Celebrating Women’s Equality Day and the fight for justice

Here at CREDO, we’re celebrating Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution 100 years ago that afforded women the right to vote.

Many of the brave women of the suffragist movement fought tirelessly for the right of all women to vote — an incredible moment in history, indeed — yet in practice, the 19th Amendment ensured that mainly white women had access to the ballot. Black women living in the South faced strict Jim Crow laws, and many Native and Asian Americans were denied citizenship. It was only decades later, after long fought battles for equality and civil rights, that women of color could legally vote, too.

And yet, even 100 years later, women of color still face barriers to full voting rights. Restrictive voter ID laws, racial gerrymandering, the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and other voter suppression tactics continue to prevent access to voting. And as we grapple with true gender and racial equality in our country — including economic equality, equal pay, racial justice, representation in public office and more — full voting equality is essential to ensure progress on these critical issues.

At CREDO, we know the battle for voting equality is far from over, and we will always fight to ensure all women have equal rights and all voters have access to the ballot box. Since 1985, our members who use our products and services every day have helped us donate more than $9.9 million to voting rights groups and over $10.5 million to women’s rights groups like Women’s March, UltraViolet, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood. 

This month, we’re donating $250,000 to Black Voters Matter, Democracy for America and Vote.org who are working to protect our right to vote. Visit CREDODonations.com and vote to help us distribute this special donation among these three great groups.

WATCH: CREDO Votes 2020 Live with the ACLU’s Cecillia Wang

Cecillia Wang, the ACLU’s Deputy Legal Director and Director of the Center for Democracy, joined us live to discuss the ACLU’s work fighting for everyone’s right to vote in the upcoming election.