The economic security of women and their families has been devastated by COVID-19. Predictably but unfortunately, the women and communities of color who experienced the greatest disadvantages before the pandemic have been hit the hardest by the health and economic crisis. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is a historic piece of legislation that will provide much-needed relief for women and families.

 

  • It will provide housing and nutrition assistance, boost the economic security of women and their families, help stabilize the child care sector, support health care, fund schools, provide fiscal relief to states—and much more.
  • The ARPA provides targeted relief that addresses the challenges faced by women and their families; mitigates gender, racial, and economic inequality; boosts the economy; and lays the groundwork for an equitable recovery.
  • But while it provides robust relief, we cannot ignore the deep structural flaws in our economy that made the pandemic so devastating for women of color and their families.
  • The path forward to shared prosperity requires both structural changes and significant public investments.