2021 Year in Review: Letter from Our President 

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February 1, 2022

2021 Year in Review: Letter from Our President 

 

Dear Supporters,

2021 was another difficult year for so many as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, but because of your unfailing support, Legal Momentum stood strong. We proudly celebrated our 50th Anniversary and we look forward to the next 50 years. Because of you, Legal Momentum continued to boldly change the landscape for women’s and girl’s rights in so many ways. Thank you!

Your support has helped us reach new heights even as the pandemic forced us to postpone our two major fundraising events in 2020. I want to share some encouraging highlights from the work you have made possible in 2021! 

  • Legal Momentum led three important amicus briefs joined by numerous other women's and civil rights organizations: a brief before the 4th Circuit on behalf of Jane Roe, a former federal public defender subjected to sexual harassment and denied protection and due process; a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Courtney Wild, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein denied the protections of the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act; and a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of J.K., a minor sex abuse victim denied privacy rights. Amicus curiae, or friend of the court, briefs are a vitally important tool to share our unique expertise and to provide courts with relevant information to inform their decision-making in key cases.
  • As part of Legal Momentum’s groundbreaking advocacy to enact comprehensive fair pay provisions that safeguard the rights of all women, we made important progress towards enacting pay transparency legislation at the state and local levels. In New York City, we helped strengthen and enact a bill requiring employers to disclose salary range in a job posting, and in the state legislature, we helped draft and advance to introduction an even stronger pay transparency bill, which is currently garnering support and momentum.
  • Our National Judicial Education Program published a suite of resources that provide an introduction to many of the issues involved in Teen Dating Abuse and Violence and its intersections with other areas of the law, as well as resources for courts and communities. These include slide decks to be used as a curriculum or individually; Myths v. Facts presentation formats; information sheets; and webinars.

  • Legal Momentum’s Women Valued Initiative launched an innovative new worker resource with the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) and graphic designer Vic Lui. This resource, Women, Know Your Rights at Work!, aims to empower women workers. As we regularly say, the more we assert our rights, and when we do so together, the more meaningful legal protections we can win. We now have over 20 groups, including CBOs, academic institutions, and national organizations representing vulnerable women workers across industries, who are advising us and participating in roundtables as part of the Women Valued Advisory Council. Through our partners, our resources are reaching thousands of women across New York State.
  • We have taken the lead on emerging legal issues for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, including our legal representation on behalf of a veteran and domestic violence survivor sued for defamation and other claims related to her outspoken attempts to have her abuser, and the institutions which enabled him, held accountable. 
  • Legal Momentum’s Rights Now! program, funded by the New York City Young Women’s Initiative, is a peer education program that empowers youth to identify and respond to forms of discrimination and violence and understand their rights while helping them to build leadership skills. Currently in its 6th year, Rights Now! has collaborated with 30+ organizations and reached hundreds of NYC youth. This year’s peer educators are currently scheduling workshops. If your organization would like to participate, please find more information here. 

Legal Momentum is proud to report the strong support of our donors and our continued efficient use of this support. See Legal Momentum’s 2021-06 Audited Financial Statements

A new year brings with it new and exciting opportunities! We have great hopes for 2022 and believe that it