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Join us for Conversations for Equal Pay, a podcast dedicated to tackling the gender and racial pay gaps head-on. In candid discussions with top industry leaders, we'll uncover personal stories...
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Join us for Conversations for Equal Pay, a podcast dedicated to tackling the gender and racial pay gaps head-on. In candid discussions with top industry leaders, we'll uncover personal stories of success and struggle, and hear from powerful advocates who champion equal pay from positions of influence. Our guests provide frank insights into the systemic issues at play and share concrete strategies for companies to improve. We also explore how we can all work together to create a future where women and women of color are paid what they're worth..
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Episodes & Posts
Episodes
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Transcribed
22 OCT 2026 · The wage gap isn’t just a statistic—it’s a generational crisis shaped by history, policy, and systemic bias. In Episode 2 of Conversations for Equal Pay, host Julene Allen (Founder of Women of Color in the Workplace) breaks down what the numbers behind the wage gap really mean for women of color, dismantling common myths and laying bare the structures that hold us back.
In this episode, we dive deep into: • The stark reality of pay disparities for Black, Latina, Native, and Asian American women. • The myth of the "Model Minority" and the critical importance of data disaggregation. • Barriers like the "Bamboo Ceiling," occupational segregation, and salary history traps. • How bias in hiring and promotion impacts negotiation outcomes—and strategies to navigate them.
Women of color are advocating, negotiating, and doing the work. It’s time the system met them where they are.
📖 Take the next step in workplace equity—grab the book, Women of Color in the Workplace: Strategies for Survival: https://amzn.to/4zhWmW6 *(As an Amazon Associate I make a commission)*
Subscribe for more candid, action-oriented conversations on workplace equity, career strategy, and dismantling systemic barriers!
📌 Brought to you by Women of Color in the Workplace 🎙️ Host: Julene Allen
Transcribed
8 OCT 2026 · Welcome to the season premiere of Conversations for Equal Pay, hosted by Julene Allen founder of Women of Color in the Workplace. Equal pay, workplace equity, and the economic realities women of color face today aren't isolated issues—they are part of a system engineered over centuries. In this foundational episode, we break down the sanitized version of American labor history to uncover the truth: how wealth was built on extraction, forced labor, and racialized exclusion. From the exploitation of Indigenous land and enslaved Africans to Chinese railroad workers, Japanese internment, the groundbreaking resistance of the Pullman Porters, and the systemic barriers faced by Black women in WWII factories—we trace how exploitation didn't disappear after abolition; it simply evolved. Understanding this history is essential if we want to dismantle today's wage gaps and build a future where equity is the standard, not an aspiration.
📌 KEY SEGMENTS:
1 - Introduction: Uncovering the Truth About Equal Pay
2 - The Foundation: Indigenous Land & Enslaved Labor
3 - After Abolition: How Exploitation Evolved
4 - Chinese & Japanese Immigrant Labor & Legal Exclusion
5 - Pullman Porters & Black Leadership in the Labor Movement
6 - WWII: Black Women Enter the Industrial Workforce
7- The Legacy We Inherit: Why the Modern Wage Gap Exists
8- Closing & Joining the Movement
📖 DIG DEEPER & SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT: To go further into these truths and equip yourself for the fight for workplace equity, pick up the book here: 👉 https://amzn.to/4zhWmW6
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
🔔 SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT: Subscribe for weekly conversations connecting history, equity, and workplace advocacy.
Transcribed
12 FEB 2026 · In this episode of Conversations for Equal Pay, we sit down with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Executive Director of the Kairos Center and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign.The struggle for equal pay is often framed as a simple math problem or an "unavoidable" economic reality. Rev. Dr. Theoharis challenges us to see it for what it truly is: a moral crisis and a violation of fundamental human rights.
In this episode, we dive deep into:
- The "Moral Revival": Why the wage gap for women of color is a symptom of a deeper spiritual and systemic sickness in America.
- The Leadership of the Impacted: How the movement changes when poor and low-income women of color—those most affected—are the ones leading the strategy.
- The 5 Interlocking Evils: How systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism, and the distorted moral narrative work together to keep wages low.
Tune in now to learn why we CAN afford to pay a living wage—and why we can no longer afford the cost of inequality.
