Equal Rights Amendment North Carolina Alliance

It's Time to Write Women Into the Constitution!

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Audrey Muck

Our Keynote Speaker

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Carol Robles-Román

Co-President and CEO, ERA Coalition / Fund for Women’s Equality

Carol Robles-Román is the Co-President and CEO of the ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality where she leads national efforts to advocate, educate and organize to ensure constitutional equality for women in the United States.

The ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality are sister organizations, founded in 2014 to work respectively for passage and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and for greater public understanding of the need for comprehensive, fair and equal treatment of women and girls under the law.

Carol was formerly President and CEO, Legal Momentum – The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund Legal Momentum. She worked with big cities and organizations in gender justice, personal safety and access to justice reform. She is featured in the recent documentary about efforts to eradicate the sexual exploitation of women in “I am Jane Doe.”

She co-chairs the NYC Council Young Women’s Initiative Advisory Council, is on the National Organization for Women Advisory Board, is on the boards of the Women’s Forum of New York, and Veteran Feminists of America. She is a member of the National Football League Domestic Violence Working Group, and is a former member of the Board and Executive Committee of the City University of New York. Her recognitions include the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence 2017 Sharon L. Corbitt Award, the National Women’s Political Caucus 2015 Women of Courage Award, the SmartCEO 2014 Brava Award, and designation as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” by Hispanic Business Magazine.

As Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs and Counsel to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg for 12 years, she spearheaded public-private partnerships in judicial administration, domestic violence, enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and human trafficking. She led the city’s efforts to combat domestic violence and human trafficking by creating Family Justice Centers and the Let’s Call an End to Human Trafficking citywide initiative. As a top executive for the NYS judiciary, she served as its first Special Inspector General for Bias Matters appointed by Chief Judge Judith Kaye and later as Special Counsel to the Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman. She served as a NYS assistant attorney general for civil rights.

Carol holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law, and a B.A. from Fordham University at Lincoln Center.

2018 Annual Meeting

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You’re invited to attend the
ERA-NC Alliance Annual Meeting

Saturday, October 6, 2018
Noon – 4 pm
(Registration opens at 11:30 am)

Parkway United Church of Christ
2151 Silas Creek Pkwy, Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Keynote Speaker: Carol Robles-Roman
Co-President and CEO of the ERA Coalition/Fund for Women’s Equality

Ms. Robles-Roman will share news about the exciting work being done nationwide toward ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, from the hugely successful shadow hearing on Capitol Hill to the ERA Roadshow.
Prior to joining the ERA Coalition, Robles-Roman was the President and CEO of Legal Momentum, where she spearheaded legislative, legal and policy efforts to ensure equal rights for women and girls; to combat human trafficking and violence against women; and to protect women’s economic security. Carol was Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs and Counsel to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg for 12 years. She served as a NYS assistant attorney general for civil rights. Read more about Ms. Robles-Roman.

We will celebrate the state ratification count now at 37 – with just one more state to go! We’ll review our efforts across North Carolina, from municipal resolutions supporting state ratification, to our Congressional Action Teams, to the progress we’re making at the General Assembly.

We will also celebrate our 2018-2019 ERA Champion Award winners:

NC Senator

Erica D. Smith

NC Representative

Deb Butler

The ERA Champion Award is presented to persons who demonstrate superior leadership efforts in advocating for the ideals of equality and justice for women. Advocates are dedicated to the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and make exceptional contributions to achieve its passage. Senator Smith and Representative Butler have clearly demonstrated this dedication over the past year – and beyond! We’re delighted that they will join us at our annual meeting!

Business meeting: During the business portion of our meeting, we will hold elections for officers and board members, and review proposed bylaws changes. Learn more about our candidates for Board of Directors and Officer positions. You can also read the minutes from the 2017 Annual Meeting.

 — Meeting registration is now closed —

 

2018 Board & Officers Election

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Dear Members and Friends of the ERA-NC Alliance: 

In advance of our Annual Meeting on October 6th, the Nominating Committee of the Alliance is seeking Board Officers and Directors for the 2019-2020 term. 
 
