American women have always been an integral part of the work force, first on the family farm and later as industrial laborers. In World War II, millions of women went to work only to be sent back home when the men returned. Today, women are in a very different situation. Between 1985 and 2000, 80% of new entrants into the work force are expected to be women, African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities. Sixty-one percent of working-age women, more than 60% of them mothers, will be in the permanent work force by the year 2000, when 47% of the entire labor force will be female. Women are in the work force to stay, yet, despite improved conditions, women earn only 66-74 cents for every dollar earned by men. The most prevalent occupations are still the traditional ones: secretary, school teacher, semi-skilled machine operator, manager/administrator, sales worker, and bookkeeper/accountant. Twenty million new jobs will be created by the year 2000, most requiring some post-secondary education but the present economic recession has led to severe cuts in spending on education, most seriously affecting educational opportunities for women and minorities. The American Association of Women in Community and Junior Colleges (AAWCJC) is the only organization in the United States dedicated to promoting excellence and equity for women students and workers in community colleges. AAWCJC members serve as advocates for a coherent public policy that promotes the effective participation of women in the new work force. The current recession is only temporary. With wise public policies, creative educational ventures, and a belief in the essential worth of each human being as a worker and a citizen, it will be possible to build a competitive, world-class labor force. (JSP)