Connect with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis:
- Website: https://kairoscenter.org/
- Book: Always with Us?: What Jesus Really Said about the Poor
Transcribed
29 JAN 2026 · In this powerful episode, we sit down with Christina Baal-Owens, Executive Director of NAPAWF (National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum), to dismantle the "model minority" myth and expose the systemic barriers holding AAPI women back. Christina breaks down how this term was manufactured to pit communities of color against one another and why the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality is a dangerous fallacy.In this episode, we dive into:
- The AAPI Community is Not a Monolith: Why certain subgroups are faring significantly worse than others and the urgent need to disaggregate data to make these struggles visible.
- The Minimum Wage Crisis: The reality of the $7.25 federal minimum wage and why we need nationwide pay transparency to close the gender and racial wealth gap.
- Language Access as a Human Right: How the lack of translated resources keeps immigrant workers in the dark about their rights and workplace protections.
- The Perpetual Foreigner Trope: How ICE enforcement and current immigration policies feed into a culture of fear and exclusion.
- The Power of Solidarity: How NAPAWF’s framework was inspired by Black women’s advocacy and why collaboration across women of color organizations is the only path toward collective liberation.
The AAPI community is projected to be the largest racial minority group by 2055. It is time we invest in their future, their safety, and their dignity. Connect with our Guest & Support the Mission:
- Learn more about NAPAWF: https://www.napawf.org/
Transcribed
15 JAN 2026 · Why is the wage gap for Latinas still so wide, even for those with Master’s degrees? This week, we sit down with Karla Pineda, Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), to dismantle the myths surrounding pay equity.In this episode, we discuss:
- The Education Paradox: Why higher education isn't shielding Latinas from earning less than their peers.
- The Power of Unions: How union membership can increase a Latina’s salary by a staggering 40% while providing protection against harassment.
- The "150-Year" Warning: A look at the current trajectory of pay equity and why legislative tools like the FAMILY Act are non-negotiable for progress.
- Negotiation as a Foundation: Karla shares why your first salary negotiation sets the stage for your entire career and how to "talk about your wins" without fear.
- The Value of Bilingualism: Why corporations need to stop overlooking the cultural and linguistic assets Latinas bring to the table.
About Our Guest: Karla Pineda is the Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and a proud Salvadoran advocate with over 20 years of experience empowering Latino workers. A driving force in national labor initiatives, Karla leads LCLAA’s Latina Equal Pay Campaign, working tirelessly to close the wage gap and address economic inequities. She is a dedicated mentor who believes that when Latina and Latino workers are empowered through inclusive organizing and civic engagement, entire communities thrive.
Transcribed
20 NOV 2025 · Host Julene Allen sits down with Dr. Kate Gallagher Robbins, Sr. Economic Justice Fellow at the National Partnership for Women & Families, to confront the brutal truth: The current national environment is failing women of color and is neutralizing progress.Dr. Robbins brings over a decade of experience from organizations like TIME'S UP and the National Women's Law Center, focusing her current research on how policy impacts women of color, disabled women, and LGBTQIA+ women. Dr. Robbins reveals the unseen policy crisis—from discriminatory policies to the immense economic challenge of caregiving—that is widening the gap. She offers a clear-eyed look at the forces pushing women of color out of the workforce and the policies that are actively dismantling progress.What you'll discover:
- The Policy Shocks: The specific cuts and legislative failures that are exacerbating inequities and who they hurt the most.
- The Unavoidable Fix: Why a national Paid Leave program isn't just a political talking point—it's the only way to stabilize the economy for families.
- Beyond Compliance: Practical, high-impact actions every company must take, including the surprising power of unions and salary transparency.
- Your Toolkit: Dr. Robbins shares concrete advice for women to negotiate their value and shows how everyday consumership is a powerful new tool for change.
Don't miss this crucial conversation on the urgent path forward to finally achieving economic parity.
Transcribed
6 NOV 2025 · Join us for a powerful conversation with Kim Villanueva, the newly elected President of the National Organization for Women (NOW). As a bi-racial lesbian and the first Asian American woman to lead the organization, Kim shares how her passion for social justice fuels her fight for economic equity.In this episode, Kim unpacks NOW's bold "Kitchen Table Agenda," which directly addresses the pressing economic issues and systemic discrimination faced by women today. You'll hear Kim discuss:
- The Core Issue: Why the wage gap cannot be separated from racial justice and reproductive freedom. Kim argues that discrimination, racism, and the disproportionate burden of caregiving on women deepen economic inequities and restrict full participation in the workforce.
