Dear John,

At Equality Now, we believe that working together can change the world. Earlier this week, we celebrated Equality Now’s progress at our 30th Anniversary Gala in New York City. 

At our first in-person gala since 2019, we reflected on our 30-year history of helping to make the world a better place for women and girls, and our global community came together to raise more than $1,200,000 to continue the fight.

As we looked back on three decades of impact, we also recognized 30 women and changemakers who have helped shape our mission, values, and work—and who inspire us each and every day. Fortunately, several of those women and changemakers were able to join us at the gala—including our keynote speaker, internationally bestselling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

We were also privileged to honor the brave women and girls of Iran with the 5th annual Changemaker Award, presented by Gucci and CHIME FOR CHANGE, and enjoyed powerful remarks and performances by Meryl Streep, Jodie Turner-Smith, the Resistance Revival Chorus, Sage Sovereign, Sarah Cooper, and many others. 

Last but not least, our 30th Anniversary celebration also provided an opportunity to welcome Equality Now’s incoming Global Executive Director, S. Mona Sinha, and to recognize Yasmeen Hassan for more than a decade of visionary leadership and tireless service to our mission.

In short, it was a night we will never forget. We have so many people to thank for the role they’ve played in helping us make equality a reality over the past 30 years—including supporters just like you.

As we look to the road ahead with renewed energy and purpose, we can assure you that Equality Now will remain at the forefront of the women’s equality movement, tackling the challenges that lie ahead and calling out inequality whenever and wherever we see it. 

As Chimamanda said during her remarks:

"I dream of a world where women are no longer familiar with putting aside their own dreams and aspirations–where they are no longer familiar with their bodies being seen as not belonging to them, but to their husband, or their community, or their religion, or the legal system. I dream of a world where women are no longer familiar with feeling guilty for wanting what they want for themselves. I think that we can create a world that is fairer and more just for everyone, but we must keep saying ‘no’.” 

In solidarity, 

Yasmeen Hassan, Global Executive Director and Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director Elect
 

PS: More than 800,000 people have seen the video we launched at the event highlighting the activism in Iran. Thank you for helping us focus global attention on this critical issue. There is still time to share it if you haven’t done so already.