Level Up
Project Summary
Level Up: The Greater Pittsburgh Pay Equity Project's mission is to ensure employers and policymakers within the Greater Pittsburgh region use their power to take action to close the wage gap.
For far too long, systemic barriers to equality have severely impacted marginalized and low-income individuals, causing significant harm and hindering their potential. A comprehensive report from the Equity Commission in 2019 shed light on the persistent issues of inequality that plague vital areas such as health, income, employment, and education in Pittsburgh. One of the report’s most striking findings revealed that marginalized and low-income residents in this city earn a mere 54 cents for every dollar their non-marginalized counterparts make. This staggering disparity translates into an alarming reality: these individuals are five times more likely to experience poverty compared to those who do not face similar challenges.
Furthermore, the report highlighted that, in most other U.S. cities, marginalized and low-income populations fare better than those in Pittsburgh, underscoring a troubling trend that calls for urgent attention. It is high time for Pittsburgh to evolve into a city where all its residents—regardless of their background—can thrive, access opportunity, and enjoy a high quality of life. Together, we can work towards creating a more equitable future for everyone in our community.
This disparity is not just bad for our families and our communities, but it weakens our region’s businesses as well. Above all, it undermines the very fabric of our region, whose reputation is based on hard work and building towards a collective future. When a marginalized and low-income person, who may be the head of the household, makes less money, it means they are often forced to work two jobs and sometimes more to ensure basic necessities for her family. In turn, this denies their children– our future – the resources and attention they need to thrive. When a marginalized and low-income person, whose leadership is needed in their community, makes significantly less money and has to work longer hours to pay bills or student loans, it means their community suffers in their absence and cannot flourish.
When a marginalized and low-income person, whose skills and talents are needed now more than ever to help fill our labor shortage, can only expect to be paid a fraction of what their labor is worth, it can have a profound impact on their self-esteem, result in anxiety and depression, and ultimately reduce work productivity. This is not good for them or their business.
It’s time to level the playing field – by paying marginalized and low-income people as you would anyone else in your company/business. The “Level Up” Project is not just for the sake of employees, but for the sake of Pittsburgh’s future. Marginalized and low-income individuals are a cornerstone of the Greater Pittsburgh region's communities, and it’s time to recognize them as such.
Project Committee
Renee Aldrich
Kimberly Manigault
Alana Griffin
Amber Thompson
Rochelle Jackson
Sharnay Hearn-Davis
Carmen Anderson
RaQueeb Bey
