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What is
Equal Pay Day?

Every year, Equal Pay Day is recognized world-wide to bring greater awareness to racial and gender pay disparities. In the United States, the date symbolically marks how many extra days into a new year the average woman must work to earn as much as the average white man did in the previous year.

In 2020, Chicago shifted focus from the average woman to the least paid. This year, it takes 22 months for latina women to earn what a white man earns in 12 months. We will gather on the farthest Equal Pay date as we work to end pay inequity for all.

Join us! Equal Pay Day Chicago is both a focal point to raise awareness of pay equality, and a platform for organizations to collaborate across the state. We invite you to be a part of this effort as we celebrate "Half Paid Heroes".

Contact us through any of the platforms below.

Join us

Typically held outside the Daley Center. This year, we are gathering virtually on October 21, 2021.

Past speakers

2020 Illinois State Rep. Anna Moeller; Cherita Ellens, President and CEO of Women Employed; Linda Xóchitl Tortolero, President and CEO of Mujeres Latinas en Acción; Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza; and moderator Kelly Saulsberry, Director of Policy and Outreach for the City of Chicago, Commission on Human Relations.

2019 Keynote Speaker was Michelle Silverthorn, Founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation. The MC was Jacky Priego, creator of PinkSlipped. We enjoyed an original performance by singer/songwriter Tatiana Hazel. Other speakers included Mona Noriega, Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations; Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk Cook; Toni Preckwinkle, County Board President; Audra Wilson, League of Women Voters Illinois Executive Director; J. Bryan Wood of The Wood Law Office LLC; Cherita Ellens, CEO and President of Women Employed; and Dorri McWhorter, YWCA Chicago CEO.

2018 Keynote Speaker was Alpana Singh, former host of Check Please!, sommelier & restaurateur. The MC was Danielle Robay, co-host of morning TV show “The Jam”. Other speakers included Mona Noriega, Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations; Janice Glenn, Acting Director of Illinois Department of Human Rights; Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk; Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA; Carolyn Leonard, CEO of Dymynd LLC; Iiana Mora, CEO and President of Women Employed; Denise Ferguson, the Momentum Group; and Sheerine Almezadeh, co-founder of Healing to Action.

2017 A keynote was delivered by the co-organizers of the Women’s March on Chicago – Liz Radford, Ann Scholhamer and Jessica Scheller. Other speakers included Dorri C. McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago; Maria Pesquiera, President and CEO, Mujeres Latinas en Accion; Janice Glenn, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights; and Sharmili Majmudar, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Women Employed. The MC was Sally Lou Loveman of LoveSpeaks, LLC. Rapper FM Supreme performed.

2016 Keynote Speaker was Luvvie Ajay, author of the popular blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com and of the new book, “I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual.” The MC was Sally Lou Loveman. FM Supreme performed. Speakers included Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board of Commissioners President; Roberta Lynch, Executive Director of AFSCME Council; Melissa Josephs of Women Employed; and Dorri McWhorter, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago CEO. The day included a performance by Women In Comedy, led by Victoria Elena Nones.