We use a process of self-nomination. Any member or organizational representative who submits a membership form that is duly registered by the Alliance and who is current with any annual dues may be eligible to serve as an Officer, Director, to serve on committees, and to vote. 
 
The election process follows this message. You can join or renew your membership for 2018 here, by downloading the membership form and sending it to the Alliance at the address on the form or by using the online option.

Please share this message with anyone else who may be interested, and consider the following:
 
1. Would you like to be part of the ERA-NC leadership that is building upon the national momentum and working to make North Carolina the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment?
 
2. Are you willing to represent the ERA-NC Alliance, be visible in your community and in the state as an advocate for equal rights regardless of sex, and urge the NC General Assembly to ratify the ERA?
 
3. Are you willing to participate in monthly board meeting conference calls, serve on committees as possible, promote the purposes and objectives of the Alliance and help manage the business, property and affairs of the Alliance?
 
4. Would you consider an Officer position?  If so, which one(s)? (See Elections Process following this message.)
 
5. If you are willing to put your name in nomination for an Officer or Director, please submit an updated, brief biography to the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Ann Von Brock, by August 10th. (alvonbrock@gmail.com) 
 
6. If you are willing to be considered for an Officer position, please indicate which one in your submission along with your brief biography.
 
7. Please help recruit new Officers and Directors for the Board by reaching out to your personal network.  Those who are interested should be paid members of the Alliance and submit their brief biographies by August 10th. 
 
Thank you so much for your support of the Alliance. We are only as strong as the number of people willing to speak up and advocate for equal rights. 2019 promises to be an exciting year for the Equal Rights Amendment and we need some significant energy and commitment!  
 
Ann Von Brock, Nominating Committee Chair
828-582-4101
 
Elections Process
 
1. ELIGIBILITY: Any member or organizational representative who submits a membership form that is duly registered by the Alliance and who is current with any annual dues may be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors as an Officer or Director, to serve on committees, and to vote.
 
2. COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

  1. At the 2018 Annual meeting of the full membership body, the body will elect seven (7) Directors and seven (7) Officers to the Board of Directors to replace those members whose terms expire at the end of 2018. The newly elected members shall be elected to serve for the 2019-2020 term by a quorum of the full body membership with a vote of:
    1. Individual ERA Supporter members afforded one vote each.
    2. Representatives designated by Lead Organizations afforded one vote each. 
  2. A quorum of the full membership body is ten (10) percent of the total of individual members as of the date of the annual meeting. Robert’s Rules will be utilized at the meeting.
  3. Any member who submits an individual ERA-NC membership form that is duly registered by the Alliance by dates set forth by the Executive Council and who is current with any annual dues as of the date of the annual meeting is a member in good standing and may be eligible to serve on the Board of Directors as an Officer or Director, to serve on committees, and to vote.
  4. Any organization that submits a membership form that is duly registered by the Alliance by dates set forth by the Executive Council and which is current with any annual dues as of the date of the annual meeting is an organizational member in good standing. Each Lead Organizational representative must complete an individual ERA-NC membership form but is afforded only one vote as a representative at full membership body meetings.

 
3. TERMS OF SERVICE: The terms of the Board of Directors shall be two years for Officers and two years, for Directors with half the Directors to be elected each year by the full membership body with votes as specified in Section 2.a. 

  1. No Director shall serve more than two full consecutive terms. A Director who has left the Board because of a term limit may be reelected or reappointed to the Board after a period of one year. 
  2. Officers shall serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms. Officers may serve a third consecutive two-year term upon a special vote by the full membership body at an annual meeting.

 
4. ELECTIONS:  The annual meeting will be October 6, 2018. Elections will be held at the annual meeting. Those elected will take office January 1, 2019.  (Venue and lodging details provided below.)

  1. Candidates may run for an Officer position and a Director position. Officers will be elected first. In the event a candidate is elected as an officer, their name shall be removed as a Director candidate.
  2. Eligible members interested in running for any position(s) will self-declare as candidates, sending a concise biography to the Nominating Committee Chair in a message that also designates the position(s) for which they are running by August 10th. 
  3. The Nominations Committee will coordinate efforts to ensure that the eligible, self-declared candidates for Officers and Directors are posted on the ERA-NC Alliance website. Additionally, the Nominations Committee will interview candidates for Officer positions and nominate a slate of Officers. Other nominations for Officers and Directors can be made from the floor at the annual meeting.

