We are inviting our new administration to show their love to women this Valentine’s Day by taking 5 seconds out of their day to call the Archivist of the United States and direct him to publish the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution.
We’d love you to join us in the #LoveEquality Social Media Campaign: encourage this 5-Second act to complete ERA ratification by sharing the videos and graphics that we will post on our social media platforms every day until Valentine’s Day.
We all have women in our lives who we love: our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, partners, and friends. Let’s show them the love in 2021 by rewarding their 100+ year fight for equal rights with actual constitutional equality!
Thilagavathi Sivaprakasam has worked with Equal Means Equal tirelessly for the past four years. Most of you have probably interacted with her at some point over the years but I would like to share a little bit about Thila today. Thila grew up in poverty in Chennai, India where it is a major struggle for women to receive even a minimal education. She was oppressed and suppressed by casteism, sexism and poverty; and forced into marriage at the age of 16.
When her father abandoned their family, leaving enormous debt, Thila had to step up and take over her family’s financial responsibilities. She worked very hard to raise the standard of living for her entire family from homelessness to a somewhat stable environment; raising her two siblings, paying for their education and clearing all her father’s outstanding debts. But she never gave up fighting to one day continue her education.
In 2015 she was accepted to film school in Los Angeles where she excelled; it was there that she met Liz and Kamala and joined Equal Means Equal. Now Thila would like to attend Graduate School and attain a Masters’ degree.
She has applied to several top American universities and is proud to have secured admission offers from Boston University and the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. She has also been waitlisted at University of California, San Diego and is awaiting offer letter from Northeastern University. All of these colleges have top-rated Masters’ Programs in Data Analytics, which is what Thila wants to study.
Unfortunately, although she has received scholarships and loans, they do not cover the entire tuition. Natalie has started a Go Fund Me Campaign for Thila to help her achieve her lifelong goal of higher education – will you please consider supporting her? Any amount will be gratefully received by Thila and appreciated by her colleagues here at EME.
PLEASE DONATE HERE TO HELP THILA
And finally, here’s a fun Valentine’s Day throwback to 2019 when EME staged a “Valentine’s Day Die In” in front of former Virginia Speaker of the House Marvin Kirkland Cox’s office.
Natalie and Rachel got arrested and hauled off – check out the great video.
Less than a year later, Kirk Cox and his anti-equality pals were soundly defeated in the election. Now he’s in the minority, after support from people like you helped elect a pro- Equality majority in Virginia.
Front cover of the Richmond Times Dispatch
We hope you are all well and safe. We are hopeful and optimistic about the future. We send you lots of love.
With love,
Natalie, Thila, Kamala and the EME Team
PS: Your generous tax-deductible contributions are an investment in our results-driven organization on the frontlines of the fight for equality. Any amount is greatly appreciated, but for donations of $500 or more we’ll send you our exclusive (and very popular!) handmade Equal Means Equal hoodie as a special thank you.
