A Personal Message from Eleanor Smeal, President |
Today, Donald Trump becomes President of the United States, while we also honor Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday. That’s the headline. But it’s not the story. The story is what we’ve done to get here, and what we’ll do now that we’re here. Fear hangs in the air, sure. But fear isn’t new to us. Neither is doubt. Neither is a fight. And that’s what this is—a fight we’re ready for.
It’s tempting to feel overwhelmed. But I urge you to remember: the night is always darkest before dawn. Despair is a cunning thief, whispering that our efforts are futile. But history is a testament to the opposite—our resistance, our persistence, and our hope have always been the catalysts for change. And so, I write to you today not to mourn, but to ignite.
Over my 55 years of activism with NOW, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and Ms, I have witnessed moments that seemed insurmountable. Yet here we are, stronger, louder, and more determined than ever.
Consider the victories we have etched into history. Title VII fights sex discrimination in employment, Title IX has transformed the landscape of federally funded education and athletics programs, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 stopped women from being denied credit. We’ve fought discrimination in healthcare. We’ve passed the Freedom of Access to Clinics Act, the Violence Against Women Act, state Equal Rights Amendments, and the list goes on. The ranks of women in legislatures and Congress grow steadily, proof that representation is not just a dream but a demand met through relentless effort.
But progress is not a straight path. It zigs and zags, stumbles and rises. If there is one lesson history teaches us, it is this: small voices, united in purpose, can topple the mightiest structures. Ordinary people with extraordinary hope have proven time and again that change is possible, even against overwhelming odds.
Let’s not forget the words of Ursula Le Guin, who reminded us that “any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings.” This is our charge. This is our moment. And from this moment forward, let us march together, resolute and unwavering. |
Change and progress take time. It took 72 years for women to win the right to vote. Some of our most courageous leaders, like Alice Paul and Martin Luther King, Jr., died before the battles they fought were fully won. Their lives remind us that persistence and endurance are the cornerstones of victory. We must carry their legacy forward, knowing that while the journey may be long, every step brings us closer to justice. |
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As we face the road ahead, let us move with purpose, clarity, and a fierce commitment to equality and justice. Here are the battles we will fight and the victories we will claim:
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- Placing the ERA in Constitution - Both States and National
We will continue our unrelenting fight to place the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. But we will not stop there. We will work to enshrine it in as many state constitutions as possible and encourage vigorous enforcement under existing state ERAs. We have seen how state ERAs serve as a powerful antidote to the venomous rhetoric and actions of right-wing extremists. Where they seek to strip women of their rights, we will fortify our defenses with the immutable strength of constitutional law.
- Defending Abortion Providers
For over three decades, our National Clinic Access Project has stood as a shield for abortion providers, their clinics, their staff, and their patients. In this new era, our efforts will intensify. Every clinic under siege, every patient harassed, every doctor threatened—our team of activists and lawyers will be there, standing shoulder to shoulder, ensuring that access to reproductive healthcare remains a reality. We will work with State Attorneys General to hold extremists criminally accountable for acts of violence against women and efforts to block access to clinics. Violence and intimidation have no place in a just and equal society. This is not merely about justice; it is about ensuring that the arc of history bends towards equality, not regression.
- Safeguarding Essential Drugs
Access to essential medicines like Mifepristone, the abortion pill, is non-negotiable. It was the Feminist Majority Foundation that brought this medication to the United States, and helped secure FDA approval. Now, as extremists attempt to ban or restrict it along with birth control, we must rise again. Our organizers and legal teams will prepare for every challenge, every courtroom, every legislative session. We will not yield. -
Building Power on College Campuses
The future of this movement rests with the next generation. That is why we will expand our organizing on key college campuses, particularly in critical Congressional Districts. We will nurture a new wave of activists, armed with the truth, fortified by history, and emboldened by hope. The reactionaries and haters who cling to outdated ideologies may think their time is infinite, but they are wrong. Their clock is ticking.
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Hope is not a passive state; it is an act of rebellion. It is the audacious belief that tomorrow can and will be better. Armed with hope, we are unstoppable. The battles ahead will test us, but they will not break us. Together, we will rise. Together, we will resist. Together, we will prevail.
The future is not written; it is waiting for us to pen its chapters. Together we can write a story of courage, resilience, and triumph. Let’s show the world that the fight for equality is not a fleeting moment but an eternal mission.
With unshakable determination for equality, |
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Feminist Majority Foundation
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