Dear John,
It’s official: the National Women’s Law Center is 50 years old.
Five decades. 18,262 Days. Half a century. However you measure that time, I measure it in impact. And that impact has been immeasurable. Because day after day, we have been fighting to make history—demanding a better future that many could not, or dared not, imagine.
The future we dared to imagine was one where all women and girls can work and learn and live with safety, dignity, and equity. We dared to fight for that future on our campuses, inside our workplaces, and throughout our culture—creating laws and policies that didn’t exist and building systems that hadn’t been thought of yet. When no one else would, we dared to bet on ourselves. And now those bets mark the pages of history, paying off into wins for women and girls today.
Last weekend, we had the joyful opportunity to celebrate those wins alongside Secretary Becerra, Second Gentleman Emhoff, and other close friends at our 50th anniversary gala. Together, we took stock of what we’ve accomplished this past year—from mobilizing to restore abortion access to championing the confirmation of the first Black woman on the Supreme Court: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
But I also know that with progress comes with pushback—especially from those with the most power. In fact, we are living this reality with the chaos and harm created by the Dobbs decision and by other extremist attacks on our rights.
But at the National Women’s Law Center, we have been igniting change for 50 years. We were built for this moment. And so were you.
I don’t normally make such an explicit ask. But at this moment, I’m going to do just that: We need your continued support.
With your help, we can move beyond curbing the immediate harm. Because the next half century cannot only be about counter moves. Just as we did five decades ago, we must dare to imagine that something better is possible. So long as we continue fighting for it—every day and for the next 18,262 days—together.
In solidarity and with gratitude,
Fatima Goss Graves
she/her/hers
President & CEO
National Women's Law Center
