FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2017
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Watch the animation for the billboard here
NEW YORK, NY — NARAL Pro-Choice America is proud to announce today’s launch of its new Times Square billboard (43rd St. & Broadway), which calls for gender equality across the United States and around the world. In partnership with Refinery29 and the 50/50 Day campaign, NARAL is using the space in Times Square—where individuals from all fifty states and the world convene—to inform the public of the work we as a country must do to advance reproductive healthcare, close the gender wage gap, and work in our own communities to make sure women are full and equal partners in society. This billboard, which will run through the summer, builds on the work NARAL’s 1.2 million member-activists are doing to make progress for women’s rights and equality from the state houses to the White House.
“We have some distance to travel in this country before we can proudly say that women have equal opportunity to get ahead, but there’s a real passion right now to get there. We’re so thrilled to join forces with the 50/50 Day campaign and Refinery29 to trumpet that call for gender equality to be a central priority at home and abroad,” said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “For women, our ability to define and plan our own families is the first step towards equal opportunity, but hardly the last. That’s why we join arms and march, rally, advocate and even put up giant billboards to call for women to be reflected in civic and government policy, to control our own destinies, and to be compensated for our contributions. We know that when women succeed, everyone—especially our families—benefit.”
“This billboard is a testament to how much the message of 50/50 day has grown,” said Amy Emmerich, chief content officer of Refinery29. “Tiffany Shlain is a visionary, and it’s no surprise that this Shatterbox Anthology film has turned into a global movement. We’re excited to champion this creative and critical mission and to take it from the streets to the movie theaters to social conversations to incite change and important dialogue around gender equality. We know our audience of young women cares and is more inspired than ever to turn their energy into real action, and this is a perfect opportunity to do so.”
“50/50 Day is about amplifying the global conversation on gender balance and equality in all sectors of society, and we are so proud to partner with NARAL and Refinery29 to get this message out,” said Tiffany Shlain, co-founder of the 50/50 Day with Sawyer Steele and Julie Hermelin. “We hope that everyone who walks by the billboard (and beyond) will be encouraged to use their voices and join the conversation about how a more gender-balanced world truly is a better world for all.”
The billboard comes as part of the first-ever 50/50 Day on May 10, 2017, which invites people across the globe to explore how a more gender balanced world is better for everyone. There are over 10,000 screenings and discussion events happening among companies, organizations, schools and museums in 50 states and in 61 countries. At each event, participants will watch the 20 minute film “50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power,” directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain and written and produced by Tiffany Shlain, Sawyer Steele and Julie Hermelin (as part of Refinery29’s Shatterbox Anthology film series) and then listen to the Global Live Cast Q&A online. Speakers and participants will include actress and philanthropist Eva Longoria, comedian & activist Margaret Cho, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, activist and Oscar-nominated film director Ava Duvernay, former Icelandic President Vidis Finnbogadorrir, Former Malawi President Dr. Joyce Banda and many others who will speak and answer questions online in this powerful and diverse dialogue about how and why we must create a more gender balanced world that’s better for everyone. The events are free, and online discussion materials for every age and setting will be available. People can sign up to participate in 50/50 Day at www.50-50Day.org and follow along at #GettingTo5050.
The full list of speakers can be viewed at 50-50day.org.
NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”
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