Hi John,
The great Shirley Chisholm once said, "[L]aws will not eliminate prejudice from the hearts of human beings. But that is no reason to allow prejudice to continue to be enshrined in our laws — to perpetuate injustice through inaction."
Her words are on my mind as the second round of Democratic debates kicks-off tonight.
There is no shortage of crises for candidates to spotlight, but all candidates would do well to commit to prioritizing the needs and concerns of women of color — who are a political force and deserve to be heard.
There is no denying that both structural and explicit racism and discrimination are contributing to rampant income inequality and poorer health outcomes for women of color in the United States.
… Black and Native American mothers are dying from preventable pregnancy-related causes at an alarming, and RISING, rate.
… Women of color are being disproportionately harmed by the recent resurgence of abortion restrictions.
… And 55 years after the Equal Pay Act, women still face a punishing wage gap that is widest for Latinas, Black and Native American women.
Indeed, silence and inaction are not options.
The path forward requires leaders who are willing to speak out and dismantle systemic, discriminatory barriers, center people and families of color and prioritize the struggles they and their families confront every day.
That’s what’s on my mind and what I'll be listening for tonight — and I want to hear from leaders who share my belief that everyone deserves to be safe, healthy and free to pursue their dreams and provide for their families. Your support enables the National Partnership to fight for this future, John — and we are extremely grateful. Thank you!
As always, I hope you enjoy reading this month's updates. And I hope you will write back and share your thoughts and feedback. I’d love to hear from you!
Fighting Trump's discrimination in health care.
The Trump administration recently released a proposed rule that would gut the Health Care Rights Law, a section of the Affordable Care Act that prohibits discrimination in health care against women, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, and many others.
The National Partnership fought tirelessly for the Health Care Rights Law, which is helping end years of discriminatory practices against women. That’s why we’re mobilizing to collect 10,000 comments against rolling back these critical protections. Will you speak out and be counted?
Submitting a comment is one of the most impactful actions you can take right now because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is required to review every official public comment before it can issue a final rule.
To engage even more people in speaking out in this critical fight, the National Partnership is co-hosting a national week of action alongside the National Women's Law Center next week. Please join us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram August 5-9 to help raise awareness within your networks.
Winning paid leave for federal employees.
Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives included the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA) — providing 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave — as a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
This is a significant development because the federal government — with more than 2 million working people — does not currently provide any long-term paid family and medical leave.
Like millions of working people, federal employees must make impossible choices between their paychecks and caring for personal medical issues, family members or new children.
Winning paid leave for all working people is central to the work you’re funding here at the National Partnership.
Your support has allowed us to help shape FEPLA so it serves as a model for the type of comprehensive policy that all working people need. And we continue to convene a diverse and dynamic coalition of organizations that are working with the Armed Services Committees in both chambers to ensure this critical provision remains in the final NDAA. Stay tuned for updates!
Partner spotlight: Advancing transgender equality.
On July 20, Denali Berries Stuckey, a Black transgender woman, was killed in South Carolina. She is the 12th transgender victim of deadly violence this year. All 12 victims were Black.
The need for organizations like Casa Ruby — a transgender women of color run and led organization in Washington D.C. — is more important than ever before. Please learn more about Casa Ruby and support its lifesaving services.
The transgender community is also often targeted by the Trump administration. For example, the recent proposed rule to gut the Health Care Rights Law would make it harder for transgender people to access lifesaving care.
The National Center for Transgender Equality has been a powerful leader in the fight to save the Health Care Rights Law and is driving policy change to advance transgender equality. Please follow them on Twitter @TransEquality and visit their website here.
Thanks for reading. And thanks for all that you do!
My best,
— Debra
Debra Ness
President
National Partnership for Women & Families
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