The NWPC has a rich history. Founded in 1971, the NWPC is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to increasing women’s participation in all areas of political and public life — as elected and appointed officials, as delegates to national party conventions, as judges in the state and federal courts, and as lobbyists, voters, and campaign organizers. You can find out more about our history here, and the podcast series “She Speaks for Herself” is a must listen, featuring speeches by NWPC founders Shirley Chisolm, Gloria Steinem, and Jill Ruckelshaus.

In 2019, the NWPC-VA was reinstated in Virginia. We elected a new board of directors in September 2020, and for the last several months we have been preparing for a new era in Virginia history. Thanks to those of you who have been participating in committee meetings as we strategize about policy issues, candidate endorsements, and exciting events. 

We have much to be proud of in Virginia! We have a record number of women running for statewide office, the first female Vice President of Caribbean and South Asian descent, and in the last two years our General Assembly has passed legislation which will move our Commonwealth forward. And of course, in 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. 

Despite our successes, we have great challenges ahead. All Virginians still can’t vote (yet!), we don’t have paid family leave (yet!), and abortion access in Virginia is restricted. We will strive to highlight the intersectionality of many issues which are not generally considered “women’s issues.”  The work of the NWPC-VA will be incredibly important as we surmount these obstacles.