In episode 22 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Cristina Escobar, co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co and member of ERA Coalition Forward's Communications, Public Education and Civic Engagement Working Group. Escobar introduces the third rail of the Hollywood ecosystem, the critic, the reviewer. She challenges us to not only look at who is telling the story but who is critiquing it. Who is shaping and determining what is artistically valuable. In her work of amplifying Latina voices, Escobar emphasizes that Latino political and economical power is one of the strongest influences in our country yet often underrepresented on the screen.  Escobar believes that culture precedes politics. So, if you want to change the world, you have to change how people think about the world first. Through decades of crafting stories to create positive social impact, she shares how to create an effective campaign and reminds us that not only does everyone deserve a chance to tell their story, they need a chance to examine it as well. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 300 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Cristina: A writer, speaker, and critic, Cristina Escobar works at the intersection of race, gender, and pop culture. She has worked for feminist causes for over a decade, helping like-minded individuals and organizations tell their stories in ways that break through the clutter. As such, she’s the proud co-founder and editor-in-chief of LatinaMedia.Co, an indie publication platforming Latina and queer Latinx perspectives in media. In addition, she has an accomplished career as an entertainment journalist with bylines in the A.V. Club, Glamour, NPR, Refinery29, Remezcla, Roger Ebert, TODAY, Vulture, and more. A TEDx speaker, Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and member of the Critics Choice Association and the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, she lives in Santa Fe with her husband, two kids, and rescue dog. https://latinamedia.co @latinamediaco @cescobarandrade  

In episode 21 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Dr. Nicole Haggard, director of the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University and co-founder of CIME. Dr. Haggard takes an intersectional approach to advancing culture and brings data to life through storytelling. She reminds us that the stories we tell ourselves and what we place value on is what defines our culture. In her personal story, she tells a tale of following her heart, showing up for equality and most important the power of women supporting women and the sisterhood at Mount Saint Mary's University (MSMU). As a longtime educator and activist for gender justice she serves at one of the ultimate hubs for women in Southern California. MSMU is also home to the Report on the Status of Women and Girls, directed by Dr. Haggard and is one of the most comprehensive reports of its kind. Haggard, discusses the cost of being a woman, the theme of their 13th annual report. The ERA Coalition is thrilled to be in partnership with Mount Saint Mary's University and was honored to be included in the report and featured at their annual event at Skirball in Los Angeles.  Ask anyone about MSMU and they'll generally tell you there is a magic that exists within this educational institution. Founded by the Sisters of St Joseph, visionary educators, the university has a long-standing reputation for embodying and supporting women and creates ripples for justice and serving the higher good within the community.  This episode with Dr. Haggard reminds us of the power of unstoppable sisterhood. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 300 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org   About Dr. Nicole: Nicole Haggard, PhD, is the director of the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Haggard’s scholarly work, consulting and academic career have been dedicated to promoting equity for women and gender parity. Her research focuses on the intersection of race and gender in American culture. A faculty member in the Film, Media, and Social Justice program at Mount Saint Mary’s since 2015, Haggard is also the co-founder of the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, an organization dedicated to advancing representation in the entertainment industry. Haggard takes an intersectional approach to advancing culture and brings data to life through storytelling. Haggard has worked with organizations like the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and Lyda Hill Philanthropies If/Then Initiative to amplify their mission of advancing women in underrepresented fields. In addition to being a seasoned and engaging presenter and keynote speaker, she is also a contributing expert to media outlets, such as Variety, NPR, and Spectrum News. Haggard holds a PhD in American studies, with an emphasis in Women’s Studies and Critical Race Theory from Saint Louis University. To learn more of the 2024 Report on the Status of Women and Girls click here.

In episode 20 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Dr. Nancy O'Reilly, founder of Women Connect4Good and ultimate champion for women and the ERA. She has made it her life's mission to support organizations who lift up and advance wonen and girls and activate their passion and purpose. She believes publishing the Equal Rights Amendment in our constitution is one of the most import things we can do right now to create gender equity and she won't stop until the ERA becomes our 28th amendment. She stresses that being clear with our intent and asking for what we want is essential to stepping into our full value and worth along with stepping into our power-to. Public education and awareness is key and relationships are essential to sustainable equitable change. O'Reilly says, "why not". Why not demand that the President instruct the archivist to publish the ERA. Why not demand a world that is equitable and just for all people. Why not show up for another women. She is here to help you. You just need to ask. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 300 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org   About Dr. Nancy: Nancy D. O'Reilly, PsyD, founded Women Connect4Good, Inc., a 501(c)3 foundation, to help support other organizations working to advance women and girls. She also serves on the boards of several social-profit groups, including the National Women’s History Museum.  Dr. Nancy’s latest books, In This Together: How Successful Women Support Each Other in Work and Life (Adams Media/Simon & Schuster, January 2019), and Leading Women: 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life, were both released as audiobooks in 2022. In addition, she and her team continue to gain momentum with the Lift Women Up campaign. Originally created to complement a documentary that aired on PBS featuring her work championing women’s equality and advancement.  Dr. Nancy has earned numerous awards including the prestigious Mosaic Award from Diversity Woman Media, and a Women Making History Award from the National Women’s History Museum for making a significant contribution to her field. Dr. Nancy was also honored in Washington, D.C. at the 2018 Canales project with 20 other women, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  Supporting women is Dr. Nancy’s passion and purpose. Her popular podcast “Smart, Amazing Conversations with Dr. Nancy” examines the stories of life and leadership of smart, amazing women and men whose stories connect us, and helps listeners understand that the possibilities are endless if we support each other and lift one another up. https://www.drnancyoreilly.com    

