The Great Recession

For the first time in history, women account for half of the U.S. workforce, according to the recent Shriver Report. Even as the recession reshapes the workforce, women are less likely to lose their jobs than men. But is this progress? Women still earn substantially less than men: only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, up a mere 13 cents from 1963. In New York City, many working women are still struggling with poverty. What effect has the recession had on women’s equality in the workplace, and what are the repercussions for low-income working women?

Join us for a discussion with speakers including:
- Sue Kelly, former U.S. Representative (R-NY).
- Page S. Gardner, founder and president of Women’s Voices. Women Vote.
- Irasema Garza, president of Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund.
- Mark Greenberg, deputy assistant secretary for Policy in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.
- Maggie Sepulveda, Carpenter Local 608/Teacher, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW).

The discussion is moderated by Valeria Fernández, independent reporter for Feet in Two Worlds.

The Bill Green Forum memorializes the Honorable Bill Green (1929–2002), who represented the East Side of Manhattan in Congress from 1978 to 1992. Bill Green was an independent thinker who frequently crossed the aisle to collaborate on critical issues such as the environment, urban policy, and affordable housing. He served as a trustee of The New School and a board member of Milano. This forum series, which pays tribute to his deep commitment to bipartisanship, is generously funded by the Taconic Foundation, on whose board Green also served. Additional support has been provided by the Sirus Fund and the Milano Foundation.