Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Pay Day Highlights Systemic Economic Insecurity 

Sacramento, CA (September 15, 2026) – Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) Women’s Equal Pay Day highlights how Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women face a number of structural and systemic factors which create stark pay and wealth disparities.   

• NHPI women earn 59 cents for “all earners” (full-time year-round and part-time and part-year) for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic male counterparts.  
• For every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men working full-time NHPI women earned 67 cents for full-time, year-round earners – 17 percent less national average wage gap of 81 cents for every dollar earned.
  

Several factors contribute to the wide economic inequity faced by NHPI women, including: 

• The “Model Minority” Myth: This misleading bias lumps together diverse communities, masking the distinct economic hardships, poverty rates, and underemployment faced by NHPI populations.
• Occupational Segregation: NHPI workers are frequently concentrated in lower-wage sectors such as retail, home health, or hospitality jobs with limited access to higher-paying executive or technical roles.
• Caregiving Responsibilities: Women in these communities often carry a disproportionate share of unpaid caregiving including childcare and elder care which can limit the types of employment they can seek. 
• Unequal Educational Access: Historical and geographic barriers in parts of the Pacific and Hawaii restrict opportunities for advanced education and entry into high-earning career pathways.

Additionally, NHPI women are often inaccurately characterized by data.  Data aggregation causes generalizations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders excludes communities such as Marshallese, Chuukese, Palauan, and Yapese women. By lumping together all Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, the gap in accurate data continues to harm NHPI groups: without accurate data and policies addressing the unique needs of NHPI women and families, they will continue to face significant disparities in pay and economic barriers.

“Women are not a monolith, and we cannot continue lumping NHPI women into a single bucket if we want to help create an economic foundation which supports all California families,” said Executive Director of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Darcy Totten.

“California must expand disaggregated data collection on these communities so we can continue working to prevent exploitation and create upward mobility,” said Totten. 

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  About the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls 
  For 60 years, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls has identified and worked to eliminate inequities in state laws, practices, and conditions that affect California’s women and girls. Established as a state agency with 17 appointed commissioners in 1965, the Commission regularly assesses gender equity in health, safety, employment, education, and equal representation in the military and the media.  

  About Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Pay Day  
  Native Hawaiian and pacific Islander (NHPI) Women’s Equal Pay Day is an annual awareness event highlighting the wage gap NHPI women face compared to white, non-Hispanic men, and it calls for policy changes to achieve pay equity.