Statement by National NOW President Toni Van Pelt and VA NOW President Connie Cordovilla:

WASHINGTON – Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has no choice but to resign following the reveal of a racist photo published on his medical school yearbook page and his inept and insensitive response. But one politician resigning from one office won’t address the structural racism that’s still infecting our society.

Ralph Northam’s early embrace of racist behavior such as blackface did not happen in isolation.  It is part and parcel of a long history of policies, practices and cultural values that continue to uphold white supremacy. People of color–particularly women–lose their lives and sacrifice their dignity every day as a result of this toxic system. Swift action is needed to begin healing the racism so deeply ingrained in the United States–and put an end to the steady stream of injustices that people of color face.

America needs to look within itself and fix the institutional defects that allow white men to hold on to their privilege and disdain those who challenge them. Ralph Northam’s resignation as Governor of Virginia must be the beginning of a renewed national conversation about racial justice, not just the final curtain on a political career.   Virginia needs a leader who can effectively call for dialogue and address the most appalling acts of racism and bigotry.

That leader is not Northam. He must resign.

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NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON – It is reported a school nurse and vice principal at Binghamton East Middle School in New York State strip searched four African-American girls because they were acting “giddy” and authorities concluded they might be using drugs.

News flash—12-year-old girls act silly sometimes. That’s not a problem for white children, but for children of color, this normal behavior can be used to justify racist and sexist stereotypes and the most horrific invasions of privacy. Black girls are disciplined because of their hair, their clothes and the way they talk to their friends. These discriminatory steps often lead to the school-to-prison pipeline that victimizes so many African-American girls.

NOW condemns the Binghamton East Middle School’s actions, and calls on the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Tonia Thompson, to fire the nurse, assistant principal, and principal of the school, along with any other school personnel who oversaw the strip searches. Additionally, a policy that ends all school strip searches must go into effect immediately, and district employees must be required to participate in cultural competency training.

The criminalization of Black girls must stop, now!

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NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt and Christian Nunes, Chairwoman of the Racial Justice Committee:

WASHINGTON – Every February, we observe Black History Month as a way of celebrating, honoring and absorbing the lessons of the African Americans who have contributed so much to our culture, our communities and our nation. This year, we are witnessing a transformation in our politics, with more women of color running for office, getting elected and making a difference than ever before.

While Donald Trump and his overwhelmingly white, male Administration wage a mean-spirited, discriminatory and racially divisive campaign to undermine civil rights protections, we need to remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King said, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

Black History Month reminds us of the “fierce urgency of now.”  That’s always been the watchword of the National Organization for Women. As part of NOW’s core principles, we see human rights as indivisible, and we will continue to stand in solidarity and follow the lead of African Americans across the country, working together to overcome the barriers to justice and equality that have been imposed by racism.

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NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669