paid time off. The City Council's Workforce Development Committee meets on Monday to discuss an ordinance, and we'll need your help to pass the ordinance out of committee, and to ensure the City Council votes yes. Live in Chicago? Make sure you are signed up for our Action Network and stay tuned to your inbox over the coming days! |
October 5th was Latina Equal Pay Day. A day to raise awareness about the wage gap for Latina/x women and take action for trabajadoras everywhere!
Latina/x women are among the fastest-growing, most influential groups in the United States, excelling in every sector and industry in our country. However, they continue to face a stark pay gap, earning on average only 52¢ for every $1 dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, when looking at both full- and part-time workers. And this wage gap cannot be explained away by education, experience or perceived choices—it's gender and racial discrimination.
Passing the federal Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA) would help combat pay discrimination that continues to harm women's economic security, particularly women of color.
Live in Illinois? Make sure you know YOUR rights to equal pay! Visit equalpayillinois.org. |
"She Says" with Alexandra Heiden |
A mentor is often defined as an advisor, confidant, role model, tutor, and coach. And Alexandra Heiden is all of that and more. Equipped with a lifetime of experience and a natural-born gift, Alexandra’s passion stems from her late mother who recognized this strength early on and nurtured it, reminding her that serving others was just “in her.” Alexandra’s mentoring style can be described as assertive, confident, and extroverted and has led to her assisting colleagues with excelling in their careers, offering her talents to friends when setting out to start their own business, and being a go-to person for new bankers who are starting their careers with BMO Today, Alexandra chooses to continue honoring her mother’s legacy by giving from the heart and exuding positivity to all who are in search of it.
In this month’s “She Says,” Alexandra Heiden talks with us about her passion for mentoring, her legacy, and how she encourages others to show up for themselves. |
October is National Women's Small Business Month |
This October, Women Employed is celebrating National Women’s Small Business month. Entrepreneurship is a proven pathway to economic freedom and empowerment. For centuries, women have supplemented their income and increased their flexibility by creating small businesses and side hustles—often on a shoestring with little to no support. The lack of resources, information and capital for women is often discouraging and the entrepreneurial process is overwhelming. WE decided to do something about that!
Thus, the creation of Women Employed’s Women's Entrepreneurship Hub (WE Hub), a free tool that provides women across Illinois, specifically Black and Latina/x and low-income women, with information and resources to help them launch, maintain, and grow their own businesses. The WE Hub is designed to provide our users with the tools needed to achieve their own vision of success.
Since we launched a little over a year ago, we've had 367 people, a little more than one per day, sign up for the hub. Nearly two-thirds of our users are Black and/or Latina/x, prefer support over DIY, are managing an existing business, and reported that they log into the hub several times a month. Outside of our increasing numbers, we have made improvements to the site to make it more user-friendly, are working on a money finder tool to highlight capital opportunities for women, and we are collaborating with BMO to offer free financial workshops that empower women to forge their own pathway toward financial freedom.
If interested, please register at the links below:
Debt Managing and Budgeting with BMO
Small Business Banking Services with BMO
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On Friday, October 5th, Chicago’s City Council did the right thing for working people in the city, by passing an ordinance to end the subminimum wage for tipped workers in an overwhelming 36-10 vote.
The One Fair Wage ordinance phases out the subminimum wage for tipped workers over five years, ensuring tipped workers rightly earn the full minimum wage with tips on top. It also makes Chicago the largest city in the country to independently phase out the subminimum wage for tipped workers.
Thank you to the dedicated group of partners—including One Fair Wage, Our Revolution, the Worker Center for Racial Justice, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Fight for $15, Arise Chicago, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana Missouri & Kansas, and so many others—who advocated for this victory.
And thanks to all of YOU who spoke out, called your alderpersons, and raised your voices for change. Victories like this one are not possible without you! |
Women Employed Goes Purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month |
October is Domestic Violence Awareness and Action Month, and WE is committed to supporting the economic strength and independence of survivors in Chicago and Illinois.
Although people of all socio-economic groups experience domestic violence (DV), 40 percent of Illinois survivors can be classified as having a low socio-economic status. And 99 percent of domestic violence survivors are subjected to economic abuse, making it extremely difficult for survivors to chart a path to safety and healing.
WE’s work―from original research like Intersecting Barriers, to our innovative Career Foundations pilot project with DV organizations and workforce development providers, to our advocacy for policies like paid time off that protect survivors’ employment security―recognizes the inextricable links between economic justice and freedom from violence. We salute the courage and resourcefulness of survivors, and the life-saving work of our partners in the domestic violence services community.
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Lessons Learned From the FARE Grant Equal Pay Project |
Equal pay for equal work is the law, and in Illinois, there are additional laws protecting workers. However, many low-paid women, and particularly Black and Latina/x women, are not aware of their rights. Over the past two years, WE and the Illinois Department of Labor have worked together on the Fostering Access, Rights, and Equity (FARE) grant project to help women workers who earn low wages learn about and access their employment rights and benefits educate workers on their rights.
Women Employed disseminated digital and physical fact sheets, advertised everywhere from billboards to Spotify, attended or hosted outreach and education events, and trained community members to spread the word in their networks about equal pay. All this and more are covered in the freshly released FARE Grant report, where the entire process is explained, with key takeaways throughout, to provide guidance for employers, employees, and organizations wishing to do their own know-your-rights campaigns.
Check it out HERE. |
Where in the World is Women Employed |
The question shouldn't be, "Where in the world is Women Employed?" It's more like, "Where in the World ISN'T Women Employed?" Because we are proof that if there's a panel, stage, or workshop, Women Employed will be there speaking, attending, or hosting, in our effort to continue advocating for equitable spaces where women can live, grow, and thrive.
Closing out September, we spoke at a Labor Council for Latin American Advancement event, in October attended a breakfast by our friends at The Network and closed the month out kicking off our workshop series with BMO. And of course, if you missed seeing us out and about, here's a recap of where we've been, so you can feel like you were there too. |
Don’t miss out on the next event! Visit the events page on our website to be kept in the loop about where Women Employed is going next and how to be involved. |
Women Employed is hiring! We're currently seeking an Associate Director of Development. Did you want to work for an employer ranked #22 on Crain's 100 Best Places to Work in 2023? Are you passionate about developing and leading fundraising strategies? Are you experienced in portfolio management and frontline fundraising? This might be the perfect job for you!
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