In episode 19 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to YWCA USA CEO, Margaret Mitchell. As a partner who is focused on gender equality and eliminating racism, Mitchell says the ERA is the path forward for us and an invitation to everything better. Knowing it's the W that makes the difference, this longtime institution is at the frontlines for equity and instrumental for educating and empowering young women, serving as a source for housing and growth for women in sports amongst other things. Elisa speaks with Mitchell about the YWCA's recent initiatives in voter advocacy, leadership and equity and how the organization continues to serve as an institutional backbone for our country. She shares how her experience as a child growing up in Central California with family-friends the Reyes' of The United Farm Workers (with Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez), instilled the importance of community service from a very young age. Mitchell also expands on her passion and approach for social change through nonviolent pathways to end oppression. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Margaret: Margaret Mitchell, CEO, YWCA USA Margaret Mitchell anticipates trends and has a proven track record of creating competitive breakthrough strategies. She communicates vision, purpose, and core values. As a strong decision maker who builds consensus, she is a consistent top performer who pursues growth with energy and drive. Margaret strives for personal and organizational excellence. Recognized for savvy in building relationships at all levels inside and outside the organization, she guides an organization with a steady hand and maintains focus, even in challenging situations. Prior to becoming CEO of YWCA USA, Margaret served as the President & CEO of YWCA Greater Cleveland, a 150-year-old social justice organization that provides direct service, collaboration, and advocacy in the community, focused on  racism, empowering women, and homelessness. She has more than doubled the budget, the staff, and the services of YWCA Greater Cleveland through her leadership, financial acumen, and fundraising. Among her achievements, in 2019 she led the call to Declare Racism a Public Health Crisis in Cleveland and across the state through her leadership in the Ohio YWCA Council. Additionally, Margaret led the acquisition of the Norma Herr Women’s Center, Cleveland’s largest homeless emergency women’s shelter. She also launched the transformation of the YWCA Greater Cleveland Early Learning Center into a unique, unduplicated preschool that currently operates the only trauma-informed preschool serving children and families experience homelessness. Previously, Margaret was the President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Cleveland, and served as the VP of Business Development and Director of Partnerships at Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas (now BBBS Lone Star). In each of these roles, she expanded the reach and effectiveness of the organization – from board development, partnership recruitment, fundraising and organizational transformation focused on data. Earlier, Margaret held senior leadership roles at Menttium, a for-profit industry leader in one-to-one corporate mentoring, featuring cross-company programs serving the Fortune 500. She began her career in publishing as an editor and writer. Margaret received a BA with honors in Mass Communications from Hampton Institute – a Historically Black College and recently attended Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School. In 2020, The Cleveland Orchestra, in partnership with the City of Cleveland, honored her with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – Outstanding Service Award. In 2019, YWCA Greater Cleveland, ranked in the “Top 10 of the Top 100 Workplaces” by The Plain Dealer – Advance Ohio and was recognized as a “Business Longevity Honoree” by Smart Business Magazine.

In episode 18 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to activist, community organizer and radio host, Ary Mondragon-Mimms, co-founder of Dia de los Muertos, D.C. Mondragon has helped bring together thousands to the National Mall in D.C. to honor and celebrate our ancestors and inspire action and social change through arts and culture. Having engaged with her own fight for freedom in the United States as an immigrant from Mexico she connects with others like herself to ensure they receive the proper resources, tools, support and protection. Elisa speaks with Mondragon on the values of honoring our ancestors, our roots and ultimately, death in order to honor ourselves and each other in life. They discuss the importance in taking a leap and the courage necessary to land with confidence and how she integrates her work through Dia de Los Muertos, D.C. to support immigration reforms, marginalized families and women's empowerment. She is a wonderful force of light and possibilities and her enthusiasm for social change is contagious. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Ary: Ary Mondragon-Mimms, co-founder of Día de los Muertos DC, Activist, community organizer, co-host of The Pedro Biaggi Show Ary Mondragon is a native born Mexican, local activist and community organizer in the DMV area. She has spent six years advocating for a number of different social causes that have directly affected her community including, the decriminalization of Marijiuana, female empowerment, support for marginalized families and immigration reform.  

In episode 17 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to legendary civil rights activist, Dolores Huerta, president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. At 93 years old, Huerta is almost as old as the 100 year movement to publish the Equal Rights Amendment and she is determined to make sure that happens within her lifetime. As the co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association along with Cesar Chavez and a leader of the feminist movement, she continues to transform communities and challenge systems to better serve the people most often underrepresented, especially the rural latino community, women and youth. Her passion is contagious as she reminds all of us, si se puede. Yes we can! Elisa speaks with Huerta about her history co-founding a movement in the 1960's when women's recognition as civic leaders was often challenged and how that might have shifted with a feminist lens. She discusses how the ERA would support true equality in our country, where her courage to show up for herself stems from and how she supports other women to engage in public service. Her mission, following in the words of former Mexico President, Benito Juarez is that "respect for the rights of others is peace".  Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Dolores: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement.   Born on April 10, 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, Huerta was the second of three children of Alicia and Juan Fernandez, a farm worker and miner who became a state legislator in 1938. Her parents divorced when Huerta was three years old, and her mother moved to Stockton, California with her children. Huerta’s grandfather helped raise Huerta and her two brothers while her mother juggled jobs as a waitress and cannery worker until she could buy a small hotel and restaurant. Alicia’s community activism and compassionate treatment of workers greatly influenced her daughter. Discrimination also helped shape Huerta. A schoolteacher, prejudiced against Hispanics, accused Huerta of cheating because her papers were too well-written. In 1945 at the end of World War II, white men brutally beat her brother for wearing a Zoot-Suit, a popular Latino fashion.  Huerta received an associate teaching degree from the University of the Pacific’s Delta College. She married Ralph Head while a student and had two daughters, though the couple soon divorced. She subsequently married fellow activist Ventura Huerta with whom she had five children, though that marriage also did not last. Huerta briefly taught school in the 1950s, but seeing so many hungry farm children coming to school, she thought she could do more to help them by organizing farmers and farm workers. In 1955 Huerta began her career as an activist when she co-founded the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization (CSO), which led voter registration drives and fought for economic improvements for Hispanics. She also founded the Agricultural Workers Association. Through a CSO associate, Huerta met activist César Chávez, with whom she shared an interest in organizing farm workers. In 1962, Huerta and Chávez founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), the predecessor of the United Farm Workers’ Union (UFW), which formed three year later. Huerta served as UFW vice president until 1999. Despite ethnic and gender bias, Huerta helped organize the 1965 Delano strike of 5,000 grape workers and was the lead negotiator in the workers’ contract that followed. Throughout her work with the UFW, Huerta organized workers, negotiated contracts, advocated for safer working conditions including the elimination of harmful pesticides. She also fought for unemployment and healthcare benefits for agricultural workers. Huerta was the driving force behind the nationwide table grape boycotts in the late 1960s that led to a successful union contract by 1970. In 1973, Huerta led another consumer boycott of grapes that resulted in the ground-breaking California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which allowed farm workers to form unions and bargain for better wages and conditions. Throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, Huerta worked as a lobbyist to improve workers’ legislative representation. During the 1990s and 2000s, she worked to elect more Latinos and women to political office and has championed women’s issues. The recipient of many honors, Huerta received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. As of 2015, she was a board member of the Feminist Majority Foundation, the Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus of the United Farm Workers of America, and the President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Dolores Huerta Foundation      

