Support for Virginia families

• Published in: Daily press (Newport News, Va. : Final ed.)
• Main Author: Price, Marcia
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Newport News, Va Tribune Publishing Company, LLC 26.06.2016

Unfortunately, it is too common that facts and evidence are forgone for politics, and as a result, public policy ends up at the whim of finicky political winds. Fortunately, that is not the case for championing policies such as equal pay, paid family leave, paid sick days and affordable child care. These policies consistently support women and working families, particularly black and Hispanic women and families. Supporting these policies is the right thing to do, and it is part of a winning strategy for Virginia. Economic security (or insecurity) affects every aspect of a family's quality of life. Millions of working families across the country have concerns about their economic status - especially women and families of color who are working hard just to make ends meet. Virginia is no exception as economic insecurity is compounded by disparities in pay and rising costs of child care for many black and Hispanic women and families. Center-based child care costs an average of $18,415 per year in Virginia, amounting to 46 percent of the median income for black families with children and 36 percent for Hispanic families with children. Meanwhile, women of color in Virginia are paid as low as $0.53 on the dollar compared with their white male colleagues.