• President's Message by Jeannine Taylor
• Photos: WLALA Awards and Installation Gala
• WLALA Foundation Message by Sarah Quist
• Text2Give to WLALA Foundation
• WLALA Foundation Partner: Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law
• “First in Class:" Remembering the Late Senator Dianne Feinstein by Jacquiline Wagner
• Photos: APAWLA's 30th Anniversary Dinner
• Photos: Cal-APABA Conference
• Photos: BWL's Installation Dinner and Gala
• Photos: Power Lunch Program
• Volunteer for WLALA's Power Lunch Program - October 12, 2023
• 2024 Judge Beverly Reid O'Connell Scholarship for High School Women - Applications are due April 30, 2024
• An Evening with Leadership of the Criminal Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court - October 23, 2023
• SAVE THE DATE: WLALA Holiday Party - December 06, 2023
• WLALA Board of Governors Member Rebecca Goodrich
• WLALA Foundation Board of Governors Member Anabel Sanchez
• Welcome New Members!
• CWL's So, You Want to Be a Lawyer? - October 7, 2023
• DWC's Gala - October 8, 2023
• Support DWC by Shopping at MADE by DWC
• BHBA's Advanced Mediation Topics - October 11, 2023
• MABA's Immigration Attorney and Student Mixer - October 12, 2023
• CWL's In Conversation With: Judge Michelle Williams Court - October 17, 2023
• Judicial Mentor Program - Antelope Valley Workshop - October 25, 2023
• ACFE Los Angeles Fall Event - October 25, 2023
• Volunteer Judges - Southern California Moot Court - October 28-29, 2023
• LLBA's Gala - October 27, 2023
• Teach Democracy Seeking Volunteers for Mock Trial
• Local Bar Calendar
• WLALA Resources
• Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15): This month we continue to honor Hispanic and Latinx Americans for their contributions to U.S. culture.

Days to Remember and Recognize -

October 10 – Indigenous People’s Day: This day honors the indigenous people of North America (formerly Columbus Day)

October 14 – ­Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine Day: This day celebrates those who have fought for the freedom of Ukraine. Originally named Defender of Ukraine Day, in 2021 Ukraine changed the name of the holiday to Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine Day (Den zakhysnykiv i zakhysnyts) to honor the courage and heroism or the female defenders of Ukraine.

“Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, often times, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Dear Members, Friends, and Allies,

In the grand celebration of WLALA's 104th year, we welcomed a dynamic Board of Women Warriors! Thank you to all who joined us for an incredible night of festivities – including raising a record-breaking $8,000 for WLALA scholarships (quadrupling prior records), WLALA’s launching its first virtual silent auction (which raised another $5,000), and dancing the night away with New Orleans inspired Hurricane cocktails in hand….

Our Mardi Gras themed Awards and Installation Gala spotlighted two organizations committed to the fight for equity and justice in healthcare: Black Women for Wellness (BWW) and St. John’s Community Health (SJCH). BWW is the first organization in the country dedicated to raising the awareness of disparities in access to reproductive services for under resourced communities. St. John’s aligns with these efforts, by serving a population of patients where 83% live below the Federal Poverty Level ($30,000 for a family of 4) and offering these patients access to critical healthcare services. During this month of Breast Cancer Awareness, let's prioritize our own breast screenings and rally behind St. John’s Community Health as they work tirelessly to provide breast and cervical screenings to those who might otherwise go without. We urge our members to visit BWW and SJCH’s sites and consider contributing time or financial support towards ensuring that the most vulnerable among us are not left without access to basic healthcare and reproductive services.

We also honored and found inspiration in icons like the Honorable Connie Quinones and the dynamic Wilma Pinder. Judge Quiñones shared how a true “Chingona” pays it forward as she reflected on the transformative power of mentorship, while Wilma brought down the house while dancing to Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” and culminated the evening with moving remarks on living a life of S.E.R.V.I.C.E. We challenge our membership to emulate their commitment to mentorship and service through a simple ask: reach out to a student, colleague, or acquaintance and inquire how you can be of service – through extending invitations to networking events, preparing recommendation letters, or encouraging contributions to publications. Together, through sponsorship and mentorship, we can pay homage to these icons and use our acts of service to shape a more equitable, inclusive world.

