Racial Justice

NOW condemns the racism that inflicts a double burden of race and sex discrimination on women of color. Seeing human rights as indivisible, we are committed to identifying and fighting against those barriers to equality and justice that are imposed by racism. A leader in the struggle for civil rights since its inception in 1966, NOW is committed to diversifying our movement, and we continue to fight for equal opportunities for women of color in all areas including employment, education and reproductive rights.

Eliminating racism is every women's job. Racism is not a matter of individual attitudes. It is an institutionalized system of power and control over people of racial and ethnic diversity in this society.

Racism and sexism are the "double whammy" that stands in the way of empowerment for women of racial and ethnic diversity in the United States and in many other parts of the world. NOW members work to eliminate racism by lobbying legislators, sponsoring educational programs, organizing ways to raise consciousness about this issue, and taking direct action.

NOW focuses on the needs of women of racial and ethnic diversity through projects on:

• Education: Education is a vital tool to break the poverty trap.
• Employment: The majority of women of racial and ethnic diversity are segregated into low-paying jobs and are disproportionately represented among the working poor. NOW is committed to eliminating job segregation, to fighting for pay equity in the marketplace and ot increasing the minimum wage for the working poor in the United States.
• Reproductive Rights: Reproductive freedom is basic to the empowerment of all women. NOW opposes sterilization abuse and laws limiting young women's right to abortion; works to reduce teenage pregnancy by promoting school-based health clinics and the availability of other family planning information for young women; takes on the anti-abortion zealots in the courts and at the clinics which primarily serve low-income women; and lobbies for legislation increasing health access for women.
• Feminization of Poverty: NOW recognizes that women of racial and ethnic diversity are disproportionately represented among those forced to live in poverty. NOW fights for the restoration of federal funding for programs that benefit women and children, for national health care, for an end to discrimination in housing, for an adequate supply of housing, for publicy-funded child care, Family and Medical Leave, and against "workfare" that penalizes poor women.

Racial Justice List of Resources
This list is not exhaustive! If you would like to suggest or add an organization, please email info@bostonnow.org

CITY OF BOSTON, www.cityofboston.gov

OFFICE OF NEW BOSTONIANS, www.cityofboston.gov/newbostonians/default.asp

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, www.cityofboston.gov/civilrights

NAACP - Boston Branch: www.naacpbostonbranch.org

ACLU - Massachusetts: www.aclu-mass.org

MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION, www.mass.gov/mcad

BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH INSTITUTE, www.bbwhi.org

BOSTON RESOURCE NET, www.bostonresourcenet.org - great site to find non-profits in Greater Boston Area

Urban League of Eastern Masachusetts, www.ulem.org