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Here’s our pick of news, writing, and research this week that investigates political questions at the intersections of gender, race, and region.
1. Eva Longoria Calls For Action on Latina Equal Pay Day: ‘We Are Worth the Whole Dollar’ Eva Longoria for Fortune: “[November 2nd] is Latina Equal Pay Day, the day when the amount the average Latina is paid catches up to what the average white man made the previous year. In other words: In order to earn what a white man earned in 2016, a Latina must work that entire year—plus 10 extra months in 2017. On average, American women still make just 80 cents for every dollar their male coworkers make. When you break the pay gap down by race and ethnicity, the problem is magnified. To highlight this reality, women activate around a variety of Equal Pay Days throughout the year: Asian-American Women’s Equal Pay Day in March, all women’s Equal Pay Day in April, African American Women’s Equal Pay Day in July, Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day in September. Latina Equal Pay Day is dead last.”
2. Okay, Trump, let’s talk about immigration and ‘merit’ Karen Attiah for The Washington Post: “But there’s a darker side to the emphasis on merit achievements for many black immigrants. Many have toiled to gain an education in their home countries, only to fail to find sustainable employment. The pressures to “merit” being here, to assimilate and be a model citizen, coupled with dealing with the rigors of the immigration process, coping with discrimination, as well as the pressure to make enough money to send some to family in home countries, all take a toll on mental and emotional health. Studies have shown that African immigrants are among the least likely to seek psychological help. We tell ourselves that mental health issues don’t affect us. Or more likely, we are told to go to church and pray the pain away.”
3. The Prison Reform Movement Must Center The Voices of Incarcerated People Emile DeWeaver for Colorlines: “Imagine a civil rights movement where all the Black people stayed home while the rest of America developed the strategy and did all of the marching. Such a strategy may sound absurd, but some argue that that’s exactly how the movement against mass incarceration operates. Forman, for example, believes a fundamental problem with criminal justice activism is that people aren’t listening to those who know the system best: incarcerated people.”
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