Trick-or-Treaters Experience the Pay Gap in Women’s Foundation’s “A Scary Truth”

KANSAS CITY – This Halloween, the Women’s Foundation and creative agency Barkley are illustrating just how unfair the gender pay gap is using kids’ favorite currency: candy.

In “A Scary Truth: The Wage Gap,” adorable young trick or treaters are shocked and outraged when they realize the girls are getting less Halloween candy than the boys.

“We love this project because it illustrates how the gender pay gap violates the most basic principle of fairness that children grasp intuitively,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of the Women’s Foundation. “We hope ‘The Scary Truth’ helps call attention to the fact that women are still not paid equally for equal work – and the solutions that can finally help close the gender pay gap once and for all.”  

When the trick-or-treaters show up at the Scary Truth house, they aren’t greeted by a friendly parent in a vampire costume but instead by a businessman in a suit who shamelessly gives more and better candy to the boys than to the girls. The heartbroken kids are children of Barkley employees and friends who were invited to participate in the trick-or-treating experiment without knowing its purpose.

The candy disparity illustrates the gender pay gap, where nationally women are paid an average of 80 cents on the dollar to men.

The kids aren’t cool with the discrepancy. “We deserve that one,” declare the girls while pointing to the oversized lollipops being handed to the boys. Another girl says, “They’re both people, they should get the same amount.”

The work supports the efforts of the Women's Foundation and the American Association of University Women (AAUW), to close the wage gap with programs like salary negotiation training and best practices for employers.

“Our hope is that we can play a small part in getting a generation of women the tools they need so these little girls grow up and never hear the term ‘wage gap,’” says Katy Hornaday, Executive Creative Director of Barkley.

Don’t worry. After the cameras stopped rolling, all children were given plenty of equal sized candy.

“The Scary Truth” notes that women of color face even wider pay disparities. For example, November 1st is Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day, marking the day when Latina women’s earnings finally catch up to what men earned the previous year. Latinas typically earn only 53 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men and must work nearly 23 months to earn what white men earn in 12 months.

See the video at: https://youtu.be/3VKTbxa1vcQ  

Changemaker Profile: Tameka Stigers, St. Louis Entrepreneur

The Women’s Foundation achieved a major victory during the 2018 Legislative Session, when the Missouri General Assembly passed sweeping occupational licensing reforms that will make it easier for women to start a new career or open their own business.

Tameka Stigers, a St. Louis entrepreneur and hair braider, was instrumental in this fight and we were so proud to have her and her daughter Julee kick off our 2018 We Work for Change Annual Event.

Read her story about working for change, and how these reforms are making a difference for women and their families.

“I was working in public health when I decided to start my own business providing African-style hair braiding to women in my community. More than just a job, I wanted a career and a way to give back.

But there was just one problem. Under Missouri’s licensing laws, I was required to spend thousands of dollars on cosmetology classes that didn’t have anything to do with braiding hair.

So I decided to fight back – in court with the support of the Institute for Justice and in the Missouri General Assembly with the help of the Women’s Foundation.

It’s been a long journey, but earlier this year the Legislature finally passed reforms that will allow me and other hair braiders earn a living without jumping through unnecessary bureaucratic hoops. Occupational licensing may sound like an obscure issue, but it has a huge impact on women and their families. Many women who practice hair braiding are new to this country, and it is so important that we surround them and help them provide for their families.

Advocating for these reforms has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. My advice for other women working for change is to stick with it.

The opposition will always be there, and they may bet they’ll wait you out. That’s why we have to continue to fight. If they close a door, find a window – find another entry point, and do what you need to make change happen.”

Initiative to Appoint More Women to Local Boards Now Accepting Applications in Lawrence

Women in Lawrence, Kansas encouraged to apply for positions on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®

  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2018 

CONTACT:
Channing Grate, Women’s Foundation, channing@gpsimpact.com
Porter Arneill, City of Lawrence, parneill@lawrenceks.org, (785) 832-3302 

LAWRENCE, KS – An innovative initiative to appoint more women to civic boards and commissions is now operating in Lawrence, Kansas. Women interested in serving the public are encouraged to apply to the Appointments Project®, a program launched by the Women’s Foundation to help increase the diversity of public boards and commissions. 

An information session will be held on Thursday, November 8, 2018, from 11:30am-1:30pm at the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room B, 707 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS 66044.

“We’re thrilled to expand the Appointments Project into Lawrence and encourage all women interested in serving their communities to apply,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “Adding more diverse voices, particularly women of color, to the decision-making table will improve public policy and help local boards and commissions be more responsive and reflective of the communities they serve.”

