Assemblymember Nava Reminds Constituents that Women’s Equality Day Marks Continuing Struggle
Assemblymember Nava will join constituents in celebrating Women’s Equality Day this August 26th, which marks the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That amendment granted women the right to vote.
It was the culmination of a 72–year–long civil rights movement that originated at the world’s first women’s rights convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Several generations of women’s suffrage supporters wrote, lectured, marched and lobbied to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution.
“In July 1848, in the small town of Seneca Falls, New York, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized a convention to discuss women’s true, inalienable rights,” Assemblymember Nava stated.
From this meeting, a “Declaration of Sentiments” was drafted, which proclaimed clearly how few rights free women had in society. They fought against the long history of women’s subordination, and they suffered to attain equality and the right to vote.
“I serve with several women in the State Assembly, but their numbers are dwindling. Although women make up half of our state’s population, there are still many boundaries to gender equity in public office. The presence of these female legislators is an excellent reminder that were it not for the ridicule, imprisonment, and tireless energy of all those people who fought for so many, many years, much of the women’s and civil rights that we know today would not exist,” Nava said.
Locally young women have many leaders to look up to on several levels of government. There are many to consider including former State Senator Sheila Kuehl, Mayor of Santa Barbara Harriet Miller, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf and Congresswoman Lois Capps.
Former State Senator Sheila Kuehl was elected to the California State Assembly in 1994, serving as the first openly gay person elected to the CA legislature. She served with distinction in the Assembly and was elected to that State Senate in 2000, where she served until 2008. Senator Kuehl took a leadership role in promoting comprehensive health insurance reform on the state level.
Harriet Miller was elected to the Santa Barbara City Council in 1987 where she served as a Councilmember until she was elected Mayor of the City of Santa Barbara in 1995 and served until retirement in 2002. A former member of the League of California Cities board of directors, Miller also served on the boards of the National League of Cities and the Institute for Local Government, and represented her city at the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.
Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf’s career in public service began in 1993 when she was elected to the Goleta School Board, where she served three terms before her election as 2nd District County Supervisor. Supervisor Wolf’s extensive community involvement includes serving as the Board President of National Charity League and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Congresswoman Lois Capps was sworn in as a Freshman Member of the 105th Congress on March 17, 1998, succeeding her late husband, Congressman Walter Capps. Congresswoman Capps is a respected leader in Congress on issues of public health, protecting the environment, and she serves on the powerful Committee on Energy and Commerce and is the vice chair of its Health Subcommittee. Prior to serving in Congress, Capps was a nurse and health advocate for the Santa Barbara School District where thousands of Santa Barbara’s children and families benefited from Capps’ personal care and leadership.
“On August 26th we should look back on all that has been accomplished, but we must also recognize how far we have to go before we complete the journey that others began so very long ago,” said Assemblymember Nava.
Sign–up for Assemblymember Nava’s E–News
