Page 4 - Work Force July-August 2024

President Mary E. Sullivan in touch with
Wor k Force
New York women
important to
suffrage fight
Wor k Force ISSN 1522-1091
Official publication of
CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO 143 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12210-2303
Mary E. Sullivan, President
MATHEW L. CANTORE
Acting Director of Communications and Publisher
JANICE GAVIN
Editor
JASON D. HOSIER
Graphic Production Specialist
KATE POHLMANN
Graphic Production Specialist
BOBBY COMPANI
Digital Content Coordinator
JOELLE LUCENTE
Communications Assistant
Communications Specialists:
Long Island Region:
WENDI BOWIE
(631) 462-0030
Metropolitan Region:
DAVID GALARZA
(212) 406-2156
Southern Region:
JESSICA LADLEE
(845) 831-1000
Capital Region:
THERESE ASSALIAN
(518) 782-4400
Central Region:
NICHOLAS NEWCOMB
(315) 728-3375
Western Region:
SYDNEY THOMAS
(716) 691-6555
Headquarters:
JILL ASENCIO
(518) 257-1276
The Publications Committee:
Chris Vogel, Chair Karen Bright
Tim Finnigan
Kathleen Rider Marnie Rounds John Wagner
The Work Force (USPS 0445-010)
is published monthly by
The CSEA Publication Office:
143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210. Periodical Mail Postage paid at
Post Office, Albany, New York 12288, and additional mailing offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: CSEA, Attn: Membership Department, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210
Readers: Send any comments, complaints, suggestions or ideas to: Publisher, The Work Force
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cseany.org
4 The Work Force
July-August 2024
The
CASEA Family,
ugust 26 is an important day in history. It is when we celebrate Women’s Equality Day. On this day in 1920, women were granted the right to vote through the certification of the 19th Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution. In 1973, Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day to celebrate this achievement.
Women in New York started the movement to gain voting rights. In 1848, the suffrage movement began at the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who was from Johnstown and later moved to Seneca Falls, is widely credited for launching the movement. Stanton later met and partnered with Susan B. Anthony, who was from Rochester. Anthony was among the first women to cast a vote for U.S. President, when she convinced local election inspectors to allow her and other women
to vote in 1872. Her subsequent arrest and trial led to greater awareness of the suffrage fight.
While neither Stanton nor Anthony lived to see victory in the suffrage movement, later New York-based suffrage leaders
such as Harriot Eaton Stanton (Stanton’s daughter) and Lucy Burns were among those who helped lead the later years of the suffrage movement. Labor union women also played an active and important role
in the movement, standing alongside suffragists and helping the suffrage movement employ many of the same tactics of unions, including demonstrations and
political action.
Throughout the fight for women’s
suffrage, many suffragists were jailed and even tortured, yet they continued to fight to use their voices for what was right. When the 19th Amendment was ratified, the fight had already taken 72 years. Unfortunately, the fight would continue for 45 additional years for women of color, who did not have full voting rights until 1965. That is when the Voting Rights Act was enacted to ensure ALL citizens had the right to vote without discrimination. It is disturbing to think it was only 60 years ago women of color did not have full voting rights.
Women’s Equality Day also brings awareness to women’s continued efforts
to gain full equality. We have come a long way since women were granted full voting rights, but women are still fighting to be truly equal.
Given how many women put everything on the line to gain the right to vote, it is important that we get to the polls every Election Day. While we all come from different walks of life and have different views, we also help shape our future when we get out and vote. Remember that our vote is our voice!
In solidarity,
Mary E. Sullivan, President