Last October, our chapter's guest speaker was Rosita
Stevens-Holsey, niece of the Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, one of the pioneers in
founding the National Organization for Women. Rosita was recently presented
with the 2023 Woman of Vision Award by NOW for her contributions in keeping
her aunt Pauli's legacy in the forefront, and in doing so, also had an
impact on Pauli being chosen to appear on the 2024 quarter! Congratulations,
Rosita! We are very proud to be a part of this organization and its history.
We still have the video from the October 2022 meeting with Rosita
Stevens-Holsey on our
YouTube channel and you can watch it anytime
at this link. Rosita's book (image above),
written for youth, was published earlier this year on the life of Pauli
Murray and is sold everywhere these days: Pauli Murray: The Life of a
Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights Activist. Her website,
Preserving Pauli
Murray, is linked here.
To support keeping her aunt Pauli’s legacy, Rosita is a member of the
Pauli
Murray Center for History and Social Justice located in Durham, NC. Their
mission is to realize a world in which wholeness is a human right for all
and not the privilege of a few, the Pauli Murray Center actively works
toward fairness and justice across race, class, sexuality, gender, and
spiritual practice. The Center embraces the transformative power of
collecting and telling our stories to heal and promote human rights. To find
out more about the Pauli Murray Center go to
www.paulimurraycenter.com .
**********************************
If you missed August's meeting with Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO of the
ERA Coalition and Fund for Women's Equality, you can watch the video on our
YouTube Channel linked here. Thank
you to all who attended and for your questions, which enhanced the evening.
We learned so much about the Equal Rights Amendment, what it will do when
finally inscribed into the U.S. Constitution, and what actions we can take
now to ensure this is done! The best way is to sign the
ERA petition
linked here.
There are three other top actions Zakiya urged us to take:
Contact our local and state representatives to demand they support the
ERA!
Have discussions with others who may not agree with us to find common
ground. The ERA will help everyone in society, not just women.
Most important: VOTE for those who will represent us in government!
On the radio show, Women's Spaces, on KBBF 89.1 FM, host/co-producer Elaine
B. Holtz recently had the honor of interviewing Zakiya Thomas, and you can
listen to this informative and inspiring
recording
at the link here.
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Susan Chunco at Homeless Action in 2018 (Creative
Commons)
Congratulations to Susan Chunco
whose name has been placed on the Living
Peace Wall in Sebastopol, California. The Peace Wall, a monument of granite
panels topped by a bronze hippie peace symbol, honors and quotes prominent
nonviolence activists and social justice figures. Created by Michael
Gillotti, unveiled Oct. 2015 in downtown Sebastopol, no-nukes,
self-proclaimed "Peace Town USA." Four names are added each year.
Susan first became an activist protesting the war in Vietnam, and in recent
years has served on the board and as treasurer of the Peace and Justice
Center of Sonoma County, collating the Sonoma County Peace Press and tabling
at activists’ events for multiple organizations. One of the original
advocates for Camp Michela (Remembrance Village), she continues to act as
community liaison for the local homeless encampment.
**********************************
September will be a general meeting for all members. Please join us at our
next meeting to learn more about our chapter's doings. We are planning in
upcoming months to have a movie night (in person) and will have other events
as well. YOU can help us by expressing your views on what interests you and
keeps you active in NOW.
It is our hope that you will be inspired to join our local NOW chapter, if
you are not yet a member, or even to join the board. Become an active participant in this powerful organization. Our chapter's ID is CA0660 and you can select
it when you
sign up here. If you prefer to write a check, here is a form you can
clip and mail.
A shout out to the National Women’s History Alliance celebrating forty-three
years of bringing Women’s History to the world. A special thank you and
congratulations to Co-Founder and Executive Director Molly Murphy MacGregor.
An amazing accomplishment. Rumor has it that Molly will be stepping down as
Executive Director at the end of the year. (Just between us, that is yet to
be seen.) For more on the organization and its history,
click here
6 Jane Addams (1860–1935), suffragist, Nobel laureate, cofounder ACLU
13 Grandparents' Day
14 Margaret Sanger (1879–1966), activist, educator
22 Elsie Allen (1899–1990), Pomo leader
23 Fall Equinox
23
Victoria Woodhull (1838–1927), activist, feminist, first woman
candidate for U.S. President (1872) for the Equal Rights Party
23
Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954), suffragist outstanding speaker, first
president of National Association of Colored Women (1896), picketed in
Washington D.C. for woman suffrage and desegregation.
23
Elsie Hill (1899–1970), suffragist
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If you are not yet a NOW member or need to renew
your membership, please join our growing organization! Our chapter's ID is
CA0660 and you can select it when you
sign up here.
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Our proud Chapter
Above: Our Chapter celebrating the 50th Anniversary of NOW with the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, October 2016.
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August 26, 2020, the 19th Amendment Centennial and
Women's Equality Day was celebrated in Sebastopol with the Women's Suffrage
Banners.
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The 2020 Rose Parade featured the We Heart float
commemorating the Women's Suffrage Centennial and won the Theme Trophy.
See video clip below for the passage of the float and the Women Suffragist
marchers in front of KTLA cameras January 1, 2020.
NOW Sonoma
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