Activists plan counter event to Donald Trump's State of the Union

As President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union speech in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, activists plan to host an alternative event across town they're calling The State of Our Union.

The goal is to offer a different view and vision for the country at the counter event at the National Press Club, addressing gender inequalities in America today and confronting the president's agenda.

The event is open to the public, and will be livestreamed on the website www.thestateofourunion.org. It is organized by activists Ai-Jen Poo of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Tarana Burke, who started the #MeToo movement more than a decade ago and is now senior director of Girls for Gender Equity, and Mónica Ramírez, deputy director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood, Kristin Rowe Finkbeiner of MomsRising and Arisha Hatch of Color of Change also are among the event organizers.

"We hope that the message to the American public is that women are uniting across communities, across industries, and we are building our momentum and our power straight into the 2018 elections," Poo said. "It's a very important election year, and we want women everywhere and voters everywhere to feel energized and mobilized to get involved."

Speakers are to include survivors of sexual assault, Dreamers, domestic workers and farm workers, and Democratic Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, Judy Chu, D-Calif., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif.

"I think that you'll hear stories of survivors of sexual assault and harassment, you'll hear stories of women who are working at the bottom of economy and struggling to survive," Poo said. "Women have a very important story to tell about the state of this country, and they also have solutions that they're championing around the country.

"We really hope that the message comes across: The women of this country will not be divided."

The idea for this act of resistance to the president came after the Golden Globes, as activists began to talk about boycotting the State of the Union, but still drive a national women's rights movement.

"Some activists had been invited to attend the State of the Union with members of Congress, and we felt like coming out of the MeToo movement, and the Women's March anniversary and so much momentum with women building unity and organizing together across the country that we should instead hold an event that highlights the unity among women that's building," Poo said.

The event begins at 8 p.m. and will continue through the end of the State of the Union, when Poo, Hatch and Richards will give the women's response to Trump's speech.

"Tomorrow's event is a real celebration of our power as women, and our commitment to come together as women across communities, across sectors, across industries, and across movements to share a common desire to lift both each other up as well as our entire country up," said Ramírez, who also is co-founder and president of Alianza de Campesinas.

"Our message is directly focused on the women in our country," Ramírez said. "We want it to be very clear to people that we stand in solidarity despite some of the messages we are hearing from the administration and from other people around the country who are expressing sexist, racist and intolerant messages and views against women in other communities.

"We hope that we send a clear message that we stand united and we're going to keep fighting for each other and we are going to keep working toward justice and equality for all of us."

Although a few congresswomen — Jayapal, Chu and Lee — have committed to attending the State of Our Union event instead of the State of the Union, the offices of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, (D-Southfield) and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell have said they will attend the president's State of the Union.

But, Lawrence's office said she will wear black in solidarity with sexual abuse survivors, just as actors did at the Golden Globes.

“Wearing black during the State of the Union address is a strong sign of solidarity with victims of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment and sexual abuse," Lawrence said. "Also, women members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be wearing red pins as a tribute to Recy Taylor, an African-American woman who was kidnapped and raped by six white men in Alabama in 1944, threatened with death if she reported the incident but spoke out anyway, only to have the men go free.

"This is why I am so glad to host as my guest for the State of the Union address award-winning author and historian Danielle McGuire, who had the conviction and courage to investigate and shine light on the story of Recy Taylor through her book 'At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance — A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power'."

"Sexual abuse and failure of the judicial system in administering justice has been a reality for too many for too long and we certainly cannot and will not stand for it. But more than show unity with our colors, we must show strong unity with our actions. Awareness and action for these issues are long past due. Time’s up for the abuse, neglect and injustice; and the time for action and change—real change, is right now.”

A spokeswoman from Stabenow's office couldn't say whether the senator would wear black to the State of the Union. Her guest will be James (Doc) McCloughan, a Vietnam veteran and South Haven native who last year received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Dingell plans to wear black and will bring Cindy Garcia of Lincoln Park, the wife of Jorge Garcia, as her guest to the State of the Union address. Jorge Garcia is a father of two who was deported to Mexico Jan. 15 after having lived in the United States for almost 30 years.

“We will show solidarity with women and men who are standing up, speaking out and joining together to say ‘Time’s Up.’" Dingell said in a statement. "Serious and important dialogue is taking place across this country, but we need to make this moment real for everyone — whether it’s a waitress, a factory worker, a teacher, a farmworker or a lawyer trying to make partner. Everyone deserves to work in an environment that is safe and free from harassment and assault.”

Ramírez said she understands why some supporters might not attend the counter to the State of the Union that she and the others have planned.

"I think that there will be people who will be with us in the room tomorrow for solidarity and there will be people at the actual State of the Union who are there also in solidarity with us as well as people outside of the Beltway and around the country," Ramírez said.

"I think that's important. Just because we are not in the same space at the same time does not mean we do not work with and for each other.

"There are many ways to show your commitment to a cause. We show our commitment to our causes in different ways at different times. ... What's important is the intentionality behind it. Where is their heart and where is their head? If their heart and their head are turned toward justice — then we should all be accepting and trusting and understanding of their intentions."

Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus.

More info

To register to attend to the State of Our Union event at the National Press Club, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-state-of-our-union-tickets-42426245041. To watch the livestream of the event, go to https://www.thestateofourunion.org/