In episode 16 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Suzanne Lerner, president and co-founder of Michael Stars, the Michael Stars Foundation and board member of the ERA Coalition. Lerner has been fighting for sex equality for over 5o years and while the Equal Rights Amenment hasn't been published yet in our Constitution, Lerner has made it her life's mission to support equality for women and girls as a philanthropist and through her lifestlye and clothing brand. Elisa speaks with Lerner about ways the ERA would support businesses and their employees (i.e. pay equity) in addition to leading as an activist in this movement while running an equitable company where everyone can thrive, why men need to be part of this movement, how her travels around the world helped shape her passion for fashion and philanthropy, and the intergenerational cross-over needed to abolish patriarchy once and for all. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Suzanne: Suzanne Lerner, co-founder and president of lifestyle and clothing brand Michael Stars, is an activist entrepreneur and philanthropist. As a philanthropist, she focuses on creating economic empowerment for women and girls. She supports organizations that promote gender and racial equality in the United States and internationally through personal grants, impact investments, and the Michael Stars Foundation. Today Suzanne inspires new generations of social impact entrepreneurs and is a frequent speaker on investing, founding, and running socially conscious businesses. She serves as a director on several non-profit boards including the ACLU of Southern California and the Ms. Foundation. @suzanne_lerner  Michael Stars Foundation https://www.michaelstars.com/pages/foundation    

In episode 15 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director of Equality Now and former chair of the ERA Coalition's Fund for Women's Equality. ERA Coalition partner, Equality Now believes that equality is rooted in legal change. The United States is the only democracy that does not have equality in its constitution yet the majority of Americans thinks we do. It's been 100 years since the ERA was first introduced in Congress and Mona is taking the lead to ensure that not one more year goes by without constituional equality in the United States. Elisa speaks with Sinha about future-proofing gender equality, why we must meet people where they're at and shift the narrative, how she helped raised 1 billions dollars to support grass-roots movements and why the ERA is a global movement (all eyes are on us). She shares how growing up in India and volunteering with Mother Teresa at a young age was formative in her gender-centered work and the belief that everyone has a right to thrive. Equality is not political. Equality is fundamental. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Mona: S. Mona Sinha, Global Executive Director, Equality Now  Sharmila (Mona) Sinha is a globally recognized advocate for gender equality. She brings over 25 years of experience in strengthening mission-driven organizations to Equality Now. Aligning her passion for social justice and women’s empowerment with her early experience working in the corporate sector, she has enabled over 90 organizations that unlock the economic potential and protect the legal rights of women, girls, and gender non-conforming people.  With her deep understanding of the women’s rights ecosystem and an intentional focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, Mona has led and catalyzed over $1 billion to fund progressive projects, initiatives, and grassroots movements that elevate the economic agency of women and amplify women leaders. All on a global scale. Mona serves on several non-profit boards with a focus on governance, strategy, and sustainability.  She is the Board Chair of Women Moving Millions and serves on the Executive Council of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, slated to be built on the Washington Mall within the decade. She is an Advisory Board member of Gucci CHIME and the Tamer  Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia University. Formerly, Mona chaired the Equal Rights Amendment Coalition’s Fund for Women’s Equality and is a trustee emerita (Vice Chair) of her alma mater, Smith College. In 2022, she was awarded the Smith College Medal in recognition of her bold feminist leadership in stewarding a trans-inclusive admissions policy and her critical role in fundraising $486M for the school’s Women for the World campaign. She has served in various leadership capacities on the Boards of Connected Women Leaders, Apne Aap International, Columbia Global Mental Health Program in partnership with WHO, Breakthrough USA, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy. As the founder of the Insight Circle Fund, she has facilitated meaningful partnerships and resources to uplift women and center marginalized communities. She also co-founded the Asian Women’s Leadership University to bring the liberal arts education model to women across the region. Mona is the Executive Producer of the award-winning Netflix documentary Disclosure, which explores the representation of trans people in entertainment and premiered at Sundance in 2020. She is an Executive Producer of What the Constitution Means to Me, which was nominated for Best Play at the 73rd Tony Awards and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2019. She also produced Sell.Buy.Date and My Name is Andrea, which premiered in 2022 at SXSW and the Tribeca Film Festival, respectively.  She’s received wide recognition for her work across sectors to advance equality and empower women leaders. In 2023, she was listed in Forbes 50 Over 50 for her impact as a leading force driving change for a better future. She’s the recipient of the 2023 Horton Award for Excellence in Social Enterprise from Columbia University and CARE USA’s 2021 Impact Award. She was presented the Last Girl Champion Award by Gloria Steinem and Apne Aap in 2017 and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, honoring the accomplishments and service of US citizens in 2015. She has also received awards from Children’s Hope India, Modern High School in Kolkata, Smith College, and Breakthrough USA, and was named one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” by Women’s eNews. Mona graduated with a BA in Economics (Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from Smith College and an MBA in Finance and Marketing (Dean’s List, Beta Gamma Sigma) from Columbia University. https://equalitynow.org/ Equality Now We use the law to change the world. Social change often begins with legal change and so we use the power of the law to create enduring equality for women and girls everywhere. At Equality Now, we believe in creating a just world for women and girls. Since 1992, our international network of lawyers, activists and supporters have tackled the most difficult issues, challenged ingrained cultural assumptions and called out inequality wherever we see it.  

