March 8 is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women everywhere.
We as leaders are committed to using our positions to not only celebrate women’s achievement, but to combat discrimination and take action to drive change.
This year, we have a majority in our caucus, with 16 women, all with profound lived experiences representing communities from across the state of Washington.
We are educators and lawyers, executives and activists.
We are partners and mothers, decision-makers and leaders.
We’ve taken big strides forward, but there is still work to be done to forge a gender-equitable world where we can all thrive.
The past few years have impacted women and girls disproportionately, especially as a result of the pandemic.
Domestic violence has increased, job insecurity for women has worsened, and access to reproductive health care has been under constant attack.
That’s why we ALL must continue raising awareness of the inequality and inequity that is still rampant in our world.
It is critical that we also recognize and address the disproportionate impact on the most marginalized members of our communities.
We must lift up Black women, Indigenous Women, immigrant and refugee women, women with disabilities, women of color, queer women, trans women.
World-renowned feminist and activist Gloria Steinem said “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist, nor to any one organization, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”
Now, more than ever, it is important that women remain united. That we invest in protecting each other and building each other up.
We will not wait to be invited to take a seat at the table. We are opening the door for ourselves, walking in and taking charge.
Our experiences, our expertise and our voices must be heard and incorporated in every decision we make.
We will continue to speak up and we must do it together.
We are the women of the Senate Democratic Caucus.