We commemorate Mother’s Day this year with deep admiration for the contributions of mothers and caregivers around the world and a call to invest in the care economy, which is made up disproportionately of women. According to the Time’s Up Foundation, investing in the care economy will create potentially 2 million jobs in the United States. We are thrilled to see the Biden Administration’s proposed American Jobs Plan center the needs of caregivers and hopeful to see policy enacted that builds infrastructure and economic opportunity for women. This is particularly important because the pandemic-induced “She-cession” has disproportionately impacted women, particularly women of color globally. As we honor mothers and caregivers this month and beyond, we must work to advance a just world that does the same.
May is also Asian American Pacific Islander(AAPI) Heritage Month. We celebrate the many contributions of the AAPI community to American history, society, and culture. We would particularly like to acknowledge Asian and Pacific Islander women who continue to demonstrate their leadership in the face of racism and discrimination. We commend the Biden Administration for creating the first-ever AAPI Senior Liaison position in the White House. We are pleased to see the announcement of Erika L. Moritsugu, an Aspen Family Prosperity Innovation Community member and vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, being appointed to advise President Biden on strengthening relationships with the AAPI community. We also applaud the appointment of Katherine Tai as the 19th United States Trade Representative and the passing of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act with a vast bipartisan majority. This bill denounces the discrimination against Asian communities in the United States and creates a new position at the Justice Department to expedite reviews of potential Covid-19-related hate crimes.
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