 
5. ANNUAL MEETING DEADLINES:
August 10 – All candidate names, bios are to be to the Chair of Nominating Committee – Ann Von Brock (alvonbrock@gmail.com)
August 20 – All candidacies received to date will be vetted for eligibility.
Sept 6 – All eligible candidates’ names received, will be posted to website (30 days before meeting)
Sept 23 – All eligible voters will have submitted appropriate membership forms to Membership Chair to be received and duly registered in advance of the Annual Meeting. – Questions? Contact: Virginia Adamson (membership@era-nc.org)
Oct. 6 – Annual Meeting (nominations can be taken from floor)
 
6. JOB DESCRIPTIONS:
Officers

  1. The Co-Presidents shall be the chief officers of the Alliance and shall jointly have general charge and supervision over and responsibility for the affairs of the Alliance. Each Co-President will act in the absence of the other or with written notification by the other that she/he is unable to carry out her/his duties.
  2. The Co-Presidents shall perform all the duties required and may interchangeably preside over all meetings, sign all official documents, and execute all other duties that usually devolve upon a president.
  3. The First Vice-President shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the Co-Presidents or at their request. The First Vice President shall serve as Chair of the Fundraising Committee. The First Vice-President shall succeed to the office of Co-President in the event of a vacancy in that office during the two-year term of office. Upon completion of the term of office, the First Vice-President shall transfer all appropriate records to the successor.
  4. The Second Vice-President shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the Co-Presidents and First Vice-President. The Second Vice-President shall be Chair of the Public Relations Committee. This office shall succeed to the office of Co-President in the event of vacancies in the offices of Co-Presidents and First Vice-President. Upon completion of the term of office, the Second Vice-President shall transfer all appropriate records to the successor.
  5. The Third Vice-President shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the Co-Presidents and First and Second Vice-President. The Third Vice-President shall be Chair of the Membership Committee. This office shall succeed to the office of Co-President in the event of vacancies in the offices of Co-Presidents and of the First and Second Vice-Presidents. Upon completion of the term of office, the Third Vice-President shall transfer all appropriate records to the successor.
  6. The Secretary shall keep all minutes of the meetings of the Alliance. The Secretary shall perform such other duties and possess such powers as are incidental to the office or as shall be assigned by the Co-Presidents or the Board of Directors.
  7. The Treasurer shall accurately keep all financial records, maintain all banking accounts, make deposits, issue properly authorized payments, and make regular written and oral reports on money received and expended to the Board of Directors or Executive Council as directed. The Treasurer shall make all records available for audit and shall turn over all records to the succeeding Treasurer within thirty (30) business days of the end of the term of office.

 
Directors
The Directors exercise powers and authority to manage the business, property, and affairs of the Alliance. Directors perform such lawful actions and duties as it deems proper and appropriate to promote the purposes and objectives of the Alliance. Directors may delegate as necessary such affairs, business, and property to the Executive Council. Directors appoint chairs of standing or ad hoc committees by a majority vote unless otherwise specified by the bylaws. Directors are expected to attend meetings and actively serve on committees to include acting as committee chairs when appointed/elected.

Press Release 6/2/18

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Illinois becomes 37th state to ratify the ERA
Will North Carolina be the 38th?

Durham, NC – On May 30, 2018, the Illinois House of Representatives voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, making it the 37th of 38 states need to guarantee women in the United States full protection under the Constitution.

Efforts have been underway in North Carolina to ratify the ERA as well, with bills introduced in the 2015-16 and 2017-18 sessions. On May 31st, additional ratifying bills were introduced in both the NC House and Senate. Senators Floyd McKissick and Terry Van Duyn are primary sponsors of S782, which explains why the ERA is still viable for ratification today, and allocates $10,000 to educate the public about the act. In the House, Representatives Carla Cunningham, Susan Fisher, Evelyn Terry and Deb Butler are primary sponsors of the companion bill H1072.

