Supermajority Virtual Event "Supercharge" Boosts Women's Voting Power
With the 2020 presidential election just over a month away, it is crucial that everyone has a viable plan to get out the vote. Supermajority (opens in new tab), a women's equality organization dedicated to empowering women across the U.S., wants to help make that happen, and on September 26, Supermajority launched a 38-day mobilization campaign to help women get out the vote and make their voices heard this fall Provide the information, resources (such as this helpful checklist (opens in new tab)), and inspiration needed to.
The initiative will "Supercharge: vice presidential candidates Senator Kamala Harris, Gloria Steinem, Hillary Clinton, Jane Fonda, Ashley Judd, Retta, Amy Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Sashia Zamata, Samantha Bee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Ed Markey, Valerie Jarrett, Tina Chen, and many more of the most influential people of our generation will attend this virtual convention.
If the impressive roster of speakers has not yet convinced you to cancel your plans and tune in, we asked Supermajority co-founder Cecile Richards to discuss Supermajority's mission and Supercharge event, the importance of women voters, and asked her to share more about what's most at stake in the 2020 election; highlights from our Instagram Live (opens in new tab) conversation with Marie Claire editor-in-chief Sally Holmes follow.
"We launched Supermajority about a year ago and now we are a community of about a million people. We are now eager to make sure that women are counted in this election. The majority of our voters are women. We want to make sure that the issues we care about are discussed and, most importantly, that we see action in the next administration."
"I believe that all issues are women's issues. What I am hearing from women is that many of the issues they face in their daily lives are not part of the agenda. This is because many women are front line workers, nurses, caregivers, teachers, educators. The entire child care system in this country is so exhausted that it is very difficult for most women to work from home, care for their children, and take care of their extended loved ones. What I hear from these women is that we need a health care system that protects everyone, we need to end this pandemic, and we need real economic relief. Right now, unemployment, especially among women, is at record highs. And, of course, women want an end to partisan infighting. They want racial justice addressed. They want democracy to work and every vote to count.
"Justice Ginsburg's passing has brought renewed focus on the importance of representation in government. The President said in his campaign that he would only appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, and since his election he has tried to repeal the health care system. Five days after the election, the government will file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law. If the ACA is overturned, 20 million people with health care coverage will be at risk. This is an opportunity for (President Trump and Senator McConnell) and a system that forces Supreme Court nominees to do what they can't do legislatively. That is really dangerous."
"We must remember that several white women voted for Donald Trump (in 2016). I think these women saw how this president is governing and they don't like it. That is part of the reason we created the super majority. White women cannot continue to count on Black women and other women of color to be progressive voters. We too must do our part. The real idea here is to come together on the values and issues we jointly care about. The important thing to recognize is that when women stand together and vote, we can change things. The power of women to determine the future of this country cannot be overstated.
"Tomorrow at Supercharge, we will talk about how to address the epidemic of racial injustice, including the killing of black people. This is not a problem for women of color or people of color to solve; white people, especially white women, need to work across boundaries and raise these issues. In the experience of the super majority, it is understood that this is a huge problem and one that we as a nation have not addressed. Tomorrow we will pay special tribute to Breanna Taylor and Justice Ginsburg.
"We just launched a great service (to answer voting questions and help people register to vote) at Supermajority (opens in new tab). This is really important because the rules are changing in many states. Another important thing is to let women know that they can vote on time and safely in many states."
"We need a president and vice president who will bring this country back together and heal us. What I always hear from women is that they are tired of partisanship and division. They are tired of the "us versus them" conversation. Women want leaders who are compassionate, who can relate to people, and who can address the issues that we, especially women, face every day. But the resilience of women never ceases to amaze me. That's why I feel it's so important to build this community with a super majority."
This interview has been edited and summarized for clarity.
Watch "Supercharge": beginning September 26 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) on Supercharge2020.com and Supermajority's Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts for "Women All In" on Supercharge2020.com and Supermajority's Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts.
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