In episode 14 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Prairie Rose Seminole, Northern Cheyenne, Arikara and Dakota. Seminole is an educator, culture bearer and storyteller. She is the Co-Director of the film, We Ride For Her- a short documentary on the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous relatives.  This powerful film is co-produced by Red Sand Project and ERA Coalition partner, Level Forward. Elisa speaks with Seminole about the crisis, transforming grief into action, how the film crew created a trauma-informed, holistic approach to documentary filmmaking; one that supports the storyteller and the community they live in and the ritual and practice of storytelling within her community and how that translates in our media-focused lives. She talks about her experience with the Medicine Wheel Riders, over 200 Native American women who ride to bring awareness to the over 5,000 missing indigenous women and girls, to incite hope and call to action.  Today, and all days, we honor and remember stolen sisters, aunts, mothers, grandmothers, and two spirit relatives whose stories are too often ignored or forgotten. Together we are strong, resilient, and committed to ending this epidemic of violence. In memory of Khalid “Tašunka Ōta” Garreau (2000-2023) and to all the ones we’ve lost. May their memory be a revolution. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Prairie Rose Prairie Rose Seminole - Northern Cheyenne, Arikara and Dakota. Seminole is an educator, culture bearer and storyteller. She is the Co-Director of the film, We Ride For Her- a short documentary on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. Seminole has served on the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, Midwest Advisory Board, and the Fargo Human Relations Commission. She currently serves on the Olamina Fund Advisory Board, the Midwest Innocence Project Board, Gender Justice US and Humanities ND and chairs the ND Native Caucus. Prairie Rose has been a part of efforts, institutions, and organizations that have seeded, supported, and strengthened public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement on local, state, and national levels. Prairie Rose grew up in North Dakota and is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of ND on the Fort Berthold Reservation. She lives with her partner, their 7 dogs and 10 horses in White Shield ND.  https://www.werideforher.com/   About Level Forward Reimagining the ways storytelling, business practices, & social change can work together. Story driven. Impact minded. Our work fuels commitment, community, and change. As accomplished executives, creatives, and social change-makers, we acknowledge that stories alone neither sustain a business model nor change the world. They need to be nurtured, delivered, and extended beyond traditional goalposts to reach their full potential. A layered approach. A single film or show cannot change a system, so we take both a specific and comprehensive approach. At the project-level, we seize every opportunity to make decisions differently, as philosophy, business practice, and an ongoing assertion of values. This includes the what, who, how, where, and why questions of our work. System-wide, we work to break down the bottlenecks of financing, production, and distribution in ways which are iterative, repeatable, and open-sourced.   Level Forward  

In episode 13 of the Equality Talks podcast, host Elisa Parker introduces us to Tiffany Shlain, an artist, activist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards, and the CEO of Let if Ripple. Shlain is unveiling a new monument and art activation in Washington, D.C. on the National Mall to reclaim our history; DENDROFEMONOLOGY, A Feminist History Tree Ring. You can find more information about the event (virtual and in D.C.) below. Elisa speaks with Shlain about shaping our culture through storytelling and its intersection with art, why it's so important to know all of our history, and how to bring a vision to fruition. Shlain is a pioneer of feminist media and knows how to make things happen!  The ERA Coalition is thrilled to support Let it Ripple, the National Women’s History Museum, and Women Connect4Good to bring leaders of equity, equality, and social justice together for this historic event, Nov. 1-4th, 2023. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Tiffany: Honored by Newsweek as one of the "Women Shaping the 21st Century," Tiffany Shlain is an artist, activist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, national bestselling author, and the founder of the Webby Awards. Working across mediums, from sculptures, films, to performance, Shlain's work explores the intersection of feminism, philosophy, technology, neuroscience, and nature. The Museum of Modern Art in New York premiered her one-woman spoken cinema show, Dear Human, and her recent art exhibition, Human Nature, was presented by the National Women’s History Museum. The centerpiece sculpture from that show, DENDROFEMONOLOGY, A Feminist History Tree Ring, will be installed on the National Mall in DC Nov 1-4 and a large-scale photograph of the work is part of the de Young OPEN at the de Young Museum of Fine Arts this fall. The Nancy Hoffman Gallery in New York will be presenting her Human Nature solo exhibition in 2024. Shlain is also creating an exhibition with Ken Goldberg for the Getty Museum's Pacific Standard Time: Art & Science Collide art initiative at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles set for Oct 2024.Her awards and distinctions include selection by the Albert Einstein Foundation for their Genius100 list, the Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Intellectual Activity, and inclusion in NPR’s list of best commencement speeches. Shlain is known for her dynamic cinematic talk experiences and performs internationally. Her films have had multiple premieres at the Sundance Film Festival, received over 60 awards, and have been shown at US embassies around the world to represent America. Shlain’s book, 24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection, received the Marshall McLuhan Outstanding Book Award. Shlain is represented by Nancy Hoffman Gallery. @tiffanyshlain  DENDROFEMONOLOGY, A Feminist History Tree Ring Join us Nov 1-4, in person or online, as we gather around a new kind of monument -- DENDROFEMONOLOGY: A Feminist History Tree Ring by artist Tiffany Shlain -- for 4 days of art and action, inspiring speakers, voter and educational resources, a feminist art parade, community, coalition-building, and more!   There are 93,000 races on the ballot this November that could affect women’s rights, trans rights, and reproductive freedom. Our goal, with an incredible coalition (ERA Coalition, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Vital Voices, Feminist Majority Foundation, and many more listed below) is to inspire and galvanize people with this intersectional coming together, to stand together as allies, and #ReclaimOurHistory and #VoteOurFuture. We would love for you to join us, either in person or online!

