Work for Economic Justice!

wecanonlineMobilize Monday

Sisters,

I am still riding high from last week’s peaceful transition! The day was punctuated by so much joy, I can hardly recall all of it. Watching a sister take the oath of office to serve the nation as Vice President brought me to tears with pride. I was blown away by the powerful poem from Amanda Gorman. The Hill We Climb will be traversed a bit easier with young sisters like her leading the way!

Source: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

“In every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country,
our people, diverse and beautiful, will emerge, battered and beautiful.
When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

Amanda Gorman, Poet

Admittedly, I was also nervous that the outgoing ‘administration’ would do something nuclear to punctuate a tumultuous four-year run. Instead, they slinked away like toddlers playing with a forbidden toy. Good riddance to the lies, gaslighting, fearmongering, and incompetence that made our country weaker and more dangerous.

As the United States begins a season with new leadership, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the nation remains deeply divided, and too many sisters are fighting daily life and death battles to survive.

Our work this year begins by fighting for economic justice. Even before the pandemic, Black, Indigenous, and other Women of Color (BIWOC), were not benefitting from years of economic growth that enriched white men and women. I doubt you need a research paper to bring the full measure of economic devastation the pandemic has caused for sisters. As the saying goes, when white folks get a cold, people of color get pneumonia. This old metaphor translates today into economic data that is both sad and scary.

What we know…

  • Black and Hispanic households more likely to suffer economic hardship due to COVID-19, with 58 percent of Latino and 53 percent of Black families reporting a decline in income [1].
  • Among women of color, Latinas experienced the largest drop in employment, with 64 percent reporting total job loss, followed by 56 percent of Asian women and 55 percent of Black women [2].
  • Loss of income has a ripple effect, with Black and Latina women are three times more likely to be hungry, and nearly half are also struggling to get or keep a roof over their heads [3].

What can we do…

Every person you voted for last November needs to hear from you. They need to know that you expect them to make good on their campaign promises. They need to know you demand they take immediate action to get help to the millions of sisters (and their families) suffering.

Take a step today to start collecting on the big bet you made in the voting booth!

Lying dishonest politician with big growing Pinocchio nose which shows he is a liar by making campaign promises that intends to fulfill.

The Biden Administration took early steps to provide some economic relief to millions of Americans. Read the details and let the White House know you appreciate their efforts to start to turn the tide and save people from hunger, homelessness, and illness.

President Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Proposal

Contact your U.S. Representatives and Senators and let them know that you expect serious consideration and action on President Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan to help women of color, their families, communities, and our nation.

Together WE CAN continue to make a difference!

In solidarity,

Stephanie McGencey, WE CAN Founder