Letter from the Editor
This February, the Global Women’s Caucus celebrates Black History Month, by sharing and listening to the personal stories embodied in Black culture and experience. Our sister caucus, the Global Black Caucus has put together an exciting collection of events to commemorate this important month, and we encourage you to join the conversation as we remember, learn about, and celebrate Black History.
In this February issue, Black History Month is celebrated with passages by notable writer Joy Notoma, Action Team Leader for our Books Abroad Book Club. Joy delves into the story of this February’s featured book, “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments,” by Saidiya Hartman. This issue also provides reports on reproductive justice, the Violence Against Women Act, and Biden’s new inclusive cabinet, as well as policy information and the current status of COVID relief and vaccination. We are also highlighting the ERA’s call-to-action, as well as numerous events for Black History Month and our upcoming Women’s History Month.
We hope you enjoy this edition!
Stayce Camparo, Communications Co-Chair Global Women’s Caucus
GWC EVENTS
An Untold History of Wayward Black Women
By Joy Notoma
Mattie Nelson. Esther Brown. May Enoch.
You won’t find these names on any list of notable African Americans. Yet, they are some of the women whose lives scholar Saidiya Hartman excavates in “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments,” The Global Women’s Caucus Books Abroad book choice for Black History Month. (Read More)
Books Abroad Reads: Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments
Sunday February 21, 2021 @ 2pm CET - 4pm CET
Join us on Sunday Feb 21st at 2pm CET for an engaging discussion of Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments by Saidiya Hartman.
A unique, genre-bending book, Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments explores the revolution of Black intimate life in Philadelphia and New York at the beginning of the twentieth century by examining the untold history of women who led “wayward” lives and rejected conventionality in response to being denied access to the American Dream.
Highlighted GBC Black History Month Events:
For a full list of events, visit the GBC’s Event Page
21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge
This event is for people who have started the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge and want to talk about what they have read, watched, and listened to over the past three weeks.
Saturday, February 20th @ 2:00pm CET & Sunday, February 28th, @ 3pm CET. RSVP here.
Webinar with Andrea Young, Executive Director of ACLU of GA
Join Democrats Abroad Global Black Caucus for a Conversation with Andrea Young, Executive Director of the ACLU of GA. Andrea will share her wealth of knowledge and expertise around the 2020 election and what we can learn from it as we move forward into the Biden Era. We will discuss with Andrea her thoughts on voter suppression, the role of the Black vote, and what we can all do to help democracy continue to prevail in the current climate.
Friday, February 26th @ 3:00pm CET. RSVP here.
Don’t Miss These Events in March
Women’s History Month Speaker Series:
Causes and Consequences of Women’s Suffrage
with Dr. Lori Ginzberg
March, 2nd @ 1pm EST/7pm CET. RSVP here.
Making History
with Kathy Spillar
March, 8th @ 1pm EST/7pm CET. RSVP here.
Get Ready for Women’s History Month!
The Global Women’s Caucus has curated its own Women’s History Month Living Library, full of resources and tools for you to share with your organization, group, and caucus. Make sure to check out our Event-in-a-Box to find out how much you know about women’s history. We’ve also provided a social media toolkit for your posting needs. Grab a fact, feature, or message from our library and use it alongside one of our graphics. We will be updating the library regularly, so check back often.
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
ERA Call to Action
There is a lot of new activity on the Equal Rights Amendment now that it’s a new year and we have control of the Senate. YOU CAN HELP.
Call to Action 1 - Please send a postcard to both of your Senators asking them to co-sponsor ERA bill SJRes 1. This resolution would remove the deadline from the ERA passed by them in 1972 so that it can finally be added to the U.S. Constitution.
Call to Action 2 – Please call both of your Senators asking them to co-sponsor ERA bill SJRes 1.
Call to Action 3 – We are trying to get Opt/Ed pieces about the ERA in as many U.S. newspapers as possible – at least one in every state.
You can find instructions including sample text by going to https://www.democratsabroad.org/era and clicking on any of the Call to Action icons. Our goal is to complete this by International Women’s Day on March 8.