Meet Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of TransLatin@ Colation.  She founded one of the largest organizations supporting Trans people in America.  Salcedo serves on the Board of the ERA Coaltion and strives to ensure that all people are recognized as equal.   Elisa Parker speaks with Salcedo about her work on the Hill, the responsibility she holds to co-create better lives for all, how to turn a challenge into opportunities, to show up as who you are and to know that there is a community here to support you.  She underscores the privilege of surviving in order to support others.  She is a mirracle or as Salcedo says in her words, "Yo Soy Milagro". Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Bamby: Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO TransLatin@ Coalition  Bamby Salcedo serves as the President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition and is a prominent and celebrated transgender Latina activist, known all over the world for her passionate and productive social, political, and economic influence. As the President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, Bamby steadily leads this nationally recognized organization that advocates for and addresses the issues of transgender Latinas throughout the United States. Bamby received her Master’s Degree in Mexican and Latin@ Studies from California State University, Los Angeles, and developed the Center for Violence Prevention and Transgender Wellness, a multimillion, multipurpose, multiservice space for Trans people in Los Angeles.   Instagram: translatinacoalition and labamby Twitter: @TransLatina_C TikTok: translatinacoalition and bambysalcedo Facebook: TransLatina Coalition and Bamby Salcedo Es Por Amor (by Git) Es por amor que al mundo yo le hago frente Y por amor Si caigo me levanto siempre Y al costado del camino Veo angeles caidos Es por amor que nunca voy a abandonarte Y por amor Espero lo q vas a darme Y al costado del camino Ve veo angeles caidos Hay una fiesta y es esta noche Baila conmigo Asi te pido dame uh uh uh mirame uh uh uh Es por amor Que uno hace lo que siente Y por amor Yo sigo y sigo aunque me cueste Y al costado del camino veo angeles caidos Hay una fiesta y es esta noche Ba ba baila conmigo Asi te pido dame uh uh uh mirame uh uh uh Mirame ya mirame uh uh uh Mirame uh uh uh Mirame... Es Por Amor (translated) It's for the love that the world I face And for love If I fall I always get up And on the side of the road I see fallen angels It's for love that I'm never going to leave you And for love I hope what you're going to give me   And on the side of the road See angels fall There's a party and it's tonight Dance with me So I ask you to look at me It's for love That you do what you feel And for love

Meet Maria Teresa Kumar, co-founder and President of Voto Latino Foundation.  She has co-created a revolution for good and a coalition in America that says, "not on our watch".  The Latino vote is shifting the progressive movement and serving as a catalyst across the country.  Voto Latino has played a significant part over the last twenty years in increasing Latino voters turnout by 31%. Elisa Parker speaks with Kumar about how they engaged the 2nd largest demographic in the United States, including educating and connecting with young voters.  She talks about working within the system, how the system works for us when we're in the game; utilizing our superpowers and sharing their winning strategy.    Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  Moving from silos to solidarity. The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Maria Teresa: María Teresa Kumar is the co-founder and President of Voto Latino Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization, and its sister 501(c)(4 ) advocacy organization, Voto Latino. Voto Latino Foundation and Voto Latino are the largest Latino voter registration and Latino youth advocacy organizations in the country, respectively. Together, Voto Latino Foundation and Voto Latino, jointly known as Voto Latino, have registered over 1.4 million Americans in key battleground states since 2004, 79% of whom went on to vote.  Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic in the United States, and Voto Latino’s work has directly led to a substantial expansion of the Latino electorate in key states like Arizona and Nevada. Voto Latino has pioneered the use of technology, social media, and influencers to effectively register voters and counter disinformation at an unprecedented scale. Voto Latino reaches over 6 million Americans each month and has spent more than $100 million to ensure all Americans can participate in our democracy.  For this work, Fast Company named María Teresa one of the 100 Most Creative Minds, and the Analyst Institute recognized Voto Latino with an Expy Award for expanding the field of voter registration.  A sought-after political leader and strategist, María Teresa advised President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, and she currently serves on the National Task Force on Election Crises and the Brookings Institution’s Working Group on Universal Voting. She is chair of the Latino Anti-Disinformation Lab.  María Teresa is also an Emmy-nominated analyst for MSNBC and serves on the boards of Steve Madden, Emily’s List, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Additionally, she is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.  She has been named among Bloomberg’s 100 Influential Latinos, Washingtonian Magazine’s 100 Top Political Influencers, and Elle’s 10 influential women in Washington. The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Hispanic Executive Magazine, Latino Leaders Magazine, and Hispanic Business have all honored María Teresa.  Raised in Sonoma, California, María Teresa lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, Raj Kumar, and their two children. She is a first-generation graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the University of California, Davis. Voto Latino  

