UNFINISHED BUSINESS MAY 27, 2021 WOMEN’S ADVISORY BOARD

SUBJECT: WEST HOLLYWOOD WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY 2020/19th AMENDMENT CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATION

PREPARED BY: Larissa Fooks, Staff Liaison ______

STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT:

The Women’s Advisory Board will receive a report from the subcommittee to review and discuss ideas and recommendations for the City’s annual commemoration of Women’s Equality Day during the month of August 2021.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Receive the report from the Subcommittee. 2. Review Subcommittee Recommendations 3. Consider various potential actions.

BACKGROUND ANALYSIS:

August 26, 2021 will mark the 101 anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing women’s right to vote. The battle for women’s suffrage, which began at the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848, lasted 72 years and involved thousands of women over several generations. The suffragists defied social convention, faced disapproval from their families and communities and confronted powerful opposition, even enduring arrest, incarceration, beatings, and brutal forced feeding, to win women’s right to vote in 1920.

Women’s Equality Day is the opportunity to honor the unrelenting tenacity and spirit of those who worked to secure women’s right to vote, and also to illustrate how much can be achieved in a democratic society by the collective efforts of citizens committed to political reform. It is also a time to review the challenges women still face in achieving full equality in the United States. Since 2008, City of West Hollywood has annually commemorated Women’s Equality Day in a variety of ways and has been one of the few regional organizations that consistently recognize this benchmark towards women’s equality.

Over the past 14 years the Board has incorporated the annual commemoration of Women’s Equality Day into its workplan. The Board discusses the focus and purpose of the commemoration each year in relation to current events and advocacy priorities. Typically, the commemoration also involves collaborating and enlisting the support of local women’s rights organizations.

ITEM 9.C.

For the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment there were nationwide plans to commemorate this historic occasion and currently the WAB has delegates on the LA County Women & Girls Initiative 100 year Anniversary Celebration of 19th Amendment Committee. The County officially rolled out the efforts in August 2019, which includes a platform to share activities. In December 2019, the City Council directed staff to coordinate monthly presentations at city council meetings to commemorate the 19th amendment beginning January 2020. The Women’s Advisory Board was invited to participate and made the first presentation on January 21, 2020. The Board also coordinated the presentation for the months of March and August 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many activities around the country were cancelled, postponed or became virtual celebrations held during August 2020, and kicking off the centennial year. It is anticipated that 2021, will wrap up the commemoration of the centennial.

PAST WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY EVENTS:

2008 State of the Equal Rights Amendment- A Community Townhall Forum featuring Special guest speaker: ERA expert Zoe Ann Nicholson. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157606979640160

2009 “/Paycheck Fairness Act: What does it do for you?” Special Guest Speaker: Terry O’Neil, President of the National Organization for Women.

2010 We’ve Come A Long Way Maybe- panel discussion and reception. Guest speakers Chirlin, (Retired) County Superior Court; Avis Ridley- Thomas, Program Director, Dispute Resolution Program, LA City Attorney’s Office; Robin Sax, NBC News Legal Analyst and Author; and Holly J. Mitchell, CEO, Crystal Stairs, Inc. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157624760409456 https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157624813522940

2011 The Progression of Women in the Art World- Co-sponsored with the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission featured guest speakers, three young local female artists were showcased, a lobby display and a reception. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157627422313407

2012 Understanding Our Power: A Roundtable Discussion about Women and Equality,” a power breakfast-style event Guest Speakers: Dianne Callister, President of the Singer Foundation and Chair of the Women’s Studies Council in the School of Religion at Claremont Graduate University. Guests Madeline Di Nonno, Executive Director of The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and See Jane; Judi Miller

Levy, LCSW, SEP, Clinical Program Coordinator for the National Council of Jewish Women/LA’s Women Helping Women ~ Community Counseling & Support Services; and employment and labor attorney Angela J. Reddock, Esq., Founder and Managing Partner, The Reddock Law Group. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157631273055236

2013 Collaboration with the United Postal Service Honoring Helen Reddy and her iconic song “I am woman”. Special Guest speaker- Helen Reddy. Unveiling of postal stamp. Video shorts, reception, postal stamp sales, voter registration info. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157635264100090\

2014 Event featured guest speakers Keltie Knight television correspondent and weekend host of CBS’s The Insider and Elizabeth Ralston, the president of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles. a theatrical performance from She’s History by Cultural Herstorian Amy Simon, video shorts, a photo wall, voter information, and raffle prizes from local businesses with proceeds to benefit the West Hollywood Youth Scholarship Fund. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157646968193755

