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RATIFIED - WHAT'S NEXT?
by René Bouchard
It was just November 13th that I learned from a viral video posted by RATIFIED co-creator Emily Best that the Equal Rights Amendment has met all constitutional requirements, according to the American Bar Association, and that there is reason to believe the archivist would certify and publish the ERA to the Constitution if so instructed by President Biden. (Reasons this has not happened are complicated, but organizations like the League of Women Voters, VoteEquality, and the Young Feminist Party have been leading a push for Biden to give this directive.)
Upon this revelation, I immediately went to Dylan Skolnick, my boss and Co-Director of the Cinema Arts Centre, and asked if we could host a screening of RATIFIED with a panel discussion and mobilization tools. Despite our small staff, limited resources, and a robust schedule of programming, he was immediately supportive as was our whole team. I reached out to Emily who was eager to start planning.
At a breakfast meeting with Girls Empowerment Movement Co-Founder Dainna Pearlmann, and Christine Eidinoff who Co-Founded InjoyInJoy! with Dainna, I excitedly explained what I had learned and what Emily and I were planning. I had not even gotten to ask before they offered to sponsor the event so that the Cinema could bring the program to our community with expenses covered. (InjoyInjoy! even donated Solstice Celebration Kits which raised additional funds in a meaningful raffle at our December 15 event.)
"Thank you René and the Cinema Arts Centre for once again hosting a safe space for all of us to gather, learn, motivate, empower and now go out and spread the message. This has been in the making for more than 100 years and vitally important if we are ever going to move forward in our society nationally and globally. In the words of Maya Angelou, 'because equal rights, fair play, justice, are all like the air: we all have it, or none of us has it,'" Christine Eidinoff shared.
Dainna Pearlmann added “GEMs will create a ripple effect as we educate about the topic, encourage people not to let fear divide us, and empower people to vote in representatives that support the ERA and vote out these who don’t.💎”
League of Women Voters Huntington was next to jump into action, helping us to populate our stellar panel and spread the word.
"The LWV of Huntington would like to thank the Cinema Arts Centre for putting together the Ratification event. The compelling documentary followed by discussion and Q and A with panelists was not only informative on how important the ERA is and what has already happened to get it ratified, but also addressed what needs to be done to have ERA in our constitution. The LWV wants everyone to take action and click on this link to urge President Biden to have it published: https://www.lwv.org/take-action/president-must-immediately-publish-equal-rights-amendment ."
Panelist Susan Cushman, Director of Advocacy, League of Women Voters-Central Nassau added, "It was a pleasure to participate in the RATIFIED screening and panel at the CAC last Sunday. I appreciate that our audience represented many groups in support of this legislation, and it's important to hear each other's purpose and strategy. RATIFIED is a vital film for Americans to see if they care about sex/gender equality being enshrined in our U.S. Constitution, where it has always belonged. The film chronicles the 100-year-long history of the activists and elected officials who support the ERA, and the uplifting victory that Virginia had in 2021 as the 38th state to ratify the ERA. The only thing standing between state ratification and publishing the ERA as the 28th amendment to the Constitution is a time-limit loophole currently awaiting discharge in Congress. If you are reading this and support the ERA, I urge you to be a part of history by signing the petition at www.sign4era.org -- a website that will give you all the information you need to learn why this legislation is so critical to our democracy and to equal rights for all."
With advocacy from Cinema Arts Centre Board Member Michael Troisi, Rivkin Radler LLP provided critical financial sponsorship for this event. Michael shared, "Rivkin Radler was proud to sponsor this program—yet another offering from the Cinema Arts Centre that explores an important and relevant issue for all."
Additional sposorship was generously provided by Dawn Thode Cola. Funds supported the screening, discussion and mobilization program, the Cinema Arts Centre, and the ERA Project at Columbia Law School.
On Sunday, December 15, about 100 people of all ages and all genders gathered in our largest theater for this screening, discussion and mobilization program about the Equal Rights Amendment. The screening was followed by a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Emily Best, co-creator of the film RATIFIED. Panelists included Ting Ting Cheng, Exec Director of ERA Project at Columbia Law School (and featured in RATIFIED.); Susan Cushman, Ph.D., Director of Advocacy and Issues for the League of Women Voters-Central Nassau; Juli Grey-Owens, Executive Director Gender Equality New York; Dainna Pearlmann, Founder of Girls Empowerment Movement.
The panel discussion was documented by local videographer Greg Blank and can be seen in four parts on our YouTube channel.
It was particularly meaningful to have Juli Grey-Owens on the panel to discuss not only how protections on the basis of sex include transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex people, but how ignorance around transgender issues is often weaponized against such protections. It is important to have understanding and contextualization in discussions about equity of how the gender binary and gender roles are used as enforcement tools.
There is not full agreement about strategy for moving forward in our current environment, and conversation was nuanced. Some feel we may need to bide our time, while 46 Senators have signed a letter asking the President to instruct the archivist to publish the ERA now.
I was so proud of our capacity to host and participate in such nuanced, important, and inclusive conversation, which modeled teachable moments and expanded our community. One thing I shared at this event is that art house theaters are incomparable civic spaces, which is why I have essentially dedicated my life to our independent community cinema here on Long Island.
Emily Best stated, "We are so grateful to Cinema Arts Centre for the opportunity to screen the film and connect with powerful New York activists. Just since the Sunday screening, Biden has indicated that he may be leaning towards helping the Equal Rights Amendment to be published, but it won't happen without sustained public pressure from now until January 20th. The history of the ERA is mostly unknown to most Americans - who believe we already have constitutional gender equality (we don't!) - which is why we made the film. But the ending of this story is being written *right now.* You can support the film, book or attend a screening from ratifythefilm.com."
Your GIFT to the Cinema Arts Centre will help ensure that we can continue to host vital conversations like these and remain an open and inclusive civic space in support of equal rights and dignity for all people.
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