Your Voice Is Not Optional!
Sisters,
This week, the news is heavy — and it is personal. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is now in its third week. Oil prices are threatening to surge toward $200 per barrel, driving up costs at the pump, at the grocery store, and in every corner of our lives — costs that fall hardest on low-income communities of color. Medicaid funding remains frozen in several states, and ACA enrollment has declined for the first time since 2020, with women of color — already disproportionately uninsured — absorbing the greatest losses. Meanwhile, billions of dollars are being spent on a war that most agree could have funded healthcare, housing, and economic relief for the communities that need it most. These are not abstract policy debates. They determine whether we can see a doctor, feed our families, and build a future.
And last week, closer to home, we watched Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett — a brilliant, qualified, experienced, and prepared Black woman — lose the Texas Democratic Senate primary despite leading in polls just days before Election Day. Her loss is a reminder that the fight for representation is far from over and must be fought for EVERY race in our own backyards. Representation matters, and we need more women of color seated at the table making decisions about the policies that impact our daily lives.
That is exactly why your advocacy matters. Now more than ever. History has always called on women of color to lead — and every time, we have answered. This moment is no different.
WE CAN — the Women’s Equity Center and Action Network — exists to help you channel that urgency into real, strategic, targeted, effective action, starting in your own backyard. Here is how we can build power together this spring:
This Thursday, March 19th, WE CAN is hosting a session on how state legislatures actually work — the people, the processes, and the pressure points where your voice carries the most weight. State houses are where so many of the fights that shape our daily lives are won or lost. Don’t sit on the sidelines.
On April 2nd, WE CAN turns the focus inward — to you. Sustaining this fight requires sustaining yourself. Join us for an event designed to help you prioritize your well-being while continuing to show up for your community. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Register HERE for Unshakeable: Grounding Yourself In Rest, Faith, and Resilience.
On April 9th, WE CAN will show you concrete ways to get your candidate elected. After you determine which candidate has earned your vote, I encourage you to work to get them elected. But if you’ve never worked on a campaign, it might be scary to put yourself out there. — even if you’ve never worked on a campaign before. Register HERE for Power, Purpose & the Polls: How Women of Color Help Win Campaigns.
And on April 23rd, we come together as a community — because teamwork makes the dreamwork. From writing letters to legislators to canvassing for candidates to activating with a small group of sisters, collective action multiplies our power. There is nothing we cannot accomplish when we move together. Join this session to learn how to connect and activate yourself with a small group of sisters. Register HERE for You Were Made for This: Become a WE CAN Action Team Leader.
WE CAN change the world. Think big. Start small. Start today. Start here — womensequity.org.
In solidarity,
Dr. Stephanie, WE CAN Founder