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Black History Month 2025: Fighting for Equity for Black Women

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During Black History Month, gender justice advocates must confront the legacy of inequality that continues to affect Black women today, and acknowledge the years of persistence of Black women leaders fighting for justice.  In our weekly newsletter throughout the month, PowHer®NY spotlighted the issues that affect equity for Black women, and some key Black women leaders that have acted as champions for gender and racial justice in New York.

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Diving into Black Maternal Health with Chanel Porchia-Albert, Founder and President of Ancient Song

PowHer®NY took a deep dive into the Black maternal health crisis in an interview with Chanel Porchia-Albert, Founder and President of Ancient Song.

In the U.S., Black women and birthing people are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than White women, and in NYC the number increases to nine times more likely. These tragedies for mothers and families are the result of structural inequities in our health system.

One solution for overcoming some of the social and structural barriers to quality maternal health care is the community-based doula care model. Ancient Song is a birth justice organization that utilizes this model, providing doula services and trainings, community education, and advocating for policy change.

Facing an even more precarious health care landscape under the current federal government, maternal health advocates are calling not only for federal action but for increased protections and infrastructure at the state level.

Spotlighting Gloria Middleton, Equal Pay Champion and President of CWA Local 1180

Gloria Middleton broke barriers as the first Black person and first woman to lead CWA Local 1180, a 9,000 active member local. In a 2024 Black Women’s Equal Pay Day interview, Gloria discussed her decades-long fight to win a $15 million settlement of the longstanding EEO lawsuit against NYC for paying Administrative Managers less based on their race and gender.

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To continue advocating for pay equity for Black women, who earn only 66 cents for every dollar a white, non-Hispanic man earns in New York, CWA Local 1180 and PowHer®NY are organizing New York’s Equal Pay Day rally on March 24th. Our Equal Pay coalition is leading the fight for NYC and state bills that strengthen and expand our salary transparency laws.

“We have fought to make women’s salaries equal, we have worked with City and State legislators to pass legislation preventing unequal pay based on gender, race, or religion, and we have been the leading, outspoken New York City labor union to continually send the message that salary should be based predominantly on education and experience.”
– Gloria Middleton, President of CWA Local 1180

Recognizing the leadership of NY Attorney General Letitia James

For over a decade of Equal Pay Days, NYS Attorney General Letitia James’ voice has carried a clear message that society must stop undervaluing and underpaying the work of women, often referring to the feminization of poverty. She has spotlighted the role that the government can play in changing entrenched discriminatory practices, and that economic inequity hurts not only women, especially women of color, but also families and New York as a whole.
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In addition to championing pay equity alongside PowHer®NY, the Attorney General has taken on the charge of protecting workers, marginalized groups, and all Americans from federal rollbacks of our rights. Most recently, she led a coalition of attorneys general to halt the Trump Administration’s federal funding freeze, just one action among many she has taken to uphold the law and defend the wellbeing of our state and country.

“As Attorney General, I will always stand up to protect New Yorkers and fight for our rights and values…. I am ready to do everything in my power to ensure our state and nation do not go backwards.”
– Attorney General Letitia James