In your service,

Jeannine Taylor



WLALA President

WLALA's Awards and Installation Gala Photos

WLALA Foundation Message

For the past three years, Forbes has included a California woman lawyer among the top five on its list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Woman. Vice President Kamala Harris has attained what has never been done before by a woman – election to the office of the Vice President. I’m still celebrating that broken glass ceiling! Like Vice President Harris, who pursued a public service career, the WLALA Foundation supports talented public interest-oriented students.

In 2023, the WLALA Foundation supported 10 esteemed women in law school or high school through a WLALA Foundation fellowship or scholarship.

·     Elizabeth Monroe (UC Irvine 2L) and Gabriella Herrera Cohen (UCLA 3L), the WLALA Foundation’s Fran Kandel Public Interest Fellows, each completed a social justice-oriented project with a tangible outcome while at summer public interest internships.

·     Kaya Van Dyke (UCLA 2L) and Mia Villegas (USC 2L), the Foundation’s Inner City Law Center (ICLC) Fellows, spent their summer working with ICLC’s Homeless Veterans Project with a focus on issues affecting women veterans.

·     Adelaida Brown (UC Irvine 3L), Sandra Guzman (UC Irvine 4L), Lesondra Jones (Colleges of Law, Ventura Campus HJD program), G. Jacqueline Mejia-Cuéllar (UC College of the Law, San Francisco,2L), and Tallin Moyer (UCLA 3L) each received a Ruth Bader Ginsberg scholarship, having been selected for their dedication to fighting for social justice, equality, and inclusion, including a demonstrated commitment to issues affecting women, children, people of color and other historically marginalized groups. Ms. Brown’s scholarship is made in honor of the late Judge Judith C. Chirlin, a longstanding WLALA Board member and 2002 WLALA Women in Law Trailblazer / Ernestine Stahlut awardee.

·     Lana Fleischli (Bard College, Freshman) received the Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Scholarship, awarded annually to a woman high school senior who is interested in the field of law or public service, and whose career choice was inspired by the WLALA Foundation’s Power Lunch Program, WLALA, or a WLALA leader.

Congratulations to all the 2023 fellowship and scholarship recipients. Read their bios here. They have empowered women, advocated for the disadvantaged in our community, and given us faith in the future.

In addition to Kamala Harris, for over 10 years, Forbes has also included a philanthropist among the top ten on its list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. As they say, money is power. The WLALA Foundation - WLALA’s charitable arm - allocates the monetary contributions of WLALA members and supporters to programs that advance women in the legal community and community at large. Our money and our time are power.

As we remember all the inspiring words about justice, faith and power shared at the WLALA installation and awards gala, I invite you to take a moment and consider how you can exercise your power through the WLALA Foundation this year.

·     Contributions to the WLALA Foundation’s Charitable Fund Campaign support scholarships and fellowships for public interest minded law students and allow the Foundation to offer financial support to organizations sharing its mission such as the Downtown Women Center and Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law. Text GiveWLALA to 41444 to support WLALA Foundation today.

·     Through the WLALA Foundation, you can provide pro bono services at the Sojourn Domestic Violence Project, the Inner City Law Center, and at Harriet Buhai.

·     If you have a free lunch hour, volunteer at a Power Lunch Program to mentor high school students about careers in the law. The WLALA webpage lists current opportunities to volunteer on October 5 downtown or October 12 in Torrance.

·     Bring your colleagues to volunteer with the WLALA Foundation at the Los Angeles Food Bank through Food From the Bar in the spring.



Set your intention today for how you will channel your power through the WLALA Foundation. 

Sarah Quist



WLALA Foundation President

Text2Give for WLALA Foundation

The WLALA Foundation Board is immensely grateful to everyone who contributed and donated through the gala's silent auction or Text2Give program. It is not too late and you can still donate by texting GiveWLALA to 41444.

