JWOCmarching Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Shoshana Brown
(718) 207–4486
JEWISH WOMEN OF COLOR JOIN WOMEN’S MARCH
Diverse, international coalition of Jewish women of color and allies convening large delegation to take part in national women’s march in Washington, DC
WASHINGTON D.C.- January 11, 2019: A new, international coalition of over 100 Jewish Women of Color has joined forces to declare allegiance with the Women’s March. In an open letter released today, the coalition affirmed its support for the March’s unity principles and emphasized the unique and crucial role of Jewish women of color in organizing for social justice.
The coalition — whose members hail from communities across the US and Canada, and whose participants are leaders from across of a range of social, political, religious, and secular groups and organizations — is convening a large delegation of Jewish Women of Color to attend the national women’s march event in Washington, DC, and is encouraging Jewish Women of Color to publicly support both the national march as well as local marches around the country on January 19. One of the leaders of the coalition, Boston-based CEO Yavilah McCoy, has also joined the list of official speakers for the Washington, DC march.
“As Jewish Women of Color, we support the Women’s March and believe that this is the time for our communities to affirm together that women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights,” the open letter reads. “As Jewish Women of Color who live at the intersection of racism, sexism and anti-Semitism, and who are committed to standing against white supremacy, patriarchy and religious oppression in all its forms, we will play an integral role in the healing and unification of our communities and in the work of securing greater justice and freedom for us all.”
“We Jewish Women of Color can speak for ourselves, and we do speak for ourselves,” shares Rabbi Mira Rivera of New York. “We are excited,” adds educator Chelsea Cross of Hawaii, “for the opportunity to lift up our own narrative about who we are — as women, as People of Color, and as Jews.”
The coalition will convene in Washington on Friday prior to the march and hold several Jewish Women of Color events in the DC area throughout the weekend, including participating in the march on Saturday.
For more information on the coalition and its work, search online using the hashtag #JWOCmarching.
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