The Appointments Project is an initiative established by the Women’s Foundation to increase the number of women serving on civic boards and commissions and recently added Lawrence to its list of Appointments Project cities. The Appointments Project will work to empower women and underrepresented groups and encourage greater diversity on Lawrence’s public commissions by helping to educate and engage prospective officials on the application and appointment process. Prospective appointees can learn more and express their interest in serving at: www.womens-foundation.org/a-p.

"Lawrence’s rich diversity is one of our city’s greatest strengths, and by teaming up with the Appointments Project we’ll make sure gender diversity is reflected on our local boards and commissions,” said Mayor Stuart Boley. “We are excited to collaborate with the Appointments Project to help encourage more women to pursue leadership roles in our community.”

The Appointments Project has seen a 300 percent increase in the number of Appointments Project locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri. Appointments Project cities in Kansas include Abilene, Eudora, Greensburg, Johnson County, Merriam, Olathe, Pittsburg, Shawnee, Topeka, the Unified Government of Wyandotte and Kansas City, KS and Wichita. 

Launched in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government. To date, more than 90 women have been appointed through the initiative.

Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information at www.womens-foundation.org.

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Empowering Native American Women and Closing the Pay Gap

Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO

In 2018, it's still a shocking reality that women are not paid equally for equal work – nearly half a century after the passage of the Equal Pay Act. Women in the U.S. on average make just 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man, and Native American women face disparities that are even wider.

Native American Women's Equal Pay Day, which this year falls on September 27, highlights the unacceptable fact that Native American women must work nine extra months to earn the same amount of money that men do in one year.

The gender pay gap is a complex and pressing issue, and at the Women’s Foundation, we are committed to closing it with practical solutions that get results.

In August we were proud to team up with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Kansas City Mayor Sly James to launch AAUW Work Smart Kansas City – the first phase of an initiative to empower one million women to successfully negotiate for the salary and benefits they deserve.

AAUW Work Smart Kansas City will help close the gender pay gap in Kansas City, where the overall gender pay ratio is 78 percent – a 22 percent gap and larger than the national average.

And because we know that Native American women face an even wider pay gap – making just 57 cents for a man’s dollar – we’re thrilled that Travois has stepped up to host these valuable pay negotiation trainings for women in this region.

As a mission-driven small business focused exclusively on promoting housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, Travois is well-positioned to help empower Native American women to negotiate for higher salaries and more generous benefits that reflect the value they bring to the workplace.

These pay negotiation trainings will help women negotiate for a new job as well as for earned raises and promotions. In every two-hour workshop, participants will gain confidence in negotiation style through facilitated discussion and role-playing – while also learning a number of life-changing skills, such as:

• How to identify and articulate your personal value

• How to develop an arsenal of persuasive responses and other negotiation strategies, including how to get a raise or promotion

• How to conduct objective market research to benchmark a target salary and benefits

• About the pay gap, including its long-term consequences

Women make up 47 percent of the workforce. We outnumber men on college campuses, and recent estimates indicate that 42 percent of mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners for their families.

Equal pay for equal work shouldn’t be a lot to ask.

We're lucky to be able to work with organizations like Travois who are working hard to achieve economic equity for all. If you are interested in attending one of AAUW’s pay negotiation workshops, you can sign up and find more information here.

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Appointee Profile: Monica Walker

Monica has been appointed to the Child Abuse & Neglect Review Board.

Monica currently works at American Family Insurance and is very involved within her community. She currently serves on the Second Harvest Board of Directors, and also serves as an Allocations Committee Member at the United Way of Greater St. Joseph.

Helping people excel and be successful in the workforce is one of her greatest satisfactions, but her heart can truly be found outside the office. Monica believes every child from all walks of life should have a solid foundation to build their lives on, a quality education, and to feel safe and loved.

Wendy Doyle: The “Pink Wave” of Women Leaders Will Lift All Boats

By Wendy Doyle | President & CEO, Women's Foundation

This month’s elections saw women breaking records and winning primaries up and down the ticket.

This “pink wave” is an exciting trend for those of us working to reduce barriers to women’s civic engagement. But even with a record number of women poised to take office next year, there is still much more work to be done to increase gender diversity at all levels of government.

Nearly 100 years after women gained the right to vote, women still make up only 20 percent of Congress and less than a quarter of the Missouri General Assembly. All statewide elected officials in Kansas are men. In Missouri, women occupy only two statewide elected offices. We must do better.

Women are woefully underrepresented in C-suites, too, despite having earned more college degrees than men for 30 years running. The New York Times found that there are almost as many men named John running large companies as there are women. Twenty-five Fortune 500 CEOs are women, 23 are named John.

