More Than A Paycheck: Black Women Push to Close the Wage Gap
The first thing Caitlyn Rusell did after receiving her raise was call her mother. Sitting in her car
outside of the office, she smiled through tears because the moment meant much more than extra
money. It felt like proof that her hard work finally mattered.
For years, Caitlyn, a 23 year-old executive assistant, carried a quiet frustration. She worked late,
volunteered for extra projects and consistently exceeded every expectation that was set before
her. Yet she still could not shake the feeling that she was not be compensated to the degree that
she believed she deserved.
“I kept asking myself, Am I asking for too much, or am I just asking for what I deserve?’” That
one question is one too many African American women continue to face throughout history.
According to the National Women’s Law Center, Black women who work full time, year-round
typically earn about 66 cents for every dollar that a Caucasian man earns. While this is a better
statistic than it was before this present time, the gap still means that many women lose thousands
of dollars annually and potentially hundreds of thousands over the span of their lifetime.
For Caitlyn, the statistics became personal. The thoughts of buying a home, investing in stock,
creating financial stability and wealth within her family, flooded her mind. Not necessarily how
it would get accomplished, but how much harder it would be to even reach those goals.When it was time for her annual review, she walked into her supervisor’s office carrying a notebook filled with her accomplishments, stamped with dates and times. Her hands and voice shook as she explained why she deserved a raise. As nervous as she was, she knew that if she did not speak up for herself, no one else would. Just a few days later, she got the answer that she was looking for. While it wasn't a huge raise, it represented something bigger. Stories like Caitlyn’s highlight why the wage gap is about more than numbers on a paycheck. Lower earnings can make it harder for a student to pay off debt, save for retirement, or even buy a home. For many families, black women are key financial providers for their families, the effects often extend beyond one person and impact entire households. Even so, Caitlyn sees reasons to be hopeful. More companies are presently discussing pay transparency more than ever before. And more women are sharing advice about salary negotiations and career growth.
As Caitlyn drove home after receiving her raise, she kept thinking about that phone call
to her mother. It wasn't just about the money in her next paycheck. It was about finally being
seen, valued, and believing that progress, although slow, is possible.Sources
1. Human interview source: Jasmine Carter, marketing coordinator (sample
interview subject for assignment purposes).
2. Document/data source: National Women’s Law Center, Black Women Have Been
Undervalued and Underpaid for Far Too Long (2025), which reports that Black
women working full time, year-round typically earn about 66 cents for every
dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men.