PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
SEPTEMBER 2020

Last month, our nation celebrated the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. The 19th Amendment boldly proclaims that, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” The road to this amendment was long and difficult. The organized movement began in 1848 at the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York. While the faces of the many courageous women who fought for its passage were diverse, the new law did not benefit all women. Black women and other women of color had to wait another 45 years until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to be able to exercise their right to vote.

Today, only two months before the most important election of our time, our cherished right to vote is in danger. The global pandemic has created fear and anxiety about traditional “in-person” voting at the polls. Equally worrisome, the long-established and effective alternative of voting by mail is under siege, from denigration by the president (who nonetheless votes by mail), to politically motivated budget cuts, to ineffective leadership in the postal service.

In this month’s president’s message, I address the importance of ensuring that all voices be heard in the upcoming election. What better way to communicate this message than to speak to you directly by way of the video above. In my message, I refer to a letter writing campaign to “get out the vote.” Here is the address to get you started should you choose to join me in the “Vote Forward” campaign: m47politics@gmail.com.

Hope to see you soon at an upcoming program or virtual social gathering. In the meantime, be well, stay engaged and stay connected!

Susan