Meet Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, MD.  Over one year ago following the Dobbs decision, the doors closed at the last abortion clinic in Mississippi. Dr. Hamlin was one of the last doctors to serve at that clinic also known as “The Pink House”.  As a reproductive justice advocate with over 35 years of experience, Dr. Hamlin travels to where she is needed the most, be that New Mexico, Alabama or North Carolina. One year later, Elisa Parker speaks with Dr. Hamlin, an AMWA member, regarding her recent revelations, why she continues to show up for women’s freedom to choose and perform abortions in communities of the most vulnerable. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights.  For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Cheryl: Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, MD is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Cambridge, MA specializing in obstetrics & gynecology. She graduated from University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1988 and has 35 years of experience.  She currently practices at Mount Auburn Hospital and is affiliated with Mount Auburn Hospital and also serves as a traveling doctor at abortion clinics nationwide.   American Medical Women’s Association To advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in  health care. AMWA Advances Women In Medicine History and Impact For over a century, the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) has been committed to the advancement of women in medicine. Although the number of women choosing careers in medicine has grown substantially, there has not been a commensurate rise in women to senior leadership positions. AMWA’s work helps address this gender gap in leadership, through advocacy, mentorship and sponsorship, leadership development, research, constituency building, and policy reform – with a goal for institutional and cultural transformation in gender equity and career parity. https://www.amwa-doc.org/about-amwa/    

Meet Congresswoman Cori Bush, the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri and a co-leader of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) Caucus. Congresswoman Cori Bush is an activist, nurse, pastor, and community leader who is redefining what it means to be a member of Congress. Host Elisa Parker speaks with Bush about her leadership to ensure that the ERA is published in the U.S. Constitution, the moment she decided to run, the momentum of youth activists and why we must flow and grow together, her personal passion behind the Unhoused Bill and why we are all essential in uplifting a defining moment in history for all people to experience equity and equality.  In this inspiring discussion she remindes us to, "mind your mission, the sky is not your limit and walk in your purpose." Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of August highlights Women's Equality Day, the March on Washington and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Cori: Congresswoman Cori Bush, the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri and a co-leader of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) Caucus. She is an activist, nurse, pastor, and community leader who is redefining what it means to be a member of Congress. Representative Bush has lived the struggles regular, everyday people endure; from the impact of skyrocketing housing costs to payday lending to systemic racism in policing, she’s lived the ways injustice in our nation holds people back in St. Louis and across America. In just her first year, Congresswoman Cori has changed the debate in Congress by introducing major pieces of legislation like a Green New Deal for Cities and the People’s Response Act, and led a campaign on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to prevent people from being evicted during the pandemic. Earlier this year, she made national headlines when she shared her own powerful experience with sexual assault and abortion. Congresswoman Cori is a transformational leader with a relentless drive to deliver for Missouri’s first district–especially for people who have long been harmed by the way our government too often prioritizes the rich and powerful over everyone else. Congresswoman Cori has lived the struggles that many in her community have faced. She is a single mom, has experienced being unhoused and evicted, and she is a survivor of police, sexual, and domestic violence. Her mission is to do the very most for her community — starting with those who have the very least.  

Meet Steve Andersson, Former Illinois State Representative and President of Momentum Consulting Group LTD.  Steve is a Commissioner of Human Rights for the State of Illinois appointed by Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker, serves as a board member for the ERA Coalition and known in parts as the ERA Whisperer.   During his last session in the Illinois House, Representative Andersson was the Chief Republican Sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment and successfully passed the amendment making Illinois the 37th to pass the ERA.  Since passage of the ERA in Illinois, Representative Andersson has traveled the country advocating for passage in additional states.  He has been a practicing lawyer since 1992 and is licensed to practice in Illinois, the 7th Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Host Elisa Parker speaks with Andersson about his legendary effort to ratify the ERA in the state of Illinois, how he convinced fellow Republicans to vote for the ERA and evolvled in his stewardship (he's now pro-choice), why the ERA is not just good for business but good for men and all of humanity. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of July highlights health and wellness, reproductive justice, liberty and freedom and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Steve: Steve Andersson, Former Illinois State Representative and President of Momentum Consulting Group LTD (ERA Whisperer) Steve Andersson is President of the Government Consulting Practice, Momentum Consulting Group LTD, providing counsel and guidance to entities seeking to advocate in the Illinois State Capitol.  Prior to forming Momentum, he was a Commissioner of Human Rights for the State of Illinois appointed by Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker.  He is also a retired member of the Illinois House of Representatives.  During his tenure, he was floor leader for the House Republican Caucus and oversaw all debate on the House floor.  In addition, Representative Andersson led a bi-partisan initiative to end the longest state budget impasse in US history, overriding the veto of his own Republican Governor in order to do so.   During his last session in the Illinois House, Representative Andersson was the Chief Republican Sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment and successfully passed the amendment making Illinois the 37th to pass the ERA.  Since passage of the ERA in Illinois, Representative Andersson has traveled the country advocating for passage in additional states.  He has traveled to Virginia, Arizona, Florida, Missouri, New York, Utah and Washington D.C. and continues his advocacy to this day. He has also published on the topic of passage of the ERA in the N.Y.U. Review of Law & Social Change and has written numerous opinion-editorials on the subject. In January 2020, he was featured in an Article published in the Washington Post called, “The man celebrating Virginia’s historic Equal Rights Amendment vote.” By Petula Dvorak.  Most recently, he was singled out during floor debate on the removal of the federal deadline for the ERA, by Speaker Nancy Pelosi for his bi-partisan efforts in passing the ERA.  He has been a practicing lawyer since 1992 and is licensed to practice in Illinois, the 7th Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. About Momentum Consulting Group Ltd. https://www.momentum100.com/about Momentum Consulting Group Ltd. is an Illinois based government consulting firm where we use our experience in local government, the legislature, the judiciary and the administration for the advancement of our clients interests. We represent a diverse group of clients who believe that individuals, government, and business can work together to improve our communities and our state. Our practice is non-partisan, and open to any who seek an honest advocate for their position.  We build solutions by closely listening to our clientele and understanding their expectations. We know how to analyze this information and customize our offerings to changing needs. Get in touch today to learn more about the Momentum Consulting Group, Ltd.  