The WLALA Foundation Charitable Fund Campaign officially runs from October through January. Donations will help fund and support the RBG Equality Scholarships, Inner City Law Center and Fran Kandel Public Interest Summer Fellowships, and our community partners, including the Harriet Buhai Center, Downtown Women’s Center, and the Power Lunch program.

WLALA Foundation Partner

Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law

Did you know that WLALA was one of the founding members of the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law?

The Center was founded in the early 1980s by Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. Since its inception, the Center has served as a cornerstone of family law and domestic violence assistance for low-income persons in California. The Center provides free, comprehensive, and compassionate family law legal services to hundreds of low-income individuals every year. It creates a safer, healthier future for hundreds of individuals who can’t afford the legal help they need to get back on their feet.

Harriett Buhai, herself an active WLALA member, provided pro bono legal assistance to needy families in South Central Los Angeles. After her death in 1983, WLALA colleagues and friends proposed that the fledging family law project be renamed in her honor. In November of 1984, the new corporation was registered by the CA Secretary of State, as the “Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law.”

Today, Alyssa Dickerson, WLALA Foundation’s Liaison to the Harriet Buhai Center, continues to maintain the historic connection between WLALA Foundation and the Harriet Buhai Center. Alyssa co-founded the Harriet Buhai Center New Leaders Network and in July 2023, launched its inaugural event.

The New Leaders Network is a community of rising leaders who care about social justice in Los Angeles. Its goal is to foster deeper connections to the Center and build a network of people who share a dedication to its mission. By joining New Leaders Network, members have access to unique volunteer, educational, and networking events and have the opportunity to lend a voice to further the Center’s mission, alongside some of LA’s most impactful and altruistic professionals. Learn more about New Leaders Network and how to join here.

“First in Class:"

Remembering the Late Senator Dianne Feinstein

By: Jacquiline Wagner

Smart, strong, brave and, frankly, beautiful, the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s legendary career was marked by an iconic series of “firsts.”

In 1969, when most women were not legally permitted to have a credit card in their own name, Diane Feinstein became the first woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Following the tragic assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978, Feinstein, then President of the Board of Supervisors, was automatically sworn in as San Francisco’s first female mayor. 

Feinstein was inarguably successful as a novice mayor and ran for the office in her own right. In 1980, she was elected (and then re-elected) by a landslide, serving two four-year terms as San Francisco’s first female elected-mayor. 

By all accounts, Feinstein effectively led San Francisco through its HIV/AIDS epidemic and economic crisis of the early 1980s. In fact, City and State Magazine named her America's "Most Effective Mayor" in 1987. Following her decade-long tenure as San Francisco’s mayor, she unsuccessfully ran for California Governor in 1990. 

Undeterred by her loss in the gubernatorial race and inspired by Anita Hill’s courageous and unprecedented testimony before Senate during the confirmation hearings of now Associate Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991, Feinstein and Barbara Boxer were elected as California’s first female U.S. Senators in 1992 as part of the wave of what became known as the “Year of the Woman.” In doing so, Feinstein and Boxer shared the distinction of becoming the first Jewish women in the U.S. Senate.

As a junior senator, Feinstein architected the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban- the first piece of federal legislation of its kind, as well as the first congressional action on global warming in 2001.

In 2009, Feinstein became the first female Senator to chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. That same year, as the first woman to chair the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, she also became the first woman to preside over a presidential inauguration (President Obama’s).

In 2017, Feinstein became the first woman ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

At the time of her death, she was the Senate’s eldest sitting member and the longest serving female Senator in U.S. history.

As the final act of her career, just hours before her death, Senator Feinstein cast what would be her last vote on the Senate floor. 

Fittingly, Senator Feinstein is succeeded by California’s first Black woman Senator, former EMILY’s List President, Laphonza Butler.



Senator Feinstein died of natural causes on September 29, 2023 at the age of 90. May her memory be a blessing.

