After first gaining fame in the summer of 2017, the Afghan Girls Robotic Team continues to wow the world following an incredible international tour. The most recent success for the team of six young women was in Ontario, Canada, where they were honored with the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Award.
Louisiana Set to Pass 15 Week Abortion Ban
Last week the Louisiana state House passed a bill banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, challenging nearly half a century of legal precedent set in 1973’s Roe v. Wade. The bill has already been passed by the state Senate and now waits the Governor’s signature.
Federal Appeals Court Hears Title IX Complaint Brought by Feminist Majority Foundation
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard oral arguments in a Title IX sex discrimination complaint brought by the Feminist Majority Foundation against the University of Mary Washington and UMW’s former president Richard Hurley.
Pennsylvania Women Win Big in Primaries
Pennsylvania currently has no women serving in the U.S. Congress, but that could soon change following a strong performance from women candidates in yesterday’s primary race, many of whom have a strong chance at winning their general elections.
Arizona Teachers Strike to Protest Low Wages and Funding Cuts
Yesterday, Arizona teachers successfully ended their five day walkout after the Governor signed a plan giving educators a 19 percent pay raise.
Journalists Killed While Covering Explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan
ISIS took credit for the attacks which killed 30 civilians including nine journalists.
Women’s and Labor Rights Advocates hold Enough is Enough Summit on Sex Harassment
Last week the Enough is Enough Summit and Briefing on Capitol Hill harnessed the momentum of the #MeToo movement to bring together a diverse group of lawyers, activists, and policy makers to think through comprehensive survivor-centered policy solutions to the sexual harassment and violence epidemic in workplaces and schools.
Reproductive Justice and Immigrant Rights Activist Detained by ICE Granted Bond
In March, Alejandra Pablos was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and was held in the Eloy Detention Center in Arizon for 43 days. Alejandra traveled to Arizona from Virginia for a scheduled check-in with ICE where she was subsequently detained. On April 19, Alejandra was released from the Eloy Detention Center after a […]
Desiree Linden Becomes First American Woman to Win Boston Marathon in Over Three Decades
Desiree Linden won the women’s division of the Boston Marathon on Monday; the first American woman to win the race since 1985. It was a big day for American women, who claimed seven of the top eight spots in the race. The conditions were terrible But Linden pushed her way through a powerful headwind and […]
Activists Observe Inaugural Black Maternal Health Week
On April 11, the Black Mama’s Matter Alliance launched the inaugural Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) to promote awareness about the high mortality rate for Black mothers in the United States. According to the Black Mama’s Matter Alliance, the events of the inaugural Black Maternal Health Week “serve to amplify the voices of Black mamas […]
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Illinois Senate Votes To Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
Yesterday the Illinois State Senate voted 43-12 with no debate to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The initiative now heads to the Illinois House, where advocates warn passage is not a “slam-dunk.” While both chambers have approved the ERA in the past, it has never cleared both the Senate and the House in the same legislative session.
Appeals Court Hands Down Major Equal Pay Win
Yesterday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is illegal for employers to consider a woman’s previous salary when determining pay for her new job, as it perpetuates pay discrimination between men and women. The groundbreaking decision came the day before the national Equal Pay Day, which marks the point into 2018 […]
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Flint Residents Will No Longer Receive Free Bottled Water
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder announced late last week that the state would no longer be supplying residents of Flint with free bottled water, despite the fact that Flint is still suffering from dangerously high levels of lead in their tap water.
Oklahoma Teachers Strike Over Funding Failures
Teachers in Oklahoma are boycotting school and taking to the state Capitol today to demand better wages and more school funding in the wake of a successful teacher strike in West Virginia last month.
Kentucky Works to Outlaw Common & Safe Abortion Procedure
This week Kentucky lawmakers voted to outlaw a common and safe procedure known as dilation and evacuation that accounts for 95% of abortions performed after the first trimester, essentially banning all abortions after 11 weeks.
Linda Brown, Icon of School Desegregation, Dies at 75
Linda Brown, who as a child was at the center of the historical Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, died on Sunday in Topeka, Kansas at the age of 75.
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Thousands March For Our Lives
On Saturday, thousands of people took the streets of more than 800 cities and towns around the world to take part in the March For Our Lives, a student-led movement advocating for commonsense gun reform in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 students and teachers on Valentine’s Day.
Judge Blocks Mississippi’s 15 Week Abortion Ban
On Tuesday a federal judge temporarily blocked a new Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, the most restrictive abortion law in the country.
Supreme Court Hears Case on Fake Reproductive Health Clinics
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard the first abortion-related case of the Trump Administration.
Saudi Women Can Now Win Custody of Kids After Divorce
According to a statement from the Saudi Information Ministry, women in the country can now gain custody of their children after a divorce without having to file a lawsuit as long as there are no disputes between the parents.