More than 1,000 New Yorkers joined 1199SEIU, the American Civil Liberties Union, the New York Civil Liberties Union, NAACP New York, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund, NEW Pride Agenda, Make the Road Action, the New York Immigration Coalition Action, and New York State United Teachers to kick off efforts to pass a 2024 ballot measure that would protect essential rights, including abortion and pregnancy outcomes under to the New York Equal Rights Amendment (NY ERA). Twenty-five NY ERA days of action are taking place across the state in the coming weeks, organized by college groups, gender equity organizations, and voter engagement coalitions — signaling growing grassroots momentum behind this historic initiative. Grassroots-led days of action will educate New Yorkers about the urgent need for the NY ERA and activate New Yorkers to take part in advocating for a first-of-its-kind ballot measure.
The NY ERA would protect and preserve the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, no matter who they are, where they come from, or who they love. The NY ERA would explicitly protect against sex discrimination based on a person’s pregnancy or pregnancy outcome — never before used language in any state at a time when criminalizing people for pregnancy outcomes like miscarriages and stillbirths is on the rise. The NY ERA would also protect against any government interference that would curtail a person’s reproductive autonomy or access to abortion. By embedding protections for reproductive rights within the state constitution in a gender equity framework, the NY ERA will insulate New Yorkers from ever-changing politics that could ban, eliminate, or reduce access to abortion.
“New Yorkers deserve the freedom to control our own bodies, lives, and futures. But across the country, politicians are restricting people’s rights and freedoms, including the right to abortion. Here in New York, it’s critical that we, the voters, guarantee our own rights and freedoms in our state constitution so that they are permanently protected, and not left up to the whims of politicians,” said New Yorkers for Equal Rights Campaign Director Sasha Ahuja. “Because no New Yorker should ever be discriminated against by the government, no matter who we are, what we look like, who we love, whether we have a disability, or whether we choose to have an abortion.”
New Yorkers for Equal Rights is a grassroots campaign led by a coalition of 225 civil and reproductive rights organizations advocating for passage of the New York Equal Rights Amendment. The campaign efforts include, but are not limited to, grassroots organizing and voter education, phone banking and door-knocking, television ads, direct mail, and digital communications. The campaign is expected to be one of the biggest investments ever made in a New York ballot measure.
25 NY ERA days of action are taking place across New York State, including:
- Albany - League of Women Voters Rensselaer County Day of Action
- Buffalo - The Young Feminist Party Day of Action
- Long Island - Engage Long Island Day of Action
- Mid-Hudson - NYCLU Mid-Hudson Day of Action
- Ulster - Indivisible Ulster Day of Action
Grassroots organizations and nonprofits leading NY ERA days of action across the state include:
- AAUW Westchester/League of Women Voters of North East Westchester
- Buffalo Young Feminist Party
- Cattaraugus/Allegany League of Women Voters
- Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
- Downtown Women for Change
- Engage LI
- Indivisible Ulster
- League of Women Voters of the City of New York
- League of Women Voters of Rensselaer County
- League of Women Voters of Tompkins County
- Markers For Democracy
- Nassau Community College
- National Council of Jewish Women NY
- The New York Civil Liberties Union
- Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) Action Fund
- Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic
- The Pride Agenda
- Reproductive Justice Social Justice Team
- Smithtown League of Women Voters
- Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood
- The Young Feminist Party
By passing the NY ERA, New Yorkers for Equal Rights is building a model amendment — the most expansive in the country. The NY ERA creates the most expansive list of protected categories; no other state explicitly defines sex discrimination as including reproductive healthcare and autonomy (decision-making) or pregnancy outcomes. New York's ERA, if passed in 2024, would serve as a model for how these rights can be realized and delivered on the ground, and other states are already looking to New York as a leader on this. Additionally, New York’s expansive state ERA could help lead the conversation on how a federal ERA would be interpreted, if a federal amendment is passed.
The New Yorkers for Equal Rights campaign executive committee includes 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, North Star, New York Immigration Coalition, New York Civil Liberties Union, NEW Pride Agenda, National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund, NAACP New York, Make the Road New York, and New York State United Teachers.