APAWLA's 30th Anniversary Dinner

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance (APAWLA) on their 30th anniversary dinner and the honorees Mia F. Yamamoto and Justice Audra M. Mori! Thank you to Board of Governors Member Hon. Holly J. Fujie for the inspirational conversation with Justice Audra M. Mori.

Cal-APABA Conference

Powerhouse panel on "Trailblazing Women: The Story of How These Lawyers Became Leaders of Bar Associations." From left to right: Joan Haratani (moderator), LACBA Immediate Past President Ann I. Park, CWL President Mika Domingo, FBA President Sandhya Kogge, and WLALA Immediate Past President Janet Hong.

BWL's 48th Installation Dinner & Gala

Celebrating Black Women Lawyers (BWL) on their 48th installation and awards dinner and gala. Congratulations to President Ronni Whitehead Otieno and Immediate Past President Jasmine Horton!

WLALA's Power Lunch Program

Thank you to our volunteers and Co-Chairs, Board of Governors Member Kelly Hanker and Board of Governors Member Ji-In Houck, for organizing a wildly successful Power Lunch on October 5th with Wilson High School's Bridge Builders Foundation! Also, kudos to our moderator of the event, Board of Governors Member Hon. Jesscia Kronstadt.

WLALA sponsors a program called "The Honorable Beverly Reid O'Connell Power Lunch" with the LA Superior Court, which introduces high school kids to our judicial system. We're looking for attorney volunteers for upcoming Power Lunch program on October 12th at the Torrance Courthouse Courthouse which will host Gardena High School.

To volunteer for the October 12th at the Torrance Courthouse, please go to https://wlala.org/event/oct-12-the-honorable-beverly-reid-oconnell-power-lunch/.

The lunch will be from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Typically, we introduce the volunteers, as well as court room personnel (e.g., bailiff, court interpreter) to give the kids a sense of the different jobs in our judicial system and our personal educational backgrounds. Then we have about 30 minutes to coach the kids for a "Legal Jeopardy" game that tests their knowledge of various subjects. The Power Lunch ends with the Legal Jeopardy game.

For questions, please email info@wlala.org.

An Evening with Leadership of the Criminal Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court - October 23, 2023

Save the Date - WLALA Holiday Party

December 06, 2023

WLALA Board of Governors Member

Rebecca Goodrich

"As the legend Taylor Swift once said,

'other women who are killing it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you, and inspire you.' I became involved in WLALA to surround myself with women who are killing it. Already in my short time in WLALA, I have been motivated and inspired by the diverse and brilliant women who are making a real and positive difference in the legal community and throughout greater Los Angeles. Through my position on the board as Career Development & Life Balance Committee Co-Chair, I hope to mentor new and developing attorneys and create a framework of programming to continue to educate and support legal professionals. I can't wait to get started!"

Rebecca Goodrich is a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. She is currently assigned to the Community Violence Reduction Division, formerly known as the Hardcore Gang Division, where she prosecutes primarily gang-related homicide cases. Rebecca began her career as a prosecutor in San Bernardino County in 2013 and has worked as a Deputy District Attorney for LA County since 2015. 

Rebecca is an LA native, who received her J.D. from Southwestern Law School. Prior to law school, Rebecca received her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Southern California (and can still be found at all USC home football games - Fight On!). 

When she is not in court, Rebecca participates and volunteers with Project Lead (teaching 5th grade students about the criminal justice system) as well as Attorneys for Others (cooking and serving meals monthly for the underprivileged at the St Francis Church). Rebecca loves spending time with her husband and toddler, traveling, hiking, and riding to 90's jams on her peloton! 

Please welcome WLALA Board of Governors Member Rebecca Goodrich!

WLALA Foundation Board of Governors Member Anabel Sanchez

"Being a member of WLALA is a reminder that I am not in this journey alone. I share this profession with people who look like me and who struggle just like me. As I meet other WLALA members, and we begin to talk about our careers and our families, I realize how similar our struggles are and I am constantly reminded of how tenacious and relentless women in the legal profession are. WLALA has become a platform for me to meet other attorneys and learn from their experience. But it has also become a platform for me to encourage women interested in the legal profession and remind them that it IS an attainable dream."

