Dear John,

Today is International Women’s Day! We all know a remarkable woman who has lifted us up, shaped us, and pushed us to do better. For me, that woman is my mother, Aundrea.

My mom came from a long line of fierce women who pushed boundaries and shattered society’s expectations of Black women of their time. My great-grandmother was a sharecropper, who eventually became a property owner in Low County, South Carolina. My grandmother was part of the Great Migration from South Carolina to New York City, searching for freedom from violent racism and better economic opportunity with my grandfather and three children in tow. Once the family settled in Brooklyn, two more children completed their unit, with my mom being the youngest. Growing up in a tight-knit neighborhood, my mom learned the importance of kindness, community, and education—values that she instilled in me. She did not allow setbacks or disappointments to determine her future, even completing her college degree while pregnant with me. We graduated when I was four months old! Today, I’m celebrating my mom, Aundrea.

Join me in celebrating International Women’s Day by making a contribution on behalf of a remarkable woman in your life. Help us get to our goal of raising $2,024 in honor of this year's International Women's Day and your gift will help fuel the fight for equality for future generations of amazing women, girls, and gender justice advocates. (We’ll even send her a card notifying her of your gift in her honor!) 

My mom’s resilience despite the many curveballs that her career and motherhood journey have thrown her continues to be a source of daily inspiration to me, especially now that I have my own two girls. Her constant sacrifices for her family, often at the expense of her own health and wellness needs, are constant reminders of why our work at the Law Center is so critically important. I am so grateful to my mother for empowering me to be the woman that I am today, so that I can make road smoother for women who come after me.

John, take a moment to say “thank you” to the women and girls in your life today by making a gift in their honor and help us reach our $2,024 goal and help us continue fighting for gender justice.

Happy International Women's Day!

Kiara Pesante Haughton
she/her/ella
Vice President of Campaigns and Communications
National Women's Law Center