equality, diversity and justice: a word for women's equality day 2014

Reflecting back when Easy Bake Ovens, My Little Pony and Barbie were what girls were made of
Occupations like nurses, maids and secretaries were the only alternatives for being housewives and mothers and then feminism gave birth to votes and working women with 9 to 5 jobs just like the boys in blue collar suits…

Women’s Equality Day is not about “being a woman” it’s about equality, diversity and [social] justice. 8 years, 4 months and 3 days before I was born, congress member Bella Abzug dubbed the date Women’s Equality Day to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. constitution granting women the right to vote. That was on August 26th 1971. It has been 43 years of celebrating equality and today in 2014 we continue to appreciate and cultivate progress for this struggle for women’s rights dating back to 1848.

Today as we’re gathered here in San Francisco basking in unity and peace, look around and witness our equality. The white and black, red and brown, yellow, tan and orange. A melting pot of homemade multicultural-ness and diversity. Today, we share this anniversary with our sisters and brothers in spirit. Regardless of age, sexual orientation, gender identification, wealth, health, education, political affiliation or choice of occupation, today at this very moment, we are simply equal.

As humans but specifically as women, we deserve to be seen and heard for our contributions to society, our global community. I speak now of our sister Marissa Alexander in Florida. Where is her equality? Where is her justice? Marissa is a working mother who fired a warning shot at the ceiling to protect herself from being brutally attacked by her ex domestic partner. As a result Marissa was jailed and is facing a 60 year prison sentence per Florida State law. The Stand Your Ground Law did not work in her favor as it did George Zimmerman who shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin.

I’m outraged by this and I don’t even know Marissa personally however her case and the specific details of her charges just serves as a reminder that this struggle for equality especially within our judicial system is far from over…for any of us. If you are not familiar with the Marissa Alexander’s case, I urge you to look it up, logon to defendwomensrights.org and join the fight for justice. Thank you!



“Equality, Diversity & Justice: A Word for Women’s Equality Day” written
by Kesha Johnson-Clark © 2014
Kesha is a W.O.R.D organizer with the San Francisco, California chapter