Greetings National Women’s Political Caucus Members and Guests,
On behalf of the National Board, I'm delighted to invite you to the NWPC’s first virtual annual meeting, Celebrating the 100 years of Women’s Suffrage – Where do we go from here?
Our organization was founded on July 10, 1971 for the express purpose of increasing the number of women in all aspects of political life. At the founding meeting, Gloria Steinem delivered an Address to the Women of America, in which she characterized feminism as a "revolution" that meant striving for a society free of racism and sexism – 49 years later, the revolution continues.
This is a pivotable time in our country. So many of us are coalescing behind the message of Black Lives Matter and standing against the systemic racism that is rooted deep in this country’s history. The inequality that impacts so many people in this country must be stopped. The answer to much of that inequality could be resolved by having an Equal Rights Amendment enshrined in the Constitution. We will have an important update on that effort from Carol Jenkins, Co-President and CEO of the ERA Coalition/Fund for Women’s Equality and Linda T. Coberly, Chicago Managing Partner of Winston & Strawn, LLP to speak about the recently filed Amicus Brief on behalf of the NWPC and other Women’s organizations in the matter of Commonwealth of Virginia, et al.; v. David S. Ferriero, in his official capacity as Archivist of the United States; and Alabama, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Tennessee; as Intervenor-Defendants.
The many sobering events on the political scene of late make it clear that our rights as women in the United States are under attack. Our reproductive rights are under full-fledged attack at the federal and state level. Our Vice President espouses one of the most restrictive attitudes about not only abortion, but birth control as well. And let us not forget we have a President who thinks that women should be punished for having an abortion.
I hope you will take full advantage of all the valuable tools this event has to offer, including training workshops and special events.
We hope you will join us to celebrate our accomplishments and strategize for our future.
As Mary Louise Booth, renowned suffragist from my own Town of Brookhaven always signed her letters with – Believe me, I do so today.
Believe me,
Donna Lent, National President