[addtoany]

For Leah White, it’s personal. She knows all too well the challenges women face when choosing between caregiving and career. As legislative and operations manager for the Washington State Women’s Commission, she aims to do something about it.

June 28 is the Commission’s official launch of Activate 3.8, a campaign aimed at raising awareness and generating solutions for the gender pay gap in Washington state. The name refers to the 3.8 million women across the state. A good chunk of Activate 3.8 revolves around ensuring that recently passed legislation mandating that corporate boards consist of at least 25% women (by 2025) succeeds; and a statewide campaign in partnership with the Girl Scouts to expose more women and girls to careers in the state’s largest industries.

White was a 20-year-old student at the University of Tennessee when she dropped out to care for her mother, who had been suffering memory loss (she forgot the date of White’s wedding that year) and was eventually diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 58. By this point, White also had two young children, and the stress of caring for both her mother and kids created a “strained working relationship with whoever my employer was, because there were times when I would just get up and say I had to leave, which is hard for any employer.”

White eventually moved here and finally graduated from college three years ago at age 33. She says she’s fortunate in that her husband, now a civil engineer, had the means to support her during her challenges.

Women across Washington state made $18,400 less in average wages than men in 2022, the second-largest discrepancy in the U.S. A key reason — here and elsewhere — is because they more frequently drop out of the workforce to care for family members. White notes that Washington state has few protections in place for caregivers who need time away from work, and is now advocating for legislation that would offer stronger protections and support for caregivers. 

“I made decisions that were best for caregiving for my children and my mom, and those set me back,” says White, whose children are now 13 and 9. “I will continue to work on these issues. The Women’s Commission will continue to work on these issues. 

“And I hope that, for people experiencing a family emergency, (they) have better wraparound services to help them navigate that space.”

The Washington State Women’s Commission will hold a free event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28 to officially launch its 3.8 Activate campaign. It is at the Nectar Lounge, 412 N. 36th St. in Seattle. Registration is required.