At the core of our democracy is the right to have a voice – the right to vote.
As the fight for women’s equality continues in the 21st century, most recently with the #MeToo and Equal Pay movements making national news, Women’s Equality Day serves as an opportunity to look back and honor suffragists as we celebrate the 98th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Ratified August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment prohibits states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to U.S. citizens based on sex.
Women’s Equality Day helps us reflect on the benefits of equity, diversity, civic engagement and the role of women in our public life.
How to Celebrate in San Diego
How can you show your appreciation for suffragists?
The largest local gathering is the 13th Annual Suffrage Parade at Balboa Park.
Hosted by the Women’s Museum of California, parade-goers are encouraged to dress up in white, wear sashes and buttons and wave suffrage, equal rights, #MeToo and other feminist movement signs to celebrate the journey of women’s rights from 1848 to today.
Follow the hashtag #WomensHistoryBecause to join the conversation on social media.
The National Women’s History Project provides several other ideas to celebrate Women’s Equality Day, including:
- Distributing its Women’s Equality Day Brochure in your local library, school or place of worship
- Visiting its Women’s Rights and Women’s Equality Day Resources
- Reading How Women Won the Vote Gazette
- Joining the Women’s History Alliance, which will be working over the next two years to have Women’s Equality Day 2020 declared a federal holiday
Voting = Civic Engagement
In addition to diversity and equity, Women’s Equality Day places the value of civic engagement in the spotlight.
An educated, civically engaged society means all community members have equal access to information and have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.
The Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement at The San Diego Foundation fosters this belief by bringing community together to learn about and discuss social challenges and opportunities in the San Diego region.
Through strategic collaborations, public programs and donor convenings, the Center for Civic Engagement facilitates community dialogue and collaborative action to create a vibrant San Diego region.
