This weekend, across the state, women are uniting around the change they want to see in this country, in commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the historic Seneca Falls Convention.
Women to Women events, as they're called, trace the struggle for women's voting rights to the struggle for the rights and protection that women seek today, and find hope for in candidates like Barack. Women across Ohio will take the energy passed on by the generations that preceded them, and use it to take action in this campaign. There will be canvassing, phone-banking, and organizational meetings.
Nowhere was the connection between the past and the present of the struggle more evident than today in Akron, where canvassing was preceded by a performance of Sojourner Truth's famous speech on women's rights, in the very place where she delivered it. Regional Field Director Max described the afternoon:
This event featured Mrs. Shirley Washington’s (an interpretive speaker) account of Sojourner Truth’s historic “And Ain’t I a Woman” speech in 1851. Sojourner Truth, a former slave, was a leading voice in both the abolitionist movement and the women’s rights movement. This reading and canvass kickoff was held next to the Sojourner Truth Building which was erected years later at the site of this landmark for women’s rights.Two of our favorite lines of hers after her interpretation were:“Women still don’t believe that we can speak up, stand up, and act up. But it is only through acting up that we will create change and get Barack Obama elected.”and“Women have to reach out to women so we do what is right. And what is right for women is to vote for Barack Obama.”Following her interpretation and comments by other leading women in Akron, Organizing Fellow Liz gave canvassing instructions and we broke out into groups that covered sections of Akron ranging from Summit Lake, Goodyear Heights, and North Akron.[In this shot is] organizer Beth instructing mother/daughter volunteer duo Mary Beth and Mary.
This event featured Mrs. Shirley Washington’s (an interpretive speaker) account of Sojourner Truth’s historic “And Ain’t I a Woman” speech in 1851. Sojourner Truth, a former slave, was a leading voice in both the abolitionist movement and the women’s rights movement.
This reading and canvass kickoff was held next to the Sojourner Truth Building which was erected years later at the site of this landmark for women’s rights.
Two of our favorite lines of hers after her interpretation were:“Women still don’t believe that we can speak up, stand up, and act up. But it is only through acting up that we will create change and get Barack Obama elected.”and“Women have to reach out to women so we do what is right. And what is right for women is to vote for Barack Obama.”Following her interpretation and comments by other leading women in Akron, Organizing Fellow Liz gave canvassing instructions and we broke out into groups that covered sections of Akron ranging from Summit Lake, Goodyear Heights, and North Akron.
[In this shot is] organizer Beth instructing mother/daughter volunteer duo Mary Beth and Mary.
Events like today's show that Barack's is just the latest in a long line of movements for change, to the voices of everyone heard.
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