Entrepreneur Liliana "Lili" Gil Receives Champion of Change Award at the United Nations

Recognized for a decade of advocacy advancing Latina pay equity and economic inclusion as drivers of prosperity and growth.

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Liliana "Lili" Gil, CEO and Co-Founder of Culture+ Group, business television commentator, Cultural Intelligence® expert, and advocate, was honored as a Champion of Change during a special event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, held in the SDG Media Zone as part of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

The ceremony marked the 10th Anniversary of the National Latina Equal Pay Campaign, launched by the Equal Pay Today! Coalition and co-anchored by Justice for Migrant Women. Gil was recognized for her demonstrated leadership in closing the gender pay gap confronting Latinas and for turning equal pay from a symbolic observance into a data-driven economic priority.

A former Fortune 500 corporate executive turned award-winning entrepreneur and board director, Gil has been a driving force behind the campaign since its earliest days.

"Ten years ago, when Monica Ramírez first reached out about launching this campaign, I knew right away it was something I had to be part of. I brought my network, my resources, and my whole heart to make sure this movement had the platform it deserved. From the start, I wanted it to be more than a hashtag. I wanted to make it a data-driven imperative and an economic priority. Together, we took it from boardrooms to research published by the Harvard Kennedy School, showing the world that closing the pay gap for Latinas is not just about fairness, it's about fueling prosperity. When Latinas thrive, our families thrive, our communities thrive, and so does our economy."

Gil was a founding organizer of the first Latina Equal Pay Day and helped grow it into a national movement that now rallies millions of women, allies, and corporate partners. In partnership with Mónica Ramírez, a civil rights attorney, activist, author, and Founder-President of Justice for Migrant Women, Gil helped pioneer groundbreaking research and campaigns that elevated the economic contributions of Latinas while exposing systemic barriers to pay equity.

Throughout the years, celebrities including Eva Longoria, Zoe Saldaña, Sofía Vergara, Jenna Ortega, America Ferrera, and Salma Hayek have amplified the campaign's message, raising its visibility across media and social platforms worldwide.

During her tenure as a member of the Women's Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School, Gil was the first to present data on Latina economic power in the boardroom, which led to the publication of influential research. Her company, Human Dot Plus (formerly Culturintel), provided AI-driven sentiment analysis and insights that helped shape corporate strategies, advocacy efforts, and national policy conversations.

The Numbers Behind the Movement

• 54¢ on the dollar: Latinas working full-time, part-time, and year-round earn just 54 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men (Equal Pay Today).
• $30,000 annual loss: The pay gap results in nearly $30K in lost wages yearly, totaling more than $1M over a 40-year career (NWLC 2022).
• $4.1 trillion GDP: The U.S. Latino GDP reached $4.1T in 2023, representing one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. economy (UCLA & Cal Lutheran Report).
• 6x faster entrepreneurship: Latinas are launching businesses at six times the national average, employing more than 870,000 people and generating $650B+ in annual revenue.

As the campaign celebrates its 10th anniversary, Gil underscored that the work is far from finished:

"This recognition is a reminder that progress is possible, and that we must keep going. Together we can turn data into action and ensure that the next generation of Latinas doesn't have to wait decades for equity."

Justice for Migrant Women and its coalition of partners will continue to expand research, corporate engagement, and advocacy efforts to accelerate change. The movement remains focused on turning Latina Equal Pay Day from a single date on the calendar into a permanent reality that fuels prosperity for families, businesses, and the nation as a whole.

About Culture+ Group

Culture+ Group is an independent marketing solutions network built to help brands thrive in a fast-changing, diverse world where culture drives growth. With decades of expertise in Cultural Intelligence®, the group fuses business transformation, organizational design, and agile creative and innovation strategies. Its ecosystem of specialized agencies: CIEN+ (culture-first marketing), CIEN+Health (inclusive healthcare marketing), Human Dot Plus (AI-driven insights/ innovation consultancy), The Ideatelier+ (branding/ luxury/ trend foresight), and The Choice+ (shopper/experiential marketing), positions Culture+ Group to tackle business challenges at the speed of culture. By blending cultural insights, strategic foresight, and data-driven clarity, the group enables brands to adapt, evolve, and capitalize on new growth opportunities.

As a certified minority- and woman-owned business and NMSDC Corporate Plus® Member, Culture+ Group is committed to advancing inclusion and innovation across all industries. The group has teams based across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.

Press Contact:

Amalia Toro
(972) 791-8792
http://www.cultureplusgroup.com

SOURCE Culture+ Group