Celebrating 43 Years of Equal Rights Advocates

On Wednesday, June 14 we gathered at our annual Gala Luncheon to celebrate 43 incredible years of fighting for gender justice. Over 1,000 supporters and partners came together at the San Francisco Hilton to celebrate our 2017 Gender Justice Honorees (Ghada Saliba-Malouf, Kelly Dermody, Women’s March Bay Area Organizers, Alliance for Girls, Coach Shellie Onstead and the U.C. Berkeley Women’s Field Hockey Team), hear from Champion of Justice Monique Morris, and listen to keynote speaker Melissa Harris-Perry. 

See all of the photos from the event here. 

Throughout the day, we asked the crowd to remember the collective power we felt at the January Women’s March – the feeling that when we stand united for our values, we can produce real change. In that spirit, we showed a short video highlighting the march and the young women we draw inspiration from to continue marching. And as guests raised their hands to invest in our work, we asked them to share who they march for. These are just a handful of their answers:

I AM MARCHING FOR… 

For my sister and niece who are changing the world! 

My daughter Ashley so together we can fight for equality for all people 

I’m marching for my mother, my daughter, and my son. I am marching for justice. 

Next generation of girls, including my 2 daughters, Isabelle and Francesca. To keep them safe at work, and everywhere else! 

The women who came before and the women who come next. 

I march so my two young boys know a world where their female classmates and cousins are valued and respected and bad-ass! 

I march for my nieces—they have to have it better than I do. I march for the women who raised me and instill a strong sense of pride in me. I will not succumb to the ills imposed in this time, will not let them down.  

My 92 year old grandmother Almary Hart who has a 6th grade education and was a share cropper in Mississippi before coming to California and creating amazing opportunities for us! 

I march for my mama, sisters, daughter, nieces, and all women! We matter!  

Thank you to everyone who made the event a success! We look forward to working with champions and partners over the next year to support working families, foster strong girls, and protect our communities.