This year, Black Women’s Equal Pay Day falls on Tuesday August 7. The date is significant, as it is marks how far into 2018 a black woman needs to work, to make as much money as a white male in 2017.
As every working woman is aware, despite that fact we represent almost half of the workforce, we consistently earn considerably less than men in almost every occupation.
For black women, the gender pay gap is even more terrifying. Women who work full-time are typically paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. In direct comparison, black women are paid just 63 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
That means a black woman would have to work for 20 months in total, to make what a white man earns in just one year. Which brings us to where we are today, on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day.
Many of us already know, from the direct experience, that our road is long and the slope is steep.
Last year, McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org released the findings from Women in the Workplace 2017, a comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America. This is their summary of where we are today:
• On average, women continue to be hired and promoted at lower rates than men, and at senior levels, the gap in promotions is more pronounced for women of color. We are the most underrepresented group in the corporate pipeline.
• Black women face more obstacles and a steeper path to leadership, from receiving less support from managers to getting promoted more slowly.
• Although women in general are more likely than men to report they never interact with senior leaders, black women are the most likely of all to report they never have senior-level contact.
This cold, stark reality underpins why Twenty Ten Talent exists.
I want to share advice on how to navigate the tough times at work. I want to share the real-life experiences of women who are marking their mark. I want to spark the confidence to negotiate your salary. I want to provide career coaching to help you accelerate. I want each of us to realize our worth and start reaching for it.
For me, this is why Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is more important than ever.
To make a difference, I need your help.
Do you know a talented black woman who’s one to watch? Tell us. We want to interview her for a career profile.
Does your company offer incredible internship opportunities? Tell us. We want to share those opportunities with others.
Have you learned something valuable as part of your career journey? Tell us. We want to share what you learned with our community.
How do you tell us? Please reach out – I’d love to connect. Every message we receive is read. You can contact me here – twentytentalent.com/contact
Or, simply pay it forward and share this post with someone who might find it useful.
Post by Octavia Goredema
Octavia Goredema is the founder of Twenty Ten Talent. Find her on Twitter at @OctaviaGoredema
