NOW Chapters Take Action for Equality Across the U.S.

National NOW Times, Spring 2009 by Rodway, Ali

NOW activists are on the go! In every corner of the country, NOW continues to be a driving force for equality for women and girls. There are countless stories of women gathering together to fight for the issues that matter - equal pay, health care for all, lesbian rights, reproductive justice, ending violence against women, and many more.

In an effort to inspire, share and collaborate, NOW activists in Nevada, South Carolina and Mississippi shared their stories with the National NOW Times.

In Las Vegas, Nevada, feminists are taking action to protect women and families. Southern Nevada NOW is a consistently active chapter that uses political activism to fight for the rights and needs of women. By coupling domestic violence vigils with grassroots lobbying efforts, this chapter has taken an active role in changing the political climate in Nevada.

For the 2008 election, NOW activists hosted four forums across the state to highlight the platforms of Family Court judge candidates. And their hard work paid off: With hundreds of people attending these events, it's no wonder the candidate with the best women's rights record won.

School is in! At the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C, the young feminists in the NOW campus affiliate are pulling out all the stops to bring feminism onto campus. From writing letters to state representa- tives to putting on performances of the Vagina Monologues, these women are on the move.

This group is one of many terrific NOW campus affiliates in the country, raising money for the chapter and its causes, as well as fostering community and bringing feminists together through music. In fact, President Allison Hall notes that their most successful events are benefit concerts.

Mississippi has a long history of activists organizing against oppression, and the women of Mississippi NOW carry on that tradition. Devastated by the passing of the anti-marriage ballot measure Proposition 8 in California, Mississippi NOW activists took to the streets along with the rest of the country as hundreds of thousands of people marched in protest.

But Mississippi NOW members didn't stop there. After learning that the American Family Association, which is based in Tupelo, Miss., had donated $500,000 in support of Prop 8, activists wanted to make a statement to their neighbors. They braved the rain and anti-LGBT hate speech to publicly suggest better ways to spend half a million dollars.

Mississippi NOW President Jenni Smith had worried that the January downpour would send activists home, but much to her delight she was met with the chant "We're here, we're queer, we're waterproof!"

By Ali Rodway

Field Organizer