NYC Together Hosts “We Build the Block” Social Justice Dinner: Michael K. Williams, NYPD Chief Judith Harrison, Angela Yee Attend [Photos]

NYC Together Hosts “We Build the Block” Social Justice Dinner: Michael K. Williams, NYPD Chief Judith Harrison, Angela Yee Attend [Photos]

Last month at Kokomo NYC, NYC Together hosted the #WeBuildtheBlock social justice dinners co-sponsored by the Salah Foundation with special guests NYPD Chief Judith Harrison, Power 105 Host Angela Yee, Kokomo NYC’s Restaurant Owner Ria Graham, formally incarcerated entrepreneur and non-profit founder Sharon Richardson, and media and entertainment expert Jasmine Brand. Together, their youth and special guests discussed how closing the gender wage gap can increase public safety. The dinner was co-hosted by Michael K. Williams and Shani Kulture.

Sharon Richardson founder and CEO of the non-profit Re-Entry Rocks and Just Soul Catering talked about her experiences after getting released from prison. She expressed how hard it was to find a job, and noticed how little the pay was compared to her co-workers. She also shed light on the connection between pay equity and public safety, especially concerning people of color.

“Since our pay is significantly lower than our male counterparts we often have to work multiple jobs. We aren’t home as much and our children have to fend for themselves.”

According to an the Center for American Progress, women consistently earn less than their male counterparts, and the gap is wider for most women of color. On average, Asian women earn the highest amount compared to men at 90 cents per dollar while Latino and Hispanic women earn the least at 54 cents per dollar; White, Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native women fall in between.

Here are some resources to learn about the gender wage gap and ways you can join the fight for equal pay:

The Narrowing, but Persistent, Gender Gap in Pay
Women Make Gains in the Workplace
Why Pay Data Matter in the Fight for Equal Pay

See photos from the event below.

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