On June 10, 1963 the Equal Pay Act was passed, addressing wage discrimination based on gender. Over fifty years later, equal pay is the law of the land yet a woman makes only 80 cents for every dollar a man earns. The numbers are even more dismal for women of color. On average, women lose more than $11,000 a year due to the gender wage gap. Women’s wages are important to families—more women than ever are primary earners for their households—and those missing wages could pay the mortgage, buy groceries, fill the gas tank, and even put kids through school.