Meet Christian Nunes, President of NOW (National Organization for Women) the second African American president in the organization’s history, the youngest person of color, and the youngest president in more than 40 years the the organization.  ERA Coaltion partner, NOW, is dedicated to its multi-issue and multi-strategy approach to women’s rights, and is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States.  This week marks the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of the Equal Rights Amendment at Seneca Falls Host Elisa Parker speaks with Nunes about her work for gender equity, mental health, coalition building for social justice.  She shares her personal stories leading as a woman of color in America, living with joy and purpose, the truths and burdens communities face and how we can all engage in activism at the grassroots level.   Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices/ERA Coalition, Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of July highlights health and wellness, reproductive justice, liberty and freedom and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.     www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Christian: Christian F. Nunes, MBA, MS, LCSW,  became NOW president in August 2020. She was previously appointed Vice President by the board in May 2019. As the second African American president in the organization’s history, the youngest person of color, and the youngest president in more than 40 years, Nunes is leading the organization through an intersectional lens, bringing a diverse coalition of grassroots activists to work against structural sexism and racism. Christian is a former NOW board member and committee chair, as well as a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, and woman-minority business owner. She is an active community organizer and public speaker, regularly featured at events such as the March for Black Women, Women’s March Events, and rallies around the country in support of the Equal Rights Amendment and immigration rights.  Along with her activism for mental health, Christian has more than 20 years of experience advocating for children’s and women’s issues. Since assuming a leadership role at NOW, Christian has launched key initiatives such as the Unlock the Future campaign, which demands humane treatment for detained immigrant families, in particular women and girls seeking refuge from sexual violence, assault, and poverty. She led the creation of a Bill of Rights for Immigrant Women and Girls, which has been signed by thousands of supporters and cosponsors. She is also spearheading racial equity training for all levels of the organization, including NOW’s grassroots membership. Christian launched NOW’s Racial Justice Summit in 2020 and has recently launched the 100 days of the Feminist Agenda Campaign in partnership with Black Women’s Blueprint and is planning webinar training institute for NOW members that will cover various topics. Throughout her career, Christian has played an integral role in the drafting of policy positions with local and national coalition partners, including a recent collaboration with the National Coalition for the Homeless to draft legislation to provide housing, childcare, and supportive services for individuals in need, with a particular focus on homeless women and girls. Christian is the founder of a behavioral health and consulting practice, where she assisted social service and behavioral health companies, as well as provided direct mental health services to individuals and families. Her expertise in mental health helps her to understand the direct experience of constituents and understand where policy and legislation is disconnected from the real experience of the people. “It helps me become a better activist and advocate, as well as understand the pieces that are often missing in policy and legislation,” Christian says. As an advocate for social justice and mental health policy, she took up the role as Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues and co-authored a community survey on police response to crisis. Additionally, she has worked tirelessly to elect progressive candidates to school boards and local office positions. Christian is often featured in media outlets including MSNBC, Business Insider, PRISM, Politico, the Huffington Post, Ebony, Black Enterprise magazine, Yahoo News, and many more national and local outlets. She received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) from Northern Arizona University, her Master of Science degree from Columbia University, and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Phoenix. NOW (National Organization for Women) As the grassroots arm of the women’s movement, the National Organization for Women is dedicated to its multi-issue and multi-strategy approach to women’s rights, and is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. NOW has hundreds of chapters and hundreds of thousands of members and activists in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since our founding in 1966, NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life. Our priorities are winning economic equality and securing it with an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will guarantee equal rights for women; championing abortion rights, reproductive freedom and other women’s health issues; opposing racism; fighting bigotry against the LGBTQIA community; and ending violence against women. https://now.org    

Meet Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, former president of AMWA (American Medical Women's Association) and 1st Hispanic president of the the organization.  ERA Coaltion partner, AMWA, advances women in medicine, advocates for equity and ensures excellence in health care. Host Elisa Parker speaks with Rohr about her work on the Capitol to co-create sex equality in healthcare and for reproductive justice.  She shares her personal story as a first generation physician, the inequities that still exist in the medical field, including the lask of medical research invested and conducted for women and how the publication of the Equal Rights Amendment could ratify health and wellness for all Americans.     Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of July highlights health and wellness, reproductive justice, liberty and freedom and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.   www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Theresa: Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.M.W.A California native Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber graduated from California State University, Long Beach, and Weill College of Medicine at Cornell. Training as an Internist at University Hospitals of Cleveland, she is a professor of medicine and clinical educator who joined the faculty of AU/UGA Medical Partnership in March 2021.   A physician advocate, leading efforts to improve the health of women and their families, her leadership positions include 1st Hispanic president of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), vice-chair of the American Medical Association (AMA) Women’s Physician Section, AMA Minority Affairs Governing Council and the Dissemination and Implementation Steering Committee for the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative with the American College of OBGYN. An inaugural fellow of AMWA Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber, is the recipient of many leadership and teaching awards.   As an underrepresented minority professor of medicine, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber is passionate about the need for increased diversity in healthcare. Developing programs and mentoring, she strives to assist physicians and others to find satisfaction in their careers. Teaching to ensure our future physicians have a well-rounded background in clinical medicine and understand the social determinants that affect health and wellbeing, her clinical expertise is in primary care for adults and adolescents, especially those with chronic conditions.   American Medical Women’s Association To advance women in medicine, advocate for equity, and ensure excellence in  health care. AMWA Advances Women In Medicine History and Impact For over a century, the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) has been committed to the advancement of women in medicine. Although the number of women choosing careers in medicine has grown substantially, there has not been a commensurate rise in women to senior leadership positions. AMWA’s work helps address this gender gap in leadership, through advocacy, mentorship and sponsorship, leadership development, research, constituency building, and policy reform – with a goal for institutional and cultural transformation in gender equity and career parity. https://www.amwa-doc.org/about-amwa/  

