PRESS RELEASE: Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition Announces Events Focused on the Equal Rights Amendment
Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition Announces Events Focused on the Equal Rights Amendment
Co-President of the ERA Coalition, Jessica Neuwirth, Speaking February 18 and 19
APPLETON, Wis. (February 3, 2020) – The Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition announces two events in February focusing on the Equal Rights Amendment. Both events will feature guest speaker Jessica Neuwirth, co-president of the ERA Coalition.
Neuwirth—an international women’s rights lawyer, activist and author — is one of the founders of the ERA Coalition, which is mobilizing a renewed effort to get the Equal Rights Amendment into the United States Constitution. Her book Equal Means Equal, Why the Time for the ERA is Now has been turned into a documentary film by the same title. Neuwirth is also one of the founders of Equality Now, an international women’s rights organization.
The first event, hosted along with the Mid-Day Women’s Alliance, will be held on Tuesday, February 18th at 4:30 p.m. at Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – The Fox Club. During this free event, Neuwirth will discuss why the ERA is still needed, what impact it will have on women’s issues such as equal pay, and recent progress on ratification. Space is limited to 250 attendees. For more information or to register for this event, visit hervoicehervoteourvictory.com/events/the-equal-rights-amendment.
Then, on Wednesday, February 19 at 11:30 a.m. at Pullmans at Trolley Square the Mid-Day Women’s Alliance will feature a more intimate discussion with Neuwirth during its monthly luncheon meeting. Questions and comments from the audience will be encouraged during this moderated, informal “fireside chat” with Neuwirth. This event is open to the public. The cost is $15 for Mid-Day Women’s Alliance members and $20 for guests through February 13. The cost increases $5 for both members and guests after February 14 through February 18 online; walk-ins on February 19 are welcome and can pay by cash or check. For more information or to register for this event, visit hervoicehervoteourvictory.com/events/mid-day-womens-alliance-monthly-luncheon.
“With recent progress towards ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, these programs will be an exciting opportunity to learn more about what’s going on,” said Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition steering committee member and Mid-Day Women’s Alliance Legislative Committee co-chair, Irene Strohbeen.
These programs are part of the year-long series of nonpartisan events being sponsored by the Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition in celebration of the 100th anniversary of American women’s right to vote. Additional programs throughout 2020 will feature speakers addressing various women-focused topics, including African American Suffragists, the future of women’s rights and more.
Along with planned Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Celebration events, the Coalition has developed the following outreach opportunities for community groups and organizations, area schools and local businesses:
- A Speaker’s Bureau is available to speak to local groups of any size or age about the history of the women’s suffrage movement. Voting information will also be provided, if appropriate.
- A Traveling Exhibit, developed by the Wisconsin Historical Society, is available for limited display at locations throughout the Fox Valley, which tells the story of women’s suffrage and the history of suffrage in Wisconsin.
- Educational Toolkits with age-appropriate materials about the women’s suffrage movement and the importance of the right to vote for both the elementary and secondary students can be downloaded at hervoicehervoteourvictory.com/outreach/resources/.
For more information on these outreach opportunities, along with a complete calendar of events scheduled throughout 2020, visit hervoicehervoteourvictory.com or facebook.com/hervoicehervoteourvictory.
About the Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition
The Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition was founded in 2019 and is a collaborative effort of women from women-run associations, organizations and clubs. The group is aligned in the desire to celebrate, educate and advocate women’s rights, and represents the League of Women Voters of Appleton, Northeast Wisconsin Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region, American Association of University Women–Appleton and Mid-Day Women’s Alliance. In addition to the Coalition partner groups, the Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Celebration is sponsored by The Bright Idea Fund, Chuck and Barb Merry Fund and Silton Family–Fox Valley Community Fund, all within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, along with Dave and Shirley Strange. In-kind support has been provided by the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center; the History Museum at the Castle; Andee Vosters, Vision Navigator; and Coalesce Marketing & Design. Visit hervoicehervoteourvictory.com or facebook.com/hervoicehervoteourvictory for more information.
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