October 8th, 2025. The day into the next year when the average Latina must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earn in one.

See our New York State leaders below speak up for change.

NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins

NYS Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris
Latinas in New York would need to work until today, October 8th, to reach the amount of money earned by white men last year. It’s unacceptable that in 2025 this pay gap continues to exist. The salary transparency laws we passed in New York in 2022 are one step towards equity, but we must continue to do more to eliminate barriers to equal pay for Latina women in our state. 

NYS Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda
As a staunch advocate for the Latino community, I take immense pride in the fact that the entire leadership team in my office is composed of young women of color, the majority of whom are Latinas. On Latina Equal Pay Day, this takes on even greater meaning—because while Latinas are among the fastest-growing segments of the workforce, they continue to face some of the steepest pay gaps in the nation. By ensuring Latinas are leading in government and public service spaces, we are actively challenging inequities and creating pathways where their voices, expertise, and contributions are fully recognized and valued. My leadership team is proof that when Latinas are at the decision-making table, communities thrive, and equity moves closer to reality.

NYS Senator James Sanders Jr.
I gladly join others in supporting New York Latina Equal Pay Day on October 8th. Latinas deserve equal pay for equal work which simply appeals to a commonsense view of fairness. Latinas are a growing part of the New York workforce and should receive the same dignity that others receive by being paid equally based on the work they perform and not on their gender or ethnicity. This should be the American Way.

NYS Senator Pete Harckham
Latinas are the backbone of so many essential industries — from child care to health care — yet they remain among the most underpaid workers in our economy. This pay gap is unacceptable. We must expand employment opportunities, ensure fair wages, and uplift the vital contributions Latinas make every day. They do so much for our communities, and it’s time we value that work with the pay and respect it deserves.

NYS Senator Lea Webb
On Latina Equal Women’s Pay Day, I stand with Latina women everywhere in shining a light on the unfairness they still face, having to work longer and harder just to receive what others earn in less time,” said State Senator Lea Webb. “ I will continue to push for stronger pay equity protections, transparency in wages, and accountability for employers who discriminate. Every Latina deserves the respect and the pay that reflects her true worth.

NYS Senator Monica R. Martinez
Latina Equal Pay Day brings to light the ongoing wage gap that continues to undermine economic opportunities for Hispanic women. This inequity not only holds back the financial progress of Latinas but also affects the stability and growth of their families and communities. Stronger pay transparency laws, equitable wages, and expanded support systems will help ensure Latinas are compensated fairly and receive the full value of their work.

NYS Senator Nathalia Fernandez 
Today we stand together on Latina Equal Pay Day to continue our commitment to bridging the inequity in pay that has persisted against Latinas. We continue to be paid less than what others earn for the same work. As your representative, I vow to champion laws that break down these economic barriers. We deserve parity and the same opportunities as everyone else.

NYS Senator Kristen Gonzalez
As a proud Latina and daughter of immigrants, I know firsthand the resilience and brilliance our community brings to New York. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate that legacy. It also presents an opportunity to recommit ourselves to address the inequities that our communities face. Latina Equal Pay Day is not just about a statistic. It calls attention to the fact that Latinas would need to work nearly a year longer to earn what white men made the year before. I will continue to fight to close this wage gap, uplift Latina workers and families, and make sure our labor is valued with the dignity and pay it deserves.

NYS State Senator Shelley B. Mayer
I am proud to join PowHer New York in recognizing Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day and to stand in solidarity with Latina women to address unacceptable wage and systemic discrimination they face in the workplace. While the Administration opposes all efforts to address inequity and discrimination in our society, we in New York will continue to stand in the fight for equality and equity and further our efforts to address wage and racial discrimination.

NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie
As we celebrate Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day, it’s crucial to recognize that the struggle for equality continues. Despite decades of hard work, Latina women still earn only 59 cents for every dollar earned by a white, non-Hispanic male. Amidst the unprecedented inflationary pressures, grocery prices also increasing exponentially, its more imperative than ever to stand with Latinas against this disparity. This gap has direct impacts to financial freedom and the success of millions of families.  Let’s persist in our advocacy to ensure that these wage gaps are final closed, so women receive equal pay for their invaluable contributions.

NYS Assembly Member Harry B. Bronson
As Chair of the Labor Committee, I champion an economy that works for everyone. True economic fairness requires ending pay inequity that forces women to work significantly harder than men for identical compensation.

Our fight for workers’ rights must address the stark gender disparities undermining women’s workplace opportunities. The reality is sobering: the average woman needs nearly a decade more in the workforce than white, non-Hispanic men to overcome lifetime earnings gaps—with women of color facing even greater challenges. Latina Equal Pay Day serves as a stark reminder that Latina women must work well into the following year just to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earned in the previous year alone.