- Legislative Priorities: Despite gridlock in Congress, NOW is relentlessly pushing for critical national legislation, including the Paycheck Fairness Act, stronger protections within the Equal Pay Act, the Healthy Families Act(for paid sick leave), and the recently reintroduced FAMILY Act (for paid caregiving leave).
- Underrepresentation and Accountability: Why women remain underrepresented in high-paying jobs and the necessary steps to enforce accountability against pay discrimination.
- Her Personal Story: Kim tells a compelling story of recognizing her own value and successfully advocating for a salary increase at her company, offering a real-world example of how to tackle workplace pay inequity.
Learn about the historic team of women of color now leading NOW and how they are partnering with marginalized communities to fight for a future where every woman is heard, acknowledged, appreciated, and paid what she is worth.
To learn more about the National Organization for Women (NOW), visit https://now.org/.
Transcribed
23 OCT 2025 · In this powerful interview, we sit down with Jennifer King, a pioneering coach who made history as the first Black woman coach in the entire NFL (with roles at the Bears, Commanders, and Panthers). Now serving as an offensive analyst at North Carolina Central University, Jennifer shares her essential blueprint for success in one of the most male-dominated fields imaginable.
Jennifer pulls back the curtain on the dedication required, detailing the immense, unseen work that fills those 15-hour days and the crucial role her parents played in building her early confidence. Most importantly, Jennifer offers an essential playbook for women of color professionals who don't see themselves represented: She emphasizes the need for tough skin and the wisdom to know that "not every closed door is permanently locked. You just have to knock."
Tune in to also learn the critical role mentors and sponsors played in her groundbreaking journey.
Transcribed
9 OCT 2025 · This episode features Jenn Stowe, the accomplished Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), the leading national voice for dignity and fairness for domestic workers across the United States. As a seasoned progressive operative and strategic thinker, Jenn leads the charge to fix one of America's most enduring labor injustices.
Jenn makes a powerful case for why domestic workers—a workforce primarily composed of women of color and immigrants—must have the same fundamental rights and benefits as all other workers. She reveals the racist economic policy at the heart of the issue: the intentional exclusion of domestic workers from the 1935 New Deal legislation, which was done because the workforce was predominantly Black.
This historical omission has perpetuated a system of low wages and exploitation. Jenn outlines the NDWA's critical campaign to pass comprehensive state and federal legislation, such as the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, to ensure equal pay, paid time off, and the dignity that millions of essential workers deserve.
Join us for a crucial conversation about dismantling systemic racism in labor law and fighting for true economic justice and equal pay.
To learn more about the NDWA visit www.domesticworkers.org.
Transcribed
25 SEP 2025 · In this essential policy conversation, we sit down with Congresswoman Gwen Moore to discuss her legislative priorities for economic justice. The Congresswoman explains the crucial details of the Paycheck Fairness Act, specifically how it will prohibit employers from asking for or basing pay on a candidate's previous salary history—a practice that perpetuates wage discrimination and has disproportionately impacted women of color.
We also explore her bold proposal to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Rep. Moore outlines her Worker Relief and Credit Reform (WRCR) Act, which redefines "work" to extend this vital tax relief to low-income students and working individuals without children, ensuring more people can benefit from one of the nation's most effective anti-poverty tools.
Visit www.conversationsforequalpay.org to tune into more episodes.
Join us for Conversations for Equal Pay, a podcast dedicated to tackling the gender and racial pay gaps head-on. In candid discussions with top industry leaders, we'll uncover personal stories...
show more
Join us for Conversations for Equal Pay, a podcast dedicated to tackling the gender and racial pay gaps head-on. In candid discussions with top industry leaders, we'll uncover personal stories of success and struggle, and hear from powerful advocates who champion equal pay from positions of influence. Our guests provide frank insights into the systemic issues at play and share concrete strategies for companies to improve. We also explore how we can all work together to create a future where women and women of color are paid what they're worth..
show less
Information
| Author | WOC in the Workplace |
| Organization | WOC in the Workplace |
| Categories | Education |
| Website | www.womenofcolorintheworkplace.com |
| julene@conversationsforequalpay.org |
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