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Who we are
The Gainesville, Central Area/Judy Levy, Chapter of the
National Organization for Women s founded by people who have been active in
NOW for many years as members and chapter officers. As our sister chapters throughout the nation do, Judy Levy NOW
shares the vision articulated in the five basic planks of the NOW goals:
- equality
for women;
- the
end of racism and all forms of prejudice;
- reproductive
freedom and abortion rights;
- equality
for gays and lesbians;
- the
end of violence toward women.
Judy Levy NOW will place special emphasis on outreach to
minority communities and issues of social justice.
Each of the founding members of the Judy Levy Now Chapter
has contributed years of service to the Gainesville/ Alachua County
community, including the following:
- founding
Gainesville's first mid-wifing and abortion services clinic;
- actively
supporting Affirmative Action, including participation in F.R.E.E.
(Floridians Representing Equality & Equity) and ARRIVE WITH FIVE, a
voter education project directed by Florida Representative Tony Hill and
Florida Senator Kendrick Meek;
- screening
candidates for local office according to issues related to NOW's basic
planks;
- recognition
and honoring of groups who have contributed to the betterment of the
community, specifically GWER – Gainesville Women for Equal Rights, a
political organization active in Gainesville in the 1960s and 1970s that was an integral force in bringing civil rights to the community;
- partnerships
with community organizations such as organized labor, Gay/ Lesbian/
Bisexual/Transgendered groups, the Cultural Arts Coalition, NAACP,
Planned Parenthood, United Nations Association, and the Civic Media
Center.
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