Please share this information with your members and friends.
Thank you for helping make 2021 the year women are added to the U.S. Constitution – a long 245 years after men.
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Reproductive Justice: Update and News
The 2021 Reproductive Justice Team met for the first time in 2021 on February 8th.
The Women’s History Living Library will host information on pro-choice state and federal legislation, and upcoming bills in state legislatures, which will help educate everyone on the sad state of pro-choice laws.
We are also planning a letter-writing storm to contest a bill which has been introduced in the South Carolina legislature that could severely restrict pro-choice access. STAY TUNED!
Other works in progress will entail creating an offensive strategy with pro-choice partners to legislate a federal pro-choice law which would solidify our rights and protect what we gained in Roe vs. Wade.
Join our team by writing to Salli Swartz at [email protected].
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Good News for Reproductive Justice
by Salli Swartz
Last week, President Biden lifted the “Gag Rule” which prevented US aid to NGOs worldwide if they advocated for, recommended, mentioned, or even hinted at abortion.
As you may surmise, this is very important and will help, not only our sisters all over the world, but women at home as well. (Read More)
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Abortion Rights Update: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but a little Good
Laws regulating abortion have changed recently in several countries. (Read More)
By Kathryn Tullos
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Ending Violence Against Women: Update and News
Congress needs to act quickly in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. Continued inequalities that expose pay gaps among men and women are becoming even starker due to COVID-19. Furthermore, survivors of violence need policies like these to help improve their financial security. Speaking on the anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, that addressed wage discrimination, Deborah, J. Vagins, President and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, stated, “The ongoing crisis of COVID-19, and the nation’s economic fallout, have further exposed the already-existing inequities in our nation for women workers, particularly women of color, many of whom face pay inequality, job loss, lack of access to paid leave, low-wage work, and substantial risk to their own lives on the front lines. We need Congress to move swiftly to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and other critical employment protections.”
Stay tuned as the GWC Ending Violence Against Women team addresses this important issue with a call-to-action!
Join our GWC Ending Violence Against Women team. Contact Marnie Delaney at [email protected].
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State of the VAWA
By Kathryn Tullos
Congress probably will consider reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) during the current session. (Read More)
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Spotlighting Three Black Women in Biden’s New Administration
By Jamie McAfee
Since the Inauguration, the newly minted administration has tackled various crises that directly impact communities of color, but President Biden is going beyond policy. He seems to be living up to his campaign promises by staffing his cabinet to look like America. (Read More)
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Candidate Information Team: CIAT and The Economic Wellbeing of Women
By Kaitlynn Newcomb, Editor of Candidate Information
An emergent theme within the Global Women’s Caucus is that of the economic wellbeing of women. As COVID-19 highlights gender-based inequalities, it becomes clear that representation for the interests of women in government is crucial to advance and secure the economic wellbeing of women through responsive legislation.
Read more about how women are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and importance of electing women to public office.
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Vaccination Hesitancy Remains for Certain Populations
By Stayce Camparo
The efficacy of any vaccine to provide widespread protection lies within the population’s willingness to get it, and if certain groups are hesitant, then everyone is at risk. (Read More)
Here are some resources about vaccination, and the different vaccines offered.
- #sleeveup to fight covid-19
- Did you get your COVID-19 vaccine?
- Additional information for those still hesitant.
In Closing
2021 has just begun, and the Global Women’s Caucus has already held a successful volunteer recruiting event, led multiple call-to-action initiatives, and assembled noted speakers for two large events in March. We continue the hard work to influence policy, and inform our members and all Americans living abroad of the many issues pertaining to women all over the world. Please share this newsletter with your friends, family, and colleagues, and help us spread the message of action for women! Stay safe, stay healthy, mask-up, and sleeve-up to help us fight this pandemic.
Thank you for reading our GWC Newsletter, and as always, stay tuned to our Facebook page for the latest updates, and visit us on our website.
In solidarity,
Global Women’s Caucus