Anabel Sanchez grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.  Upon graduation she began working for a local homeless shelter in skid row named the Union Rescue Mission.  Since her employment at the Union Rescue Mission, she focused her career towards assisting underprivileged communities.   

Anabel attended the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.  Upon graduation, Anabel returned to her work in the non-profit sector and led The Salvation Army’s Social Services Department for Southern California.  This region encompassed 9 counties including Los Angeles County.  In Los Angeles County alone, she oversaw 21 social services programs.   

In 2021, Anabel returned to legal services after being licensed through the Provisional Licensure Program offered by the State Bar of California as a response to the COVID 19 pandemic.  Anabel’s has focused her attention on family law, immigration law and criminal law with an emphasis in advocating for victims of violent crimes.

Please welcome WLALA Foundation Board of Governors Member Anabel Sanchez!

Welcome to Our New Members

Hina Adda

Oksana Aldendeshe

Marguerite Alberts

Lubna Alsagga

Baylynne Brunetti

Alyssa Castrillon

Aneliese Castro

Annabel Gholichian

Sonya Goodwin

Mikayla Grande

Ginny Hsiao

Wesley Hsu

Vanessa Hernandez

Melissa Keshishian

Kamila Knaudt

Mary Lagonoy

Pamela Lazo

Natalie Lopez

Emily McCorry

Negin Nadali

Vishakha Nagraj

Noelle Frances Natividad

Chloe Rastegar

Alexis Salzman

Alexandra Smith

Patricia Tangorra

Sallyanne Tejan

Tamar Tellado

Do you have a young woman in your life (high school, college, law school) who has expressed that they want to be a lawyer? Invite them to CWL’s “So, You Want to be a Lawyer?” program on October 7, a virtual program meant to increase the pipeline of attorneys. CWL will bring together professionals in the field to provide information tailored to students at each stage of their education to navigate paths forward toward a legal career. Beyond fundamentals, this program will guide students toward less talked about resources such as scholarships and mentoring. Students will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions to judges and lawyers who will share their experiences.

Support MADE by DWC

Looking for the perfect gifts for your friends or dreaming about the holidays already? Please support the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) by shopping at MADE by DWC. The DWC is the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness and formerly unhoused women. DWC’s mission is to end homelessness for women in greater Los Angeles through housing, wellness, employment and advocacy. In 2011, MADE by DWC was launched offering women the opportunity to earn income while gaining job skills and experience. MADE by DWC provides women with the opportunities to gain experience in production, inventory, retail, and customer service while working in a supportive and empowering environment. Every purchase you make at MADE by DWC empowers women transitioning out of homelessness. You can take a look at the beautiful candles, stationary, gift sets and accessories sold at MADE by DWC at www.madebydwc.org or by visiting the resale boutique located at 325 S. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. WLALA is proud to support the DWC!

Judicial Mentor Program

Antelope Valley Workshop

Volunteer Judges -

Southern California Moot Court 

Hello! Southern California Moot Court, USC’s undergraduate moot court team, is hosting its first-ever competition at USC from October 28 to 29. We would be honored to have interested lawyers or law students volunteer as judges! Please forward this proposal to anyone interested in serving a vital—and fun—role in a tournament that will be attended by almost 64 of the most ambitious pre-law students from across the country.

What is Southern California Moot Court

and the City of Angels Regional?

Southern California Moot Court (SCMC) is a competitive club using appellate-style litigation to provide USC undergraduate students with the best preparation for law school. We read existing case law, apply it to a hypothetical set of facts, and argue across the country through both written and oral advocacy. In only five years, SCMC has carved itself into the national leaderboard and consistently places among the top 5 teams in the country against more than 500. Please refer to our website, scmootcourt.org, or our Instagram, @uscmootcourt, for more information.

