We at Charlotte Women’s March have found ourselves both pleased and a little overwhelmed by our new role. CWM was – as were many other women-focused grassroots organizations – born two years ago in response to the 2016 election. We marched to protest gender inequalities that had either never surfaced, or if they had, never as painfully as before. That march, by thousands of women and men, has turned into a movement to make today’s world more equitable.
In Charlotte, our organization has worked hard and become focused on abolishing tangible gender inequalities and establishing basic rights we all deserve as women.Living and working in a world free from sexual harassment and violence; equal employment opportunities; equal pay for equal work; and protecting reproductive rights over our bodies are issues that require action. Our goal is to bring about lasting change in those areas.
We’re frequently asked to take positions on causes and to collaborate with other organizations. We’re grateful to have a large following of members looking for action and change. Our non-profit status, however, prevents us, for instance, from endorsing political candidates. But we can support non-political causes that align with our newly formed mission: Charlotte Women’s March seeks to raise awareness and galvanize action on equity for all women.
As much as we would like to take a position on every cause near and dear to us, we must narrow our focus to women-centered issues. We’re privileged to be in a position to highlight these challenges and bring awareness to our community. To this end, CWM leaders are forming a Wise Women’s Council which will include community members, specialists in their fields, who will guide our board members to better understand the chronic problems facing women in Charlotte.
We’re moving forward, with the best of our abilities, to pursue collaboration with local organizations that are mission-critical to CWM. As we do, we’ll persist in raising awareness that will galvanize action on equity for all women, particularly those from marginalized communities.
We mean it when we say that we are “More than a march, we are a movement.” We’re committed to doing what women have been doing for centuries– rolling up our sleeves and getting to WORK!
Laura Meier and Gina Navarrete, Co-Presidents, Charlotte Women’s March
Well done ladies
Thank for taking on this leadership. Streamlining the focus of activities will make CWM more effective.
Thank you for taking us back to why we originally rallied in 2016. Unfortunately the National Women’s March became a Megaphone for its leaders personal beliefs, and not that of the group they represented. Keep the focus on women and this will be a great women’s organization.