Blog

Paid family and medical leave is an indispensable benefit that all working people need and deserve.

Black and brown people in D.C. have seen some of the worst racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths and vaccinations in the country. At the same time, the national economic fallout of the pandemic hit communities of color the hardest: people of color, particularly women, disproportionately worked in industries hit by pandemic-related closures, layoffs and reduced hours. And that is on top of the longstanding health and economic racial disparities that already existed before the pandemic.

National Immigrant Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize the exceptional historic contributions immigrants have made in this country, or perhaps for some, even grapple with anti-immigrant attitudes and rhetoric that continue to marginalize and scapegoat those communities.

Black women face a unique struggle at the intersection of race and gender as it pertains to advancing their professional careers. They are systematically held at specific positions or levels in the workplace, and not always given opportunities to advance. My story is similar.

Sunday marks our second pandemic Mother’s Day, and more than a year of financial, health, and familial chaos for mothers across the country.

In many ways, Biden has women — and especially women of color — to thank for his victory in the 2020 election. And by selecting the first woman and person of color to serve as Vice President and nominating a record number of women, including nine women of color, to his cabinet, the Biden Administration has signaled a willingness to prioritize women and the issues that impact us.

As the United States sees an increase in COVID-19 cases across the country, millions of people are set to lose the critical benefits that Congress enacted — including emergency paid sick days and paid family leave. Three out of four rural voters support permanent legislation mandating paid sick and paid family leave programs.

Kamala Harris is the first woman, Black, Asian American vice president-elect! I have chills.

Here at the National Partnership we know that democracy can get messy, and that it can take time. Every vote counts so it is vital that our nation takes the time to count every vote.

“Poderosos” is a Spanish word often used in the Latinx community to describe our power and strength. It is a word that characterizes our resilience in a country where we often experience discrimination and alienation.

Today is the Strike For Black Lives, a historic day where we unite to fight for a world where Black lives are valued and Black workers can build economic power. Thousands of workers are striking and demanding justice today.

Last week, the United States celebrated a massive victory for LGBTQ people: a Supreme Court decision that determined LGBTQ people are protected under federal law against employment discrimination. Before the ruling, seventeen states had no laws against employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, and eleven states had laws that only partially protected some employees. The court’s decision marks such a sweeping victory that it rivals same-sex marriage legalization in the benefit it will have to LGBTQ people in the United States.

Earlier this month, the National Partnership participated in #BlackoutTuesday, interrupting our business as usual to amplify other voices instead of our own. We believed it was a good and important thing to do. And we did it with sincerity and humility. In hindsight, we also did it without fully understanding the meaning of our words.

This year’s Pride Month comes at a time of national and global unrest. In April and May, Pride parades, festivals and other celebrations nationwide set for June were cancelled due to COVID-19 social distancing measures.

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month presents an opportunity to reflect on the rich history and contributions that my community has made to our country and consider what kind of a world we are creating for future generations

The wage gap is just one of many examples of the burden women of color bear by living in a white supremacist and patriarchal society.

These legislative victories are proof the paid sick days movement is gaining significant traction and that the tipping point for a national policy is soon near. Yet even as we celebrate a decade of tremendous progress, today more than 34 million private sector workers cannot earn a single paid sick day.

Thanksgiving reminds us that, in the fight for paid family and medical leave, we must never lose sight of the diverse family relationships that are at the heart of our work.

Our laws and policies should protect and provide opportunity to everyone living in our country. We should ensure that women and families can thrive in a safe and healthy environment. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, celebrate survivors by telling your senators and representative we refuse to wait any longer. 

Domestic workers are undervalued, underpaid and, largely because of institutional racism and sexism, are unprotected by our nation's most basic federal employment laws. Members of Congress now have an opportunity to begin to correct past injustices by supporting and passing the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.