New York State constitutional amendments must pass in two consecutive legislative terms and then be approved by voters in a ballot referendum. In an effort led by advocacy organizations, the NY ERA was voted on by the New York State Legislature on July 1, 2022, in a special session, following the Dobbs v. JWHO decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, and again on January 24, 2023, to mark the 50th anniversary of that landmark decision. New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment in 2024. If voters approve it, the ERA will be added to New York’s state constitution.The Equal Rights Amendment is currently the only state ballot measure that will appear on New Yorkers’ ballots this November.
“New Yorkers deserve a constitution that reflects our values and protects us all, and we must be relentless in our pursuit of equality. When something is important, you write it down — and in November, voters will have the chance to flip the ballot to vote for critical protections against discrimination into our state constitution. Our rights, bodies, and futures depend upon it. Through the strength of this powerful coalition and the majority of voters who believe in the Equal Rights Amendment, this ballot measure will send a clear message that New Yorkers won’t take our rights for granted,” said Robin Chappelle Golston, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts.
“The National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund is proud to be part of a coalition working to pass the broadest list of protections of any statewide ballot measure we’ve seen yet. When it comes to reproductive freedom, the NY ERA will not only guarantee abortion rights, but it will end Roe's legacy of discrimination and criminalization based on pregnancy outcomes like miscarriage and stillbirth. We urge New Yorkers to pass this innovative ballot measure in November and establish a winning gender equity framework that protects every person's rights and freedoms,” said Aisha Mills, interim president, National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund.
“This November the power will be placed in the hands of everyday New Yorkers — not politicians — to enshrine our values and protections into the New York state constitution. From LGBTQ+ rights to abortion access, our freedom and liberty are on the ballot. As state after state continue to roll back our healthcare, our bodily autonomy, and our dignity, here in New York we're standing up and fighting back. Our inclusive New York Equal Rights Amendment demonstrates that there is no winning without all of us,” said Elisa Crespo, Executive Director of NEW Pride Agenda.
“Every day we work on behalf of immigrant communities to ensure that all of our rights are protected. Today we continue that fight by standing with leaders across our movements to secure the boldest Equal Rights Amendment in the country. At a moment when so many rights and freedoms have been rolled back in state after state, here in New York we are thrilled to join a broad coalition to ensure that no New Yorker experiences discrimination by the government,” said Theo Oshiro, Executive Director of Make the Road Action.
“Abortion and equality are on the ballot this November. As states across the country roll back protections, New Yorkers have the opportunity to vote to safeguard rights, meet this moment, and lead the nation. This amendment would give constitutional backing to New York's anti-discrimination laws — guaranteeing our civil rights, no matter who's in Albany. The New York Civil Liberties Union has organizers across the state, and we’ll join our partners in training volunteers, knocking doors, and educating communities. Every single New Yorker needs to know what’s at stake: equal rights, abortion, and a state constitution that truly protects all of us,” said Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
“Our state and federal constitutions were written at a time when their promises of equality could not imagine what might be needed today to ensure equal protection for every person. That’s why we are proud to stand with leaders from across many movements to secure the boldest Equal Rights Amendment in the country. At a moment when so many rights and freedoms have been rolled back in state after state, together we can fight to ensure no New Yorker experiences discrimination by our government based on their race, disability, LGBTQ+ identity, pregnancy, or gender. The Equal Rights Amendment is the policy we need today to ensure that every New Yorker will be protected equally under the law!,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition Action.
“As the leading civil rights and racial justice organization in New York State, NAACP New York is proud to lead New Yorkers for Equal Rights. This November, as voters, and especially voters of color, go to the polls, they will rest assured knowing that their rights are on the ballot. As part of the civic engagement and voter education work that we do cycle after cycle, we're thrilled to engage our members and our communities in the months ahead,” said L Joy Williams, NAACP New York Staten Conference Legislative Coordinator and President of Brooklyn NAACP.
About New Yorkers for Equal Rights
New Yorkers for Equal Rights, a ballot initiative committee registered with the New York State Board of Elections, was formed by a coalition of civil rights and reproductive rights organizations advocating for passage of the New York Equal Rights Amendment. The NY ERA is supported by New York-based and national organizations across New York. For the full list of NY ERA coalition members please visit https://nyequalrights.org/.