Zioness applauds @TeresaShookWM, the founder of the @womensmarch, for calling on the four co-Chairs of Women’s March, Inc. – Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez – to step down from their roles.
In her statement this morning, Shook made clear that these four women have “allowed anti-Semitism, anti- LBGTQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric to become a part of the platform”.
Zioness shares Shook’s sentiment that it's high time 4 new leadership at a Movement created to stand in love + solidarity against hate. Since our founding in 2017, Zioness has spoken out time + again against the poisonous + deeply hurtful rhetoric + actions of certain WM leaders.
Thru action + inaction, these leaders have demonized + marginalized members of the Jewish comm, LBGTQIA comm, + other groups. Their exclusionary behavior is not only harmful to those of us who have been alienated––it's harmful to all marginalized communities we want to fight for.
Anyone who cares about the advancement of social, racial, economic and gender justice should welcome all committed activists to the fight, not just some.
We expect that if Bland, Mallory, Sarsour, + Perez actually care abt justice + equality, they'll step aside + allow others with moral authority to lead. American progressives are ready to unite to fight intolerance wherever + whenever it appears, which today is all too frequent.
If we're to succeed in advancing the goals we all share, we must immediately come together hand in hand, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or religion.
We invite all progressives to join Zioness + learn from our iconic progressive leaders + national Board members about how to fight for–-and actually achieve––equality for all.
For our part, Zioness will be organizing a significant presence at the next Women’s March from coast-to-coast, engaging our more than 18 chapters and thousands of participants.
As part of this work, Zioness will be hosting a series of pre-march “teach-ins” that bring light to the issues facing Jewish women in a time of skyrocketing anti-Semitism. In DC, this teach-in will be headed by progressive icon Ann Lewis.
We'll be announcing additional leaders organizing these teach-ins in the coming weeks.
