Democrats Abroad will hold its 2019 Global Meeting from May 17-19 in Washington, D.C. Members from around the world converge and work to prepare for the 2020 primary and general elections. Over three days, we will attend to the regular business of the organization, discuss charter amendments and resolutions, run training sessions and hold our executive committee elections. There will also be regional meetings to elect Regional Vice Chairs and conduct other business. Find out how you can get involved, including the opportunity to virtually participate in the Democrats Abroad 2019 Global Meeting, set for May 17-19 in Washington, D.C.
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On April 12, our friends in the UK Women’s Caucus teamed up with the DAUK Film Committee to hold a screening of “RBG,” the award-winning documentary about cultural icon and civil rights champion, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Building on the momentum of Women’s History Month in March, the event included an after-screening discussion, featuring a panel of three DAUK women members who trained as lawyers, on topics such as opportunities for women in the legal profession, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and RBG’s legacy.
In early April, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) introduced a bill to increase protections and transparency related to sexual harassment in the workplace: H.R.2148, the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act.
Among other things, the legislation would fill in gaps in current federal discrimination laws. For example, it would extend protections to groups excluded from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including workers at small businesses, independent contractors, interns, LGBTQ workers, and volunteers. Furthermore, the bill seeks to address problems in the judicial system related to processing workplace harassment claims. Click here for more on how the bill will fight workplace discrimination.
ERA Update: House Holds First ERA Hearing in 36 Years
Did you know:
- Women do NOT have equal rights in the U.S. Constitution
- The word ‘women’ is mentioned only one time in the Constitution (19th Amendment), the word ‘men’ is mentioned 39 times
- 85% of all countries have equal rights in their constitution, including every industrial nation except the U.S.
- Over 90% of Americans think the U.S. should have equal rights in our Constitution
- YOU can make a difference
Of the 13 states that have not ratified the ERA, 10 submitted bills in their state legislature this year. (The three that did not were AL, OK, and UT.) The bills have already failed for the 2019 sessions in AR, AZ, FL, GA, MS, SC and VA, but there’s still some hope for the other three – LA, MO, and NC. If you vote in one of these states, please contact your state legislature members to support the ERA.
We are looking for volunteers to join our Global Women’s Caucus Comms team. If you are passionate about women’s rights and have 10 hours a month to volunteer to our caucus, we need you! We are looking for volunteers with the following areas of expertise:
- Create original content for our website and social media
- Monitor social media channels
- Assist in the preparation of online campaigns
- Other activities as required
Writing
- Write about women’s issues that are important to the GWC
- Conduct interviews
- Draft resolutions in support of women’s issues
- Create original content for our website and social media
- Proofread content
- Research women’s topics
- Other activities as required
Design & Graphics
- Design layouts for web pages and social media channels
- Design promotional material including posters, flyers, etc.
- Help create and maintain a unique brand identity for our caucus
Events
- Organize online events including WebEx calls
- Develop “Event in a Box” toolkit
- Liaise with external groups to collaborate on events
- Plan offline events including marches
If interested, please connect with us via email at [email protected].
We invite you to join the Books Abroad international feminist reading group on Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m. EDT for a discussion about a historical piece of feminism, Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening.” First published in 1899, this novel presents the intellectual and sexual awakening of Edna Pontellier, an affluent, married white woman with two children.
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Thanks for reading,