Today, we are three states shy of making the ERA part of the Constitution. In a 2016 poll for the national ERA Coalition, an astonishing 94 percent said they would support an amendment guaranteeing equal rights for men and women. But guess what? Ironically, 80 percent of those polled believed we already have it! We don’t. So a huge task is on our plate.
The ERA-NC Alliance, organized early this year, now has nine lead organizations:
- RATIFY ERA-NC
- NC4ERA
- NC National Organization for Women
- NC Business and Professional Women
- American Association of University Women of NC
- League of Women Voters of NC
- Women’s Forum of NC
- Democratic Women of NC
- North Carolina Women United
In addition, the Alliance has attracted several member organizations and numerous individual ERA supporters. To join, go to www.era-nc.org.
Senator Floyd McKissick and Representative Carla Cunningham expect to introduce the Equal Rights Amendment in the 2017 session of the NC General Assembly, which convenes January 11. Plans are to hold a news conference when the legislation has been introduced in January or early February. Also, if the bills are not given hearings in the respective committees, the ERA-NC Alliance will lead a public citizens’ hearing. The date will be announced later.
The first annual business meeting of the Alliance will be held in Raleigh on March 13, the day before Women’s Advocacy Day, according to Roberta Madden and Marena Groll, Alliance co-chairs. Please stay tuned for details—and mark your calendar now for March 13-14 in Raleigh.
Now, more than ever, women must work together to get bedrock constitutional protection of equality into the U.S. Constitution.
Don’t agonize. Organize!
