Take Action

Stories that call on readers to take a specific action.

Join the Conversation: Why Abortion Is Essential to Democracy—and Democracy Is Essential for Reproductive Justice

PUBLISHED 4/6/2022 by

Join a special event streaming from NPR’s studio in New York City on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

Panelists will dig deep on key questions:
*How should we consid­er parallel affronts to participation and representation—the wave of voting restrictions and outsize role of big money in polit­ics?
*Can we look to state courts to provide new avenues in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling?
*What are the legal and soci­etal impacts of crim­in­al­iz­ing preg­nancy and abor­tion, espe­cially on communit­ies of color?

Four Reasons Men’s Sports Are Not the Gold Standard

PUBLISHED 3/31/2022 by

As women’s sports make progress (however slow), it is imperative to examine the crucial problems characteristic of the industry and decide what equality can look like. Is the male model of sports really the standard worth striving for?  What does a healthy sports culture look like and how can we foster that with the evolution of women’s sports?

Here are four reasons why men’s sports are not the gold standard—they’re the relic of a problematic past.

Is the Pipeline of Women Running for Office Broken?

PUBLISHED 3/10/2022 by

A recent surge of women candidates gives the misleading impression that significant change is afoot. The fact is, women are still very unlikely to run or consider running for elected office, according a new study which shows the political ambition gap between men and women interested in running for office is virtually unchanged in the 20 years.

If the status quo is to change, the strategy for building a pipeline of women willing to run must change.

‘Artists 4 ERA’ Demand Equal Rights for All Americans: ‘It Is Overdue That Gender Equality Becomes the Law of the Land’

PUBLISHED 3/8/2022 by

On International Women’s Day, VoteEquality launched the Artists 4 ERA initiative. In partnership with 28 prominent artists, including Shepard Fairey, Artists 4 ERA will be releasing limited edition, signed prints to benefit non-partisan, grassroots efforts for the Equal Rights Amendment. The full collection of artwork will make its debut at the launch event March 19 in Oakland, Calif. From there, the collection will tour the country at events organized by VoteEquality, partner organizations and artists advocating for gender equality.

“As gender rights are rolled back across the country and as the Supreme Court signals its willingness to forgo precedent, a new generation of activists is stepping up to the fight,” said Kati Hornung, executive director of VoteEquality. “Art as a form of expression has a unique way of motivating people.”

Women Data Scientists of the World, Unite!

PUBLISHED 3/2/2022 by and

The Women in Data Science Conference (WiDS) was born of a problem: How can we remove the barriers to success that traditionally bar women from accessing the increasingly critical field of data science? To Margot Gerritsen, professor at Stanford University and co-founder and co-director of WiDS Worldwide, ensuring women can see other women in the field will help them destroy the myth that data science is a field exclusively for men

The WiDS conference will be held on March 7, 2022—the day before International Women’s Day. Tune into WiDS Worldwide Livestream throughout the day to watch keynotes, tech talks, panel discussions and meet-the-speaker interviews.

Our Democracy Has Problems. Women Have Solutions.

PUBLISHED 2/22/2022 by and

The U.S., one of the world’s oldest democracies, is now seeing a rise of antidemocratic views. But never fear. We come bearing good news. There is hope. And that hope, we believe, is the shared power and potential of mobilized women to forge a new movement for a 21st century democracy.

We hope you are inspired and encouraged by what this slate of women experts—working at all levels to reform and revitalize our democracy—have to say. And to hear more about democracy solutions and how you can get involved, join us March 8–10 from 3–5 p.m. ET for RepresentWomen’s democracy Solutions Summit, which brings together experts and leaders in election administration, voting rights and democracy reform who are working on innovative solutions that upgrade and strengthen our democracy.

The Poor People’s Campaign and a Shift in the Poverty Narrative: “Demanding Reconstruction From the Bottom Up”

PUBLISHED 2/15/2022 by

“We’re looking for a complete transformation of U.S. society,” Poor People’s Campaign co-chair Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis told Ms. “We’re calling it a Third Reconstruction. We do not have scarcity in this country. People throw away food and there are more abandoned houses than there are unhoused people. We’re pushing back at the idea that we have to make choices about what we can provide to people. We’re also asking why it is usually poor women, children and people of color who are asked to compromise or make do with less.”

“We’re Reclaiming Valentine’s Day!”: The Global Movement Rising for the Bodies of All Women, Girls and the Earth

PUBLISHED 2/14/2022 by

One Billion Rising, a mass action to end violence against women, launched on Valentine’s Day 2012. It’s based on the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.

Every Valentine’s Day is a reminder of how much more is needed to free women to fulfill their potential and live without fear of violence. I’m writing a valentine to V, to the V-Day team and the One Billion Rising global coordinators, who are committed to creating a new kind of consciousness—one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.