The ERA Coalition launches, "The Legacy We Deserve: ERA Now - Call on Biden to Put the Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution"
November 14, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2024
Contact: eparker@eracoalition.org
New York, NY – On Thursday April 25, 2024 Shaina Taub, creator and star of the new groundbreaking musical, Suffs along with the rest of the cast, will shine a spotlight on the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the efforts led by more than 120 creatives across the United States, to demand that President Biden and Congress do everything in their power to ensure the publication of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
“The suffs first drafted the Equal Rights Amendment over a century ago, and it is unconscionable that we’ve still yet to codify it as the law of the land,” said Shaina Taub. “Women and especially women of color in this country are denied full rights of citizenship and autonomy over their own bodies. We have an opportunity to not only publish this amendment federally, but to pass an ERA here in New York State this fall as a ballot measure. In our show, we sing ‘The future demands that we fight for it now’ and I’m so proud to welcome these iconic ERA activists to share our stage to do just that on April 25th.”
This event coincides with the campaign, Creatives for the ERA organized by actor and activist Alyssa Milano. The public letter, which also includes an impressive list of celebrities such as Rosario Dawson, Lisa Ann Walter, Pedro Pascal and Mark Ruffalo, puts government officials on notice to publish the 28th Amendment before the Presidential election.
“The Equal Rights Amendment is supported by 85 percent of Americans at a moment when division and polarization are at an all-time high,” said Alyssa Milano, ERA Coalition board member. “It must now be recognized for what it is: the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. Our daughters deserve it. Our sons need to know it’s true. And if we’re to continue to be considered a nation with any moral authority, it has to happen now.”
As part of the ERA Advocacy night, the ERA Coalition in collaboration with Suffs will host an intimate VIP reception with Gloria Steinem at the renowned women-owned restaurant, Butter with Chef Alex Guarnaschelli. Steinem will join a panel discussion with Huma Abedin, Heidi Schreck, and Thursday William moderated by Emmy winning former television journalist, former President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and Co-host of the Invisible Americans, Carol Jenkins at The Music Box Theatre following the Broadway production that evening.
The ERA was ratified in 2020, yet its publication in the U.S. Constitution remains pending, awaiting action from the U.S. Archivist. Once published, the ERA will provide crucial legal protections in critical areas such as pay equity, employment, reproductive health, gender-based violence, financial services, housing and more.
“The time for action is now. Creatives and advocates nationwide are standing together, demanding that the voices of millions be heard.” Said Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO of the ERA Coalition. “Join us in this historic push for equality and justice.”
We are committed to not letting one more year pass for the publication of the Equal Rights Amendment.
To participate in the ERA Advocacy Night at Suffs on Broadway on April 25th in New York City go to: bit.ly/SuffsERANight to purchase tickets. To join the intimate VIP reception with Gloria Steinem and other special guests go to: bit.ly/vipsuffs.
To learn more about SUFFS go to: suffsmusical.com
###
About the ERA Coalition: The ERA Coalition is a movement of movements, composed of over 300 partner organizations across the country, representing 80 million people. From gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice to LGBTQ+ rights, we bring together interconnected, intergenerational, and intersectional organizations under one banner: to advance sex equality. This is what unites us all.
About Suffs: From the singular mind of Shaina Taub, Suffs boldly explores the victories and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over. It’s 1913 and the women’s movement is heating up in America, anchored by the suffragists — “Suffs,” as they call themselves — and their relentless pursuit of the right to vote. Reaching across and against generational, racial, and class divides, these brilliant, flawed women entertain and inspire us with the story of their hard-won victory in an ongoing fight. So much has changed since the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment over a century ago, and yet we’re reminded sometimes we need to look back, in order to march fearlessly into the future.