July 4, 2019
Ms. Foundation for Women on Independence Day
Ms. Foundation for Women on Independence Day: “It is imperative that we not forget those whose freedoms have been stripped away on our soil and whose humanity continues to be denied.”
Ms. Foundation for Women, one of the first and largest women’s funds in the United States,
issues the following statement:
NEW YORK (July 4, 2019) – Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Teresa C. Younger released the following statement on America’s Independence Day:
“While many across the country will be celebrating this weekend with fireworks, barbecues, and other holiday commemorations, it is imperative that we not forget those whose freedoms have been stripped away on our soil and whose humanity continues to be denied.
“Independence Day in this country should represent liberty and justice for all, yet thousands traveling to escape from the inequalities and injustice of their own lands are being met at our borders with persecution and imprisonment. Parents who are risking everything for the hopes and dreams of their children are arriving in the United States only for their sons and daughters to be ripped out of their arms and thrown into concentration camps.
“This is not freedom. These Trump Administration practices deny people all sense of their bodily autonomy, including the right to seek asylum, the right to parent, and the right to live with dignity. How can we celebrate freedom for all when crowded migrant camps with inhumane living conditions are operating all along our nation’s borders?
“And yet, turning a blind eye towards the injustices of women and people of color is nothing new in the sordid history of our country. Colonizers pillaged indigenous communities for land and wealth, ripped children from their families, and sought control over women’s bodies through violence and ownership. While we’ve celebrated Independence Day since 1776, we didn’t abolish slavery until 1865, and even in states across the country today, our government is working to unilaterally strip women of their freedom and independence as they police women’s bodies and remove their right to decide whether or not to parent.
“This day is used to signify our success in the fight for freedom, but we cannot celebrate success until all who seek a brighter tomorrow can do so humanely, with complete bodily autonomy and the right to make decisions for themselves, without the fear of losing their child or being forced to live without basic necessities in horrifying conditions.
“On this Independence Day, we must remember that the path to freedom is not over. The Ms. Foundation and its grantee-partners are united in our fight against the blatant sexism, xenophobia and racism that currently guides our nation’s policies, and we will not stop until we achieve true equality for all.”
Ms. Foundation spokespeople are available for interviews by phone or in-person from NYC. To schedule, please contact Sunshine Sachs at [email protected].
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For 45 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has worked to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. The Ms. Foundation invests in, and strengthens the capacity of women led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change in the lives of women. With equity and inclusion as the cornerstones of true democracy, the Ms. Foundation works to create a world in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued, and power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.