2015 Keynote speaker: Gloria Allred, civil rights attorney and women’s rights advocate. Focus on pay equity. Photo wall, reception and video shorts. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157657479783758

2016 Program featured local premiere of Inez Milholland ~ Forward into Light by filmmaker Martha Wheelock. Panel discussion, performance, a silent auction of suffrage movement memorabilia, a voter registration pop-up and a reception. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157669951495024

2017 Screening of the documentary film Equal Means Equal, that featured panel discussion featuring the filmmaker Kamala Lopez, Ivana Massetti, Occupy Hollywood and Sara Moshman, filmmaker moderated by Carla Romo, Women’s Advisory Board Member. The City Council also took formal action in support of the Equal Means Equal Campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. A briefing was also hosted by the City with Equal Means Equal and noted speakers. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157685380543294

2018 Screening of Seeing Allred. Guest speakers included the filmmaker Sophie Sartain and Gloria Allred. Panel discussion featuring Caroline Heldman, #ERANow Director; Rashad Beal, Schools over Violence Program Manager, Peace Over Violence; Juana Rosa Cavero, Director, California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom; Amanda Goad, Audrey Irmas Director of the LGBTQ, Gender & Reproductive Justice Project, and ACLU Southern California Jennifer C. Pizer, Law and Policy Director, Lambda Legal. Screening of I Remember Nicole PSA. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157672793031918

2019 Featured a screening of The Great American Lie, a documentary film from director Jennifer Siebel Newsom about the social and economic immobility and inequity in the U.S. and the role of gendered values on American society. Guest speakers:Caroline Heldman, Executive Director, The Representation Project; Emiliana Guereca, Executive Director, Women’s March Los Angeles Foundation; Alice S. Petrossian, Commissioner, Los Angeles County Commission for Women; Rachel Resnick, Chief Program Officer, National Council of Jewish Women/Los Angeles; and Renee Delos Santos and Denea Joseph, Ambassadors for Los Angeles, California, The United State Women. https://www.flickr.com/photos/weho/albums/72157710560467548

2020 Commemorated in two ways: The Closing Keynote at the City of West Hollywood Women’s Leadership Conference with a panel discussion: “Women’s Equality Day Leading Forward” moderated by NBC4 Today in LA meteorologist Belen De Leon and features Marquita Thomas, Executive Director, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; Phu Styles, Founder and Financial Inclusion Advocate, Women in Blockchain Foundation and LaKenya Jordan, Executive Director, California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Also, with the “19th Amendment Centennial Celebration” panel discussion about voter suppression moderated by LA Times columnist Sandy Banks with guest speakers: Camille Acevedo, Civic Youth Leader; Kat Calvin, Founder, Spread the Vote; Dr. Treva Lindsey, Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Ohio State University; Bamby Salcedo, President, TransLatin@ Coalition and Jacquie Canfield, First Vice President, California League of Women Voters.

WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY 2021 SUBCOMMITTEE:

Chair Jenner Deal, Vice Chair Angela de Silva and Board Member Dani Nisim The Subcommittee met on May 20, 2021. Discussion focused on how to create an outside activity that is not an actual event but engages the community about Women’s Equality Day. (NOTE: The City is not holding in person meetings or events at this time. It is unknown at this time when City in-person events will officially resume) The potential of utilizing the City’s OUT on Robertson was considered, specifically to “theme” or “sponsor” the OUT zone under Women’s Equality Day. Elements could include, City pop-up with giveaways & Info, Step & Repeat/Selfie Wall with hashtags and QR codes, pay equity awareness action by the WAB, online engagement (live streaming, IG, Women’s Equality Day filter, online trivia game), wearing suffrage colors and sharing photos, and promos offered by various businesses.

SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Coordinate a presentation for the August 16, 2021 City Council meeting commemorating Women’s Equliaty Day and the Centennial of the 19th Amendment. 2. Recommend that the City host a “Women’s Equality Day Activation” in the OUT on Robertson zone on Saturday, August 28, 2021. Time TBC. The activation would feature a “pop-up” hosted by the WAB featuring promotional signage, step & repeat, giveaways (sashes, buttons, stickers). West Hollywood businesses would be invited to join the celebration and participate in some way. Some virtual/online engagement to be incorporated.

Event Date and Programming Confirmed June 24, 2021 Run of show and Board participation Confirmed July 19, 2021 City Council Formal Approval July 19, 2021 Promotional materials completed July 31, 2021 Women’s Advisory Board Meeting August 26, 2021 Event/Activity Specific Day August TBD