I stand with New York’s working women and organizations like PowHer NY, pushing for economic equity through critical reforms including enhanced Temporary Disability Insurance and expanded paid leave. Our work continues until fair compensation becomes standard in every workplace.

NYS Assembly Member Jon Rivera

NYS Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal
Women’s contributions to our workforce have long been undervalued,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF – Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing. “Despite the progress we’ve made, Latina women earn just 60 cents for every dollar earned by their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts. On Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day, and every day thereafter, we must work to close this gap once and for all and implement policies that will protect women in the workplace, such as salary transparency laws, fair pay for care workers, affordable childcare and robust paid family leave policies. I am proud to stand with PowHer New York in this fight.

NYC Council Member Julie Menin
The wage gap for Latinas over the course of their careers is not just a statistic, it is a call to action. Latina women are making lasting contributions to all vital areas of our City, and nowhere is this more evident than among my colleagues here in the New York City Council. Equal pay must be a top priority in New York City. Today, I join PowHer New York and others committed to creating lasting solutions to ensure pay equity becomes a reality. Equal pay represents fair wages, the dignity of workers, and the future of women and families in New York City.

NYC Council Member Carmen De La Rosa
As the first Dominican woman representing my district in a Council that is majority women for the first time in our city’s history, we’ve not only studied the gaps that persist, but we feel the experiences of women in the workforce personally. As chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, as well as the co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, we have made it a priority to address gender pay gaps, occupational segregation, and remove obstacles that keep women from being promoted within our municipal workforce. Latinas in New York still only earn 59 cents for every dollar white, non-Hispanic men make, and have been systematically excluded from high-earning roles while performing ‘invisible’ work at home for their families. A strong workforce is one that is compensated fairly and equitably, and we will continue to push the needle on gender pay disparities until the gap is closed for good.

NYC Council Member Sandy Nurse
It’s past time for Latinas to be paid what they’re worth,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse. “ In a city as expensive as New York, it’s unacceptable that we still have to fight for the 41 cents missing from every dollar. I support Latina Equal Pay Day because, as federal attacks on workers continue, it’s essential that we keep fighting back against wage theft and economic and racial injustice.

Lisa Rivera, New York Legal Assistance Group, President and CEO
At NYLAG, the toll of pay inequity isn’t abstract—we see it in our clients’ lives every day. Women of color, particularly Latinas who come to us for legal and financial support, bear the brunt of this injustice. Here in New York, Latinas earn only 58 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men, and that gap amplifies harm that already runs deep. 

Pay inequity doesn’t just mean lower wages. It triggers cascading crises: threats to housing stability, loss of health care access, disrupted public benefits, job insecurity, and more. When Latina mothers face these challenges, entire families feel the impact—including children whose education and wellbeing hang in the balance. 

Pay equity is about safety, housing, health, education, and justice. So today, on Latina Equal Pay Day, NYLAG is proud to stand with PowHer NY to once again call for serious policy changes that put fairness and dignity first for Latinas and all workers. Together, with our partners, we’re committed to making “equal pay days” obsolete. 

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
This October, as we mark Latina Equal Pay Day, we are reminded of the deep inequities our communities continue to face. Latinas earn far less than their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts, meaning we must work nearly 10 extra months into the following year to earn the same pay. This wage gap is not just an individual burden, it weakens entire families and communities by limiting access to healthcare, education, housing, and economic security. Closing this gap is about more than fairness; it is about dignity, justice, and ensuring that Latinas receive the value of their labor and the respect they have long deserved.

Rafaela Uribe, LatinoJustice PRLDEF  
Pay equity for Latinas remains one of the most important economic issues in our society. By continuing to allow these disparities to exist we permit racism and misogyny to dictate the value of the important labor Latina women do across our nation. When a family faces a crisis Latina women are forced to choose between work and familial obligations. We can work to ensure that Latina women have equal access to opportunities in the work force and can build long term wealth for their and our collective future.

Joselyn, Westchester Women’s Agenda

Sally Pinto, Westchester Women’s Agenda
Pay transparency means power—power to advocate, to negotiate, and to earn what we’re worth. When every job seeker has the same access to salary ranges, benefits, and clear job expectations, Latinas, women—and everyone—can compete on equal ground. New York State must ensure pay transparency laws are not just on the books, but working in practice. Pay equity starts with information.

NYC Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías

Every dollar a woman is denied is a dollar taken from her family, her community, and her future. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we are reminded that Latinas face one of the widest wage gaps in the nation, earning just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men — a loss that can total more than a million dollars over a lifetime. With my bill, Intro 984, New York City is leading the nation by ensuring inequities are measured, studied, corrected, and enforced