As the New York City Council Women’s Caucus, other elected officials and civic leaders rallied yesterday on the steps of City Hall to observe the national “Day Without a Woman” boycott, Public Advocate Letitia James and her colleagues delivered a powerful message; New York City, especially Brooklyn, needs women.
“This is our America!” announced James. “We will not turn back the clock on progress!”
The boycott, scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day, has women all over the country refusing to patronize or work at major businesses, in order to prove just how much women matter to the American economy.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum President and CEO Stephanie Hill Wilchfort explained the implications of this boycott are especially important to the women of Brooklyn.
“Our district has always been at the apex of gender equality,” she said, proudly pointed out that Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman to run for president, was born and raised in King’s County.
While the borough has always been ahead of the curve on gender politics, Wilchfort pointed out Brooklyn continues to make outstanding strides in that department over the past few years.
“Today, almost every major cultural institution in Brooklyn is woman-lead,” she said, citing the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library and BRIC as key examples.
According to Monica Abend, Chief of Staff for City Councilwoman Laurie A. Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Height , the progress made in the past few years can largely be attributed to the efforts of Cumbo and her administration.
“Ever since she took office, we’ve been building a women’s movement,” said Abend. “We’ve been opening up conversations with out young women’s empowerment groups, encouraging them to take leadership roles.”
Aside from that, Abend cited several examples of Cumbo sponsoring and promoting pro-equality legislation. Last year, she sponsored a bill that mandated sexual assault prevention training for New York taxi drivers, and earlier this year, she sponsored a similar bill that established similar training programs for the NYPD.
Cumbo herself can confirm that gender equality has been a major part of her administration since she was elected. “As chair of the Committee on Women’s Issues and co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, I have been building a movement that inspires, empowers, and elevates women of all backgrounds,” she said. “I am proud to be a member of the New York City Council – a legislative body that has consistently stood for gender and pay equity, equal justice, and human rights for all.”
James, the first African-American woman to hold citywide office, also used her position to promote women’s empowerment in the borough- and continues to do so.
“We have a bill pending that addresses gender inequality,” she said. “It prevents employers from asking women about their prior salary.”
James maintains that, though she and her contemporaries have made tremendous strides in gender equality, their work is still far from over.
“I want to recognize all those women who were unable to join us today,” she said. “Women who are unable to go a day without buying food, women who cannot join us because they do not have childcare for their children, or medical supplies for their elderly parents… we are standing for them. We are marking International Women’s Day as the Day Without a Woman, because he have fought long and hard to get where we are today. And we have no intention of going back.”
