I started working at the age of 14.

I’ve been a tutor, a day camp counselor, a fast-food restaurant employee (McDonald’s & Subway) an administrative assistant, a producer and an on-air personality.

I have never done a job where I didn’t work my A$$ off and I have always loved making my own money!

But now that I am older, I realize that unfortunately hard work doesn’t always pay off the way it should.

The fight continues!

Every since women were allowed to officially enter into the “workplace” we have ALWAYS made less than our male counterparts. Even in situations where we have the same or more skill, education or experience we tend to only make about 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes.

Why is this blatantly discriminatory practice still taking place? Why do women still have to fight for fairness in 2013? Here are some other troubling stats:

- The wage gap is even larger for women of color – African American women and Hispanic women.

- Men of color also experience a significant wage gap.

- This issue doesn’t just affect women, it affects entire families because more and more women are the principal wage earners in their household.

I have a serious problem with this!

That’s why I am excited to be involved in this year’s Equal Pay Day Rally being held in Chicago on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. It’s sponsored by the YWCA and a host of other dynamic women’s advocacy organizations.

Here are the deets:

DATE: April 9, 2013

TIME: 12 noon until 1:00 p.m.

PLACE: Daley Center Plaza – Clark and Washington in Chicago

At this awesome event, I’ll be introducing an impressive cadre of powerful women speakers.  All of them will sharing their personal stories and laying out a game plan to turn this backward practice or pay inequality around. I hope you can attend! If you do, make sure you stop by so we can meet personally!

More importantly, I hope you will bring a friend and commit to contacting your local elected officials so that women can finally get equal pay for equal work because we are worth it!

To get more details about this event, contact Barb Yong at 312-696-2034 or email her at blyong@golanchristie.com

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