Birthday Wish
It’s my birthday today and if I could have anything, I would ask for ERA Publication.
The scuttlebutt is that the U.S. Archivist will retire on April 28th, so there is still time. Let’s pressure the White House to do the right thing: make a five-minute phone call to Mr. Ferriero and tell him to publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It is, after all, his job…
What we really don’t want is for the DC Court to hand down a ruling against us before the ERA is published. That could happen any day now, so the race is on to hold Biden’s feet to the fire.
Contact your Senators today and ask them why they are sitting on their hands while women’s rights are being stripped away on the daily?
Ask them if they really expect any woman in her right mind to put them back in office if they fritter away our only hope to achieve equity and human dignity in our lifetimes.
Barring ERA publication, my next wish is that you please circulate the following interview I just gave to a European magazine, Jejune. I think it is probably the clearest way to explain to someone what is going on with ERA and hopefully communicate the urgency of the situation.
“In her interview with Jejune Magazine, Lopez goes over next steps for ratifying the amendment and what readers can do to support the cause. The Biden-Harris administration expressed their support for the cause on the campaign trail, but have since taken no steps in rescinding the memo issued under the previous administration or instructing the Archivist to publish the amendment. Time is of the essence. Read on to learn more.“
https://www.jejunemagazine.com/home/kamala-lopez
My last birthday wish is that you take a look at Leesha Gooseberry’s GoFundMe Campaign and help her out. As you know, Leesha was a subject in the film Equal Means Equal and her story is a heartbreaking but textbook example of why women need ERA. Trafficked from the age of 15, a victim of extreme DV, rape and torture, Leesha was imprisoned for 27 years when she finally killed her abuser in an act of self-defense. While in prison she was sterilized against her will.
When she came out, Leesha had very little connection to society but a great will to overcome her past circumstances and build a new life. She is writing a book and looking for a way to use her experiences to help others.
Despite her resilience and moxie, Leesha has nonetheless been struggling; working part-time as a night shift cleaner in the hospital Covid wards. The recent hurricane in New Orleans was the final straw, when her temporary housing was badly damaged and her health suffered. If you can spare any monies or have any job opportunities for Leesha, please consider contributing to helping her get on her feet.
Thanks to Helene de Boissiere Swanson and Sharon Hill for putting the GoFundMe together for Leesha. Please take a look at the video and share it, as I also recorded why and how ERA would improve life for women in Leesha’s situation.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the EME community.
I greatly appreciate your support and friendship. I especially want to thank EME Vice President Natalie White for being my soul-sister in this fight — I couldn’t do it without her.
All my love and gratitude,
Kamala Lopez
President, Equal Means Equal