That is why the Women’s Foundation is proud that so many state and local leaders have teamed with our Appointments Project® to help place more women on the public boards and commissions.

From housing and public health to economic development and occupational licensing, local boards and commissions perform vital functions that have far-reaching impacts. And too often, these decisions are being made in rooms that don’t reflect the diversity of the populations they serve.

The Women’s Foundation developed the Appointments Project® based on the findings of a first-of-its-kind study we commissioned that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions. These challenges ranged from complex structural barriers to simple ones, like women believing they won’t be asked to serve.

Since we launched the project in 2014, more than two dozen cities and states have signed on, placing more than 90 women on public boards and commissions.

This is good news – because the lack of gender diversity in the halls of power shouldn’t just concern women, but everyone interested in more effective, equitable policy solutions.

Research shows that in almost every scenario you can think of, having more diversity at the decision-making table increases effectiveness, productivity – and creativity as well. And more than just being at the table, it’s about being included and heard.

A study of 600 business decisions found that inclusive teams made better decisions 87 percent of the time and decisions made and executed by diverse teams delivered 60 percent better results.

The reason for this is simple: people with different perspectives and backgrounds identify solutions that others might not. As David Rock and Heidi Grant wrote for the Harvard Business Review, “working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance.”

We also know that when women take on leadership roles, they have a proven track record of championing solutions that benefit women and men alike. Policies, like expanding access to paid family leave or reducing burdensome occupational licensing barriers, will help boost economic opportunity and improve work-life balance for everyone.

In other words, the “pink wave” of women candidates and officials will lift all boats. 

Together, we can continue to break down the barriers facing women and their families, and build a future of greater inclusion and opportunity for everyone.

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AAUW, Women’s Foundation and Mayor James Announce Initiative to Help Close the Gender Pay Gap with Salary and Benefits Negotiation Training

KANSAS CITY – The American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the Women’s Foundation today joined Mayor Sly James to announce AAUW Work Smart in Kansas City, the first phase of a large-scale initiative to help close the gender pay gap by empowering 1 million women to successfully negotiate their salary and benefits across Kansas and Missouri.

Beginning with a pilot program in the Kansas City region, AAUW ultimately aims to provide salary and benefits negotiation training through their Work Smart program to more than one-third of the women ages 18-64 in Kansas and Missouri. Once fully implemented, it will be the largest, broadest salary negotiation initiative on record.

“The gender pay gap starts just one year out of college, and the disadvantages escalate over time,” said AAUW CEO Kimberly Churches. “The AAUW Work Smart program empowers women with the skills and confidence they need to negotiate a higher salary and good benefits right out of the gate. We’re thrilled that thanks to the Women’s Foundation and partners like Mayor James we’re able to offer this training to women in the Kansas City region and kick off the largest salary negotiation initiative on record.”

While women nationwide are typically paid 80 percent of what men are paid, women in Missouri and Kansas earn just 78 cents and 77 cents respectively, for every dollar earned by a man. Women of color experience pay gaps that are far wider. Missouri has a wider pay gap than 29 other states while Kansas ranks 37th.  

AAUW Work Smart first launched in Boston in 2015 and has since expanded to Washington, D.C., Tempe, Arizona, San Francisco, and Long Beach, California, as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Kansas City is the first AAUW Work Smart collaboration in the Midwest.

“Here in Kansas City we’ve worked hard to create a vibrant, diverse and inclusive economy – where everyone has a fair shot and an equal opportunity to succeed,” said Mayor Sly James. “The Work Smart Program will help build on the successful work we’ve done to break down the barriers women and underrepresented communities face, and help strengthen the financial security of families across the region.”

AAUW Work Smart in Kansas City is being launched with seed funding from the Women’s Foundation and will be offered through a combination of in-person workshops and online learning options (available starting in September 2018). The effort also includes training more than 400 individuals as facilitators in both states. The e-learning tool will also be available in Spanish in the coming months.

The initiative will help to close the gender pay gap, improving the lives of women and their families, increasing consumer spending with local businesses, and increasing local, county, and state tax revenue.

“Women in Kansas and Missouri are still making less than 80 cents of what men are paid – a pay gap that robs them of a small fortune over their lifetimes,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “AAUW’s Work Smart initiative complements the work we’ve done to educate employers and policymakers through our Pay Equity Best Practices, and we’re proud to help bring this valuable resource to the Kansas City region. We thank Mayor James for his partnership and commitment to empowering women and breaking down the barriers to economic opportunity.”

