Hi John,

Can you believe it? We are near the end of our 100 Wins, 100 Days campaign. These first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration have been critical. Though we didn’t check off everything on our list—and some are still in progress—we have seen wins across each of our issue areas. Just like the process of propagation for plants, we’ll continue our work from this momentum and we won’t stop fighting for gender justice for all.

We, As Ourselves and Black Survivors Week of Action

April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month (SAAM) and We, As Ourselves, a narrative change campaign we launched with ‘me too.’ International and TIME’S UP Foundation, will host a week of action focused on Black survivors April 24–29. One of the most powerful ways to address sexual violence is to have authentic and nuanced conversations about it.

The virtual week of action will focus on creating safe spaces for Black survivors to share their stories, upend cultural narratives that harm and silence Black survivors, and build a new cultural framework that believes and supports Black survivors. Visit the We, As Ourselves website to learn more about how you can get involved with SAAM Black Survivors Week.

Must Do's:

• The Equality Act passed the House and has full support of President Biden. Our country has a real chance to protect LGBTQ people and expand civil rights for everyone, but first, it must pass in the Senate. NWLC joins GLAD and other advocacy groups in urging the Senate to pass the Equality Act. Take action now.
• We are at a pivotal moment in history with the pending confirmation of Kristen Clarke to lead the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. When it comes to championing civil rights and equal justice, Clarke has ALL the receipts. Now, she just needs confirmation from the Senate to undo the harms of the past four years and strengthen civil rights protections in this country. Tell the Senate to confirm Kristen Clarke now.
• The wage gap continues to rob women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in their lifetime and creates a barrier to overcome the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We need stronger equal pay laws to close this gap and end pay discrimination. Tell Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act now.

Must Reads:

• Theresa Lau, Senior Counsel of Judges, Reproductive Rights and Health, wrote about why and how we’re supporting Kristen Clarke’s historical confirmation to lead the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. Read the blog.
• We recently published Access to Abortion During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Recession. After one year, many are still facing ongoing restrictions, precluding access to abortion, says Anna Rodriguez, Legal Fellow for Reproductive Rights and Health. Read the blog.
• "Women saw real losses in retail and leisure and hospitality… These businesses that have shuttered are not coming back. Those are permanent losses," said Jasmine Tucker, Director of Research in US News and World Report. Read the full article about the impact of COVID-19 job losses on Black women.
• A recent Romper article about universal child care and women’s employment highlighted NWLC’s recent child care report and the January jobs report. Read the article.

Feminist Moment of Joy

My feminist moment of joy this month is Dionne Warwick. It’s so hard to come across light content these days, but this singer’s Twitter feed and critique of the digital culture always makes me laugh. If you haven’t followed Dionne “I am not writing a bio.” Warwick on Twitter, you should. Doomscrolling can always wait.

Y’all, I’m expecting a baby… Ficus! I successfully propagated my second plant—the first was my high maintenance basil—and I’m ready to plant my mini-Ficus. Propagation is the process of taking a clipping from a plant and growing roots to start a new plant. It’s also keeping me from buying more plants! The process of propagating also reminds of the progress we’ve made at NWLC in the past year. If 2020 was the parent plant and the wins (so far) from 2021 are the propagated clipping, with enough care, gender justice is possible for our country.

For justice (and joy) for her and all,
LySaundra Campbell
she/her/hers
Writer and Editor
National Women’s Law Center