Meet Lori Sokol, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of Women's eNews and ERA Coaltion partner.  Host Elisa Parker speaks with Lori about her personal story as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, the power of story and changing the narrative, how aboloshing patriarchy will support everyone, including men and boys, the implications of the overturn of Roe v. Wade and how women are rising up together to ensure we are all free and considered equal under constitutional law.   Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of June highlights Generation Ratify speaking about the youth movement for the Equal Rights Amendment, advocates supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus speaking about Juneteenth. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.   www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Lori: Lori Sokol, Ph.D., is the Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of Women's eNews, an award-winning, non-profit, global news organization that reports on the most crucial issues impacting women and girls around the world. Dr. Sokol is also the author of the award-winning book, She Is Me: How Women Will Save The World, which profiles 30 women including Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Leymah Gbowee, and other extraordinary women who are contributing to the safety, peace and resiliency of our planet. Dr. Sokol’s articles have also been published in The Baltimore Sun, Slate.com, and The Huffington Post, and she has recently been profiled in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, MSNBC, CNBC, WPIX and NY1. https://womensenews.org/ About Women’s eNews Women’s eNews reports the stories of women and girls to create a more equitable world. Women’s eNews is an award-winning nonprofit (501c3) news service covering issues of particular concern to women and providing women’s perspectives on public policy. With writers and readers around the globe Women’s eNews’ audience stretches from New York City to New Delhi and all points between, totalling 50,000 annual subscribers and reaching an estimated 3.5 million readers each year. Women’s eNews editors seek out freelance writers from around the world to write on every topic–politics, religion, economics, health, science, sustainability, education, sports, legislation–and commission them to write 800-word news articles for distribution each day to our subscribers and for posting on our Web site. We rely on the best practices of journalism and have gained enormous credibility by doing excellent journalism each day.  

Meet Teresa Younger, Executive Director of the Ms. Foundation and ERA Coaltion partner.  Host Elisa Parker speaks with Teresa about their mission to to build women’s collective power in the U.S. and advance equity and justice for all.  Celebrating the organization's 50th anniversary, Teresa has set out on a 50 state tour to listen, to learn and to ask the question, "How do we create the world we deserve." Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of June highlights Generation Ratify speaking about the youth movement for the Equal Rights Amendment, advocates supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus speaking about Juneteenth. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.   www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Teresa: Teresa C. Younger, President and CEO Teresa C. Younger is an activist, advocate, renowned public-speaker, organizational strategist, and a proven leader in the philanthropic and policy sectors. Having spent over 20 years on the frontlines of some of the most critical battles for comprehensive equity and the elimination of institutionalized oppression, she now serves as the President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women. Prior to joining the Ms. Foundation for Women, Younger served as the executive director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut — the first African American and the first woman to hold that position. Younger is a thought leader at the critical intersections of gender and race. Within the philanthropic sector she serves on initiatives to shape and change the narrative of women and girls, including Grantmakers for Girls of Color, Funders for Reproductive Equity, Philanthropy New York and Black Funders for Social Justice. Additionally, Younger serves on a number of boards including the Ethel Walker School and Essie Justice Group. She has appeared on MSNBC’s UP with David Gura, NBC News, NPR Radio, Elle Magazine, Cosmopolitan, SiriusXM, and in USA Today, AP, Rewire, BadassWomenLeaders.com podcast and the New York Times. Younger is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in Humanities from the University of New Haven in 2018. She is also a proud lifetime Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient. Ms. Foundation for Women The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women. Instagram  

Meet Noreen Farrell, Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates and ERA Coaltion partner.  Host Elisa Parker speaks with Noreen about their Equal Pay Today campaign and the LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day. Equal Rights Advocates fights for gender justice in workplaces and schools across the country. Since 1974, we’ve been fighting on the front lines of social justice to protect and advance rights and opportunities for women, girls, and people of all gender identities through groundbreaking legal cases and bold legislation that sets the stage for the rest of the nation. Hosted by nationally acclaimed radio host and Equal Voices Elisa Parker, Equality Talks bridges the intersections of equality, justice, and social activism to unify as a collective and change the status quo.   Equality Talks focuses on the key facets of equality across all communities, including everything from gender, racial, economic and reproductive justice, to labor, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ rights. Programming for the month of June highlights Generation Ratify speaking about the youth movement for the Equal Rights Amendment, advocates supporting LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and members of the Congressional ERA Caucus speaking about Juneteenth. For more information on Equality Talks go to www.ERACoaltion.org and www.EqualVoice.org.  The ERA Coalition was founded in 2014 to bring concerted, organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The ERA Coalition has a sister organization, the Fund for Women’s Equality, which promotes public education and outreach on the need for constitutional equality. Composed of more than 290 organizations across the country representing millions of people, the Coalition is a movement of movements focused on overall equality in the United States.   While the effort to amend the constitution to include sex equality began nearly a century ago, our renewed efforts are centered on women of color (African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina, and Native American), gender-nonconforming and transgender women and girls, and nonbinary people – those who are most impacted by systemic inequities.   www.eracoalition.org | www.fundforwomensequality.org About Noreen: Noreen Farrell is the Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates, one of the nation’s leading legal nonprofits advocating for women and girls at work and school. Noreen was named a top Legal Innovator in 2014. She also was named one of the 2012 Top Women Leaders in Law by The Recorder and, in 2013, she was named as one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California and Top Employment Lawyers in California by the Daily Journal. She has led ERA’s impact litigation and policy efforts to eradicate sex discrimination (previously as ERA’s Legal Director and as its Executive Director since April 2012). She has served as counsel in numerous successful individual and class actions, including on behalf of female students, janitors, retail workers, lawyers, restaurant workers, tradeswomen, educators, and casino workers. Noreen speaks extensively across the country and has published widely on civil rights matters. She is considered a national leader in a variety of gender justice issues, including Title IX protection of students from sex discrimination, fair pay, sexual harassment, workplace leave and accommodation, and the protection of caregivers from discrimination at work. Noreen currently serves as Chair of the Stronger California Advocates Network, a collaboration of nearly 30 organizations advancing a comprehensive women’s economic security policy agenda. She also chairs the Equal Pay Today Campaign, a national campaign led by ERA and 20 other organizational partners closing the gender wage gap in states across the country.