AAUW Work Smart Kansas City builds on efforts by the Women’s Foundation and Mayor James to empower women and break down the barriers that hold them back. In 2015, the Mayor unveiled city government’s blueprint for women’s empowerment, culminating a five-month-long collaboration between the Mayor’s Office, Central Exchange, the Women’s Foundation, and UMKC’s Women’s Center. Earlier this year, Women’s Foundation and the Office of Mayor Sly James were recognized for their collaborative work to increase diversity on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project.

For more information, interested participants can visit: salary.aauw.org/KSMO

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Women’s Foundation Praises Attorney General for Dropping Defense of Outdated Licensing Law

KANSAS CITY – The Women’s Foundation today praised Attorney General Josh Hawley for withdrawing his defense of a state licensure law that will become obsolete once new reforms take effect on August 28.

The bipartisan reforms, which will allow Missourians to practice hair braiding without going through an expensive, burdensome and irrelevant licensing process, were informed by Women’s Foundation research showing occupational licensing laws can restrict economic opportunity and have a disproportionate impact on women.

“These occupational licensing reforms passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and we thank the Attorney General for withdrawing his defense of this outdated and burdensome law,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of the Women’s Foundation. “No one should be prevented from earning a living because of burdensome and arbitrary bureaucratic requirements. Hair braiders have waited long enough for the right to practice their profession. We urge the Board of Cosmetology to prepare to implement these long-overdue reforms without delay when they take effect on August 28.”

Women’s Foundation research found that occupational licensing, while intended to protect the safety and well-being of the public, can often create unnecessary barriers for women entrepreneurs by restricting entry and re-entry into professions, reducing employment, and creating economic inequity. This research shows removing these barriers will meet one of Women’s Foundation’s key goals of empowering more women to become entrepreneurs.

READ OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING & RECIPROCITY IN MISSOURI & THE U.S. HERE.
READ ALTERNATIVES TO OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING IN MISSOURI AND THE U.S.HERE.
READ THE "FACTS AND FINDINGS" SUMMARY HERE.

The Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy, and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information about the organization can be found at www.womens-foundation.org.
 

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Women’s Foundation Celebrates Appointments Project® Milestone with 90th Appointee

Data shows the number of women candidates in the 2018 primary elections has increased in Missouri, but decreased in Kansas since 2016
 

KANSAS CITY – Ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections – when 264 women will be on the ballot in Kansas and Missouri – the Women’s Foundation announced the appointment of four women in Kansas and Missouri to public boards and commissions, bringing the total number of women appointed through the organization’s Appointments Project® to 90.  The Women’s Foundation celebrated the milestone with the appointments of Kaylee Peile, BreAnna Monk, Katherine Goad, and Monica Walker.
 
BreAnna Monk will be joining the Kansas Volunteer Commission. Kate Goad will be joining the Kansas Council on Travel and Tourism. Kaylee Peile will be joining the Kansas City History Preservation Board. And Monica Walker will be joining the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board.
 
“This is a milestone for the Women's Foundation, and we couldn't have done it without the support of leaders, community members, and women across Kansas and Missouri who are diversifying and strengthening their communities," said Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of Women’s Foundation. “I'm thrilled the Appointments Project® has given so many women the encouragement and tools they need to be successful.”
 
The Appointments Project® saw a 300% increase in the number of Appointments Project® locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri.
 
Started in 2014, the Appointments Project® aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project® serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government.
 
Women Candidates in Primary Elections
 
The Women’s Foundation also released an analysis showing that overall, there is a higher percentage of women running for Missouri offices in 2018 (25.02%) than 2016 (21.25%). However, in Kansas, both the total numbers of women running for office and the percentages of women running for office have decreased.

  

 Women Candidates 2016Women Candidates 2018

Missouri102 (21.25%)162 (25.02%)

Kansas136 (27.59%)102 (25.75%)

 

The Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy, and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information about the organization can be found at www.womens-foundation.org.
 

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Appointee Profile: Chandra Clark

“The Women’s Appointment project provides us with a tremendous opportunity to make our voices heard. As women, it is imperative that we are actively engaging, serving and leading within our community. ”

— Chandra Clark

Chandra has been appointed to the Kansas City Chronic Nuisance Board and has over 18 years of experience in business development, nonprofit leadership, fundraising, education, entrepreneurship and community engagement.  She received her bachelor's of arts from UMKC and has a Master's in education from Rockhurst.

She currently works with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City, and previously was the Director of the LIFE Coach program of the Boys & Girls Club of Kansas City. Before that, she was the director of community relations at Newhouse Shelter.

Her personal passion is educating and empowering marginalized youth, adults abused as children and single parent households. She believes that it is imperative to use fashion, art and writing as a platform to inspire hope, healing and creativity throughout the world. She's honored to serve as a community adovcate and leader in the city of Kansas City and beyond.