The City of Angels Regional marks the first time SCMC has ever hosted a competition in conjunction with the American Moot Court Association, the largest intercollegiate moot court association in the US. It will be a qualifying tournament with 32 teams from all across the country arguing issues related to the right to privacy and the Free Exercise Clause. The first day, October 28, will consist of 3 preliminary rounds. The second day, October 29, will consist of four elimination rounds, starting from octa finals all the way to finals. Each round of competition requires 2-3 volunteer judges with legal experience to weigh in on competitors’ arguments and presentations.

What are the benefits to volunteering?

On top of providing an indispensable service to the tournament by volunteering your time and efforts, we also believe the experience of serving as a judge is highly rewarding for two main reasons:

Nurturing young talent

The options to hone oral and written advocacy skills at the undergraduate level are few and far between. The immense benefit of the knowledge and skills gained by synthesizing jurisprudence, crafting arguments, and learning to present in front of judges before one ever even applies to law school cannot be understated– you, as a legal professional, can appreciate this. Nearly all the legal professionals we engage with comment on how they wish they had known about, or had, opportunities like moot court in college.

However, moot court is simply not possible without volunteer judges. Fellow students cannot judge rounds for obvious conflicts of interest and lack of expertise. We rely entirely on your help and support to execute competition fairly and provide competitors with a meaningful and productive experience. You could be the reason an undergraduate student feels inspired or encouraged to pursue a career in law; you would be helping to nurture the next generation of lawyers and judges.

Creating a network with SCMC and USC pre-law

In offering your help, you would create a strong connection between your organization, the SCMC team, and our pre-law family at USC. The SCMC team is always looking to host guest speakers, share opportunities in our newsletter and meetings, and volunteer in formative ways. We would make sure to consistently engage with volunteer judges post-competition to nurture our mutually beneficial network. There are also further opportunities to support our team as seen in our sponsorship package.

What is the time commitment?

There are two main responsibilities for a volunteer judge: (1) learning the case law and (2) judging rounds.

To aid with learning the case, volunteer judges will be provided with a bench brief. The American Moot Court Association will be providing additional resources and training judges before the tournament.

For judging, each round lasts about one hour, including set up, argumentation, and judge feedback. Judges can volunteer for anything between 1 to 7 rounds across the two days. Any time we can obtain from you is immensely appreciated, and we encourage all potential judges to sign up even if they can only volunteer for one round.

Logistics

The tournament will take place on October 28-29 at the University of Southern California. Free parking will be provided for all judges on both days, and we will also provide judges with food and refreshments throughout the process. Additional information, such as where to park and exactly what time the rounds will be, will be provided closer to the competition date.

This sounds great! How do I sign up?

To sign up, please fill out this form. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at southerncaliforniamootcourt@gmail.com. If you are unable to volunteer but would still like to support SCMC, we would appreciate if you could share this opportunity with others or give SCMC a donation at this link.

WLALA Needs Mentors for Law Students

WLALA needs attorney mentor volunteers since our increased presence in the legal community has led to increased participation among local law schools. WLALA's Law Student Mentoring Program pairs law student members with lawyer members to encourage and facilitate the development of women law students. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests and background where possible. The program is flexible; mentors and mentees choose when and how to stay connected with one another, whether through e-mail, telephone, in-person meet ups, or a combination. Many participants find that the one-on-one mentoring relationship becomes a long-term friendship.

WLALA Needs Volunteers For Committees, Sections and Liaisons

Did you know that WLALA is run almost entirely by volunteers? If you're interested in participating in WLALA Committees, Sections or acting as a Liaison, visit our website to find out more and sign up now!

Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

If you are interested in contributing an article or sharing member news, please reach out to Communications Officer Leana Taing at WLALA.communications@gmail.com Everyone loves to read about accomplishments, appointments, and promotions! Also, please do not forget to share photos or videos taken at WLALA events. We would love to share them in the newsletter and on our social media!

The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ("WLALA") promotes the full participation in the legal profession of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, maintains the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and improves the status of women by supporting their exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice.