Attorney, scientist, and public health advocate Elizabeth Booker Houston (@bookersquared) made waves on Instagram after releasing a candid video on National Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, on June 10, 2025.
In the video, she called out the persistent wage gap between Black women and white men in America.
“Hot take, but I deserve more money than most white men in America,” Houston boldly states in the video.
Backed by her impressive academic and professional achievements—including a bachelor’s in psychology, neuroscience research, a JD and MPH earned simultaneously, and work across four major federal agencies—Houston presents a compelling case that challenges the myth of meritocracy.
“I grew up poor in Memphis, Tennessee,” she says. “I was the first among my siblings to graduate high school, go to college, grad school, and law school. Less than 0.2% of Americans have my credentials.”
Despite her extraordinary background, Houston explains that she’s still underpaid in her federal government position at the Department of Health and Human Services, while men with fewer qualifications, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., hold higher-paying leadership roles.
“This man doesn’t even touch my qualifications. Not even close,” she was blunt.
Her post shines a spotlight on a harsh reality: Black women in America earn roughly 64 cents for every dollar earned by white men, according to data cited in an article by The Washington Informer, which Houston encourages her followers to support.
“Even though we have to be twice as good to get literally half of what they have,” she adds, “we are still being overlooked.”
The video, which also critiques the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), ends with a pointed reminder:
“We make the mediocre white men look bad. That’s why they’re trying to erase DEI—because this is what excellence actually looks like.”
Houston’s message resonated widely online, further igniting conversations around pay equity, systemic bias, and the importance of amplifying Black media voices.
“Run me my coins,” she declared—and she’s not the only one demanding overdue recognition.
Watch her powerful delivery in the video link below:
