In honor of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) and their work through the Stronger California Advocates Network, which is supported by Irvine’s Just Prosperity initiative. Jessica Ramey Stender, ERA Policy Director and Deputy Legal Director, shared how ERA and the Network is addressing barriers to economic security that women face, what they hope to achieve, and how funders can better support their work. 

The views and opinions expressed below are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The James Irvine Foundation. Responses were edited for lengthy and clarity.

Briefly tell us about the work of Equal Rights Advocates (ERA). What does your organization do and why? 

Equal Rights Advocates is a national civil rights organization mobilizing the power of women and people across genders to advance gender, racial, and economic justice. For more than 50 years, ERA has protected and expanded economic and educational access and opportunities for women, girls, and gender-expansive students and workers, with a focus on those from low-income families and communities of color. Through community-based research, legal enforcement, policy advocacy, and movement building through cross-sector coalitions, ERA works to promote economic security for women and families, power among communities, and equality and opportunity in education and employment.  

What are the intersecting barriers that prevent women, especially women of color, from achieving economic security? How is ERA addressing these barriers? 

Women, especially women of color, face systemic discrimination, unequal pay, occupational segregation, and limited access to wealth-building opportunities. They are more likely to work in undervalued, low-wage jobs with little job security, benefits, or advancement opportunities. While progress has been made, the gender pay gap persists, with women of color facing the largest disparities. On average, women nationwide lose a total of almost $1.7 trillion every year due to the wage gap.   

Additionally, women disproportionately shoulder caregiving responsibilities, often without adequate support such as affordable childcare or paid leave. These overlapping barriers make it difficult for women to afford basic living necessities, save for retirement, and achieve long-term financial stability. To address these issues, ERA mobilizes our partners through strategic collaborations at the state, multi-state, and national levels to drive comprehensive systems change. In California, ERA chairs the Stronger California Advocates Network, which collectively fights for systemic policy reforms to advance economic security for women and families throughout the state.  

Can you share more about the Stronger California Advocates Network and what you hope to achieve through it?  

Stronger California, founded by ERA in 2014, unites 65+ organizations to accelerate the pace of change and drive critical policy reforms and practical solutions to address the intersecting barriers preventing women, especially women of color, and working families from achieving economic security. Through cross-sector advocacy and community mobilization focused on affordable childcare, family-friendly workplaces, poverty-eradication and asset-building, fair pay and workplace justice, and health and reproductive rights, the Network has achieved 57 policy wins and billions of dollars in budget allocations benefitting millions of low-wage workers, families, and communities.  

Stronger California wins include the nation’s strongest laws combating sexual harassment and pay discrimination, expanded workplace leave protections, stronger protections against predatory lending, and preserving safety net programs through strengthening and funding CalWORKs. We’ve also advocated for increased funding for affordable childcare policies, including laws expanding affordable childcare to parents in GED or ESL programs and enable childcare providers to organize and negotiate better pay and working conditions. The Network’s community-powered wins have created better working and living conditions for millions of Californians and have been replicated in other states. 

 How can public and private funders better support your work?  

Our fundamental civil rights are under direct attack, and now is the time for philanthropy to double down on funding gender and economic justice. To meet this moment and create lasting change, funders, both public and private, should prioritize general operating support to ensure advocates have the flexibility to respond to urgent and dire needs while also continuing the work to advance long-term strategies. In this moment of crisis, deep investments are needed in movement leaders, policy advocates, and lawyers—the frontline defenders of communities and civil rights. If we work together, and with robust support, we can transform these immense challenges into progress. Women, families, and communities deserve nothing less. 

 Lastly, what does Women’s History Month mean to your organization?  

Women’s History Month is more than a celebration—it is a call to action. Equal Rights Advocates recognizes this month as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight to protect and advance women’s rights at work, at school, and beyond. At a time when our fundamental civil rights and critical legal protections are under attack, we stand firm in our commitment to defending the rights of women, girls, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants and other groups under attack.  

This fight must be inclusive. True justice means advocating for all women, including trans women and gender-expansive people, with a focus on those most impacted by systemic discrimination—women of color, low-income women, immigrants, and other historically marginalized communities. Their struggles and contributions are too often ignored or erased, even as they lead movements for change. 

This month is not just about honoring the past; it is about preserving hard-fought protections and continuing to fight for an equitable future. The challenges have never been greater and we are doubling down in the fight for women and families and the urgent work of protecting fundamental civil rights, combating poverty, and securing economic justice, educational access, and workplace protections.