From the desk of Debra Ness

Dear John,

Today, we celebrated the life and heroic advocacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and reflected on how his legacy continues to inspire and guide our actions today.

Admittedly, it's easy to do so today ... five decades later.

That's why Bernice King aptly reminds us to never forget that her dad is "not here to hear 'Happy Birthday'" because he was assassinated. Because our nation resisted his prophetic vision. Because he made "power uneasy & privilege unhinged." She recently shared a video clip of one of his
speeches:

"All we say to America is to be true to what you said on paper. ... Somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press.
Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights."

In the final months of his life, Dr. King launched the Poor People's Campaign - an idea suggested by Marion Wright Edelman, a trailblazing civil rights activist and founder of the Children's Defense Fund. He described the new initiative:
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"Let's find something that is so possible, so achievable, so pure, so simple that even the backlash can't do much to deny it. And yet something so non-token and so basic to life that [opponents] can't disagree with it that much."

At the National Partnership, we humbly strive to continue the tradition of exercising "the right to protest for rights." And we hope that our mission of achieving equality for all women is one of those somethings -- so possible, so pure, so simple -- that it cannot and must not be denied any longer.

This belief motivates us to come to the office in the morning and sustains our work every day.
To advance economic justice.
To defend our reproductive rights.
To protect women's health.
To be better and do better.

I encourage you to take some time to reflect on those who came before us and to contemplate one of Dr. King's famous quotes:

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

Thanks for all that you do and for being on this journey with us.

-- Debra

P.S. Speaking of the Poor People's Campaign, learn more about the Moral March on Washington on June 20, 2020 below -- as well as a few short updates on the work that you are helping to sustain here at the National Partnership.
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One Step Closer: Equal Rights Amendment

Thanks to a bold, diverse campaign in Virginia, the Equal Rights Amendment has now been officially ratified in 38 states, meeting the three-fourths threshold needed to add it to the U.S. Constitution!
However, the fight is only just beginning. Powered by your generous support of the National Partnership, we are ready to join this historic fight. Stay tuned for more updates in the near future.

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Partner Spotlight: Roe in Real Life

The 47th anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade is next week, and we're thrilled once again to support our #BoldAF partner ALL Above All. The focus this year is examining what
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Roe and abortion access look like in real life for communities across the country and our inclusive vision for the future. John, you know how hard we're fighting to protect women's access to abortion, and we simply couldn't do it without your loyal support. Be on the lookout for another update next week and, in the meantime, be sure to follow @AllAboveAll.
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Our Strength Is in Our Unity

We recently published our annual report, Our Strength Is in Our Unity, and it's now available as an interactive PDF on our website.
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I invite you to read up on our work to advance the measures women and families need, like racial equity, economic justice and more. And then smile about the overwhelming impact of your support -- you are helping make all this possible, John!





Thank you for reading these highlights and for being with us every step of the way, John.

We couldn't do any of this work without your support. I look forward to making even more progress together in 2020 and beyond!

Debra Ness
President


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National Partnership for Women & Families
1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 650
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 986-2600
Fax: (202) 986-2539
Email: [email protected]
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