Annual Meeting 2025
Join us in Newport, October 3rd to 5th, 2025. Board elections, social events, and a focus on one of our core issues: violence against women.
Don’t Believe Donald Trump, But Take Him Seriously
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – As Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union speech, he faced the most diverse Congress in history. Most notably, this included a room filled with women members dressed in white, as Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) explained, in a show of solidarity against “Republican attempts to roll
We Trust Women’s Reproductive Decision-Making
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: “The moral responsibility of decision making [on abortion], at whatever the gestation, should rest with women, their doctors, and their families because only they can know their circumstances and the results of their actions. There is no reason to assume that any higher burden of justification is required
Ralph Northam Must Resign—Then Comes The Hard Part
Statement by National NOW President Toni Van Pelt and VA NOW President Connie Cordovilla: WASHINGTON – Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has no choice but to resign following the reveal of a racist photo published on his medical school yearbook page and his inept and insensitive response. But one politician resigning from one office won’t address
The Criminalization Of Black Girls Must Stop!
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – It is reported a school nurse and vice principal at Binghamton East Middle School in New York State strip searched four African-American girls because they were acting “giddy” and authorities concluded they might be using drugs. News flash—12-year-old girls act silly sometimes. That’s not a problem
Why We Celebrate Black History Month—And What We Still Need To Learn
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt and Christian Nunes, Chairwoman of the Racial Justice Committee: WASHINGTON – Every February, we observe Black History Month as a way of celebrating, honoring and absorbing the lessons of the African Americans who have contributed so much to our culture, our communities and our nation. This year, we
The Paycheck Fairness Act Would Finally Assure Equal Pay for Equal Work
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – When the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, women were paid 58 cents for every dollar earned by men. Fifty-six years after the act’s passage, the difference is still apparent. Today, women are paid only 80 cents for every man’s dollar, and the gap is
The Supreme Court Enables Donald Trump’s Obsession With Ridding The Military Of Transgender Troops
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – By granting the Trump Administration’s request to allow it to bar most transgender people from serving in the military, the Supreme Court has taken another step away from judicial fairness, and towards political vendettas. Donald Trump launched this hate campaign in a series of tweets in
The Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade Reminds Us Women’s Lives Are At Stake
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, recognizing the Constitutional protection of a woman’s right to abortion care. Forty-six years later, Roe is still the law of the land—but just barely. Since Roe, state and federal lawmakers have attempted to pass
What Martin Luther King Jr. Day Means For Women
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt WASHINGTON – January 21 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national observance to honor the memory of the civil rights advocate. But we should also remember that Martin Luther King Jr. was an early and dedicated supporter of women’s rights. As a preacher at Dexter Avenue Baptist
NOW Demands RCA Records Drop R. Kelly
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt, NOW Combatting Racism Chair Christian Nunes and New York State-NOW President Sonia Osorio: WASHINGTON – For decades, R. Kelly has abused, exploited and endangered young Black girls. The Lifetime documentary series Surviving R. Kelly has provided chilling and appalling detail, and brought into focus a key question—why does the music