Links to new bills:
S782: www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2017/Bills/Senate/PDF/S782v1.pdf
H1072: www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2017/Bills/House/PDF/H1072v1.pdf

A 2016 poll found nearly universal support (94%) for guaranteeing women equal rights under the Constitution. Nearly 80% of those polled mistakenly believed that was already the case. However, the late Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia, made it clear that justices following a constitutionalist philosophy believe that women are not protected under the Constitution, and that the founders did not intend that they be protected under the document.

The ERA-NC Alliance is conducting a statewide educational campaign about the need for the Constitutional amendment, which is anticipated to eventually guarantee equality for men and women under the law and in the workplace, and strengthen protection against gender-based violence.

ERA-NC Alliance Co-Presidents Marena Groll and Roberta Madden are available for interviews.

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About the ERA-NC Alliance:

The ERA-NC Alliance (www.era-nc.org) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization seeking ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. constitution. Membership is open to individuals and organizations committed to ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Lead organizations include the American Association of University Women of NC, Democratic Women of NC, League of Women Voters of NC, NC4ERA, NC Business and Professional Women, NC National Organization for Women, NC Women United, Ratify ERA- NC the Women’s Forum of NC and the YWCA of Asheville. The Alliance operates in direct collaboration with the national ERA Coalition (www.eracoalition.org).

Audio from ERA Press Conference

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NC Senator Floyd McKissick
NC Sen. Floyd McKissick
NC Senator Terry Van Duyn
NC Sen. Terry Van Duyn

This afternoon, ERA ratification bill sponsor, Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr. and co-sponsor Terry Van Duyn, took part in a press conference about women’s rights bills filed at the statehouse. Like Illinois Rep. Lou Lang, Senator McKissick has also been a tireless advocate for women’s constitutional equality, introducing the bill year after year, and he has our deepest gratitude!

Senator Van Duyn credits ERA-NC Alliance co-President, Roberta Madden, for showing her that the ERA was still a viable amendment.

This afternoon, ERA ratification bill (S. 782) sponsor, Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr. and co-sponsor Terry Van Duyn, took part in a press conference about women’s rights bills filed at the statehouse, moderated by Senator Erica Smith.

The ERA portion of the conference is available for you to listen to below,:

Illinois becomes the 37th!

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Illinois ratified the Equal Rights Amendment by a vote of 72-45 on the evening of May 30th, 2018, becoming the 37th state to ratify!! This means just one more state needs to ratify to get the amendment into the Constitution!

Representative Lou Lang, a longtime ERA advocate, spoke passionately on the floor as the House debated passage of the ratification bill, calling it a no-brainer and an opportunity for Illinois to improve the lives of half the population of the United States. “Is the Illinois House for or against adding 161 million American citizens to the U.S. Constitution where they absolutely belong?” he asked. “A ‘no’ vote is a vote against the right of women in the United States of America.”

Opponents argued that ratification would allow easier access to abortion and that women of color wouldn’t see the same gains as white women.

The Illinois Senate passed the ratification bill on April 12th.

Game On, North Carolina! #OneMoreState!

 

ERA Postcard Drop

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We’re collecting postcards to deliver to the NC House and Senate Rules Committee chairmen urging them to hold a hearing on the ERA ratification bills currently sitting idle in their committees!

Download the cards below (they come 4 to a page, landscape), print them out and invite your friends and family, work colleagues and acquaintances to sign on! We’re collecting the cards and will deliver them en masse to the Chairmen personally in the coming weeks.

Congressional District 10 Action Team leader, Jimmie Cochran Pratt, and ERA-NC Alliance Board Member, Anne Von Brock, recently made a night of it, printing the cards out and getting them ready to distribute!

You can also make phone calls now, we have the phone numbers and suggestions for what to say when you call here: “The NCGA is Back in Session”.

 

CD 5 Action Team

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Join our Candidate Calling Project!

We are calling all candidates for the Congressional 5th District (CD 5) and all NC General Assembly candidates whose districts fall within the CD 5 footprint. First up – the candidates with primary races.

The ERA-NC Alliance will post candidates’ responses – whether they support North Carolina’s ratification of the ERA or not – to the website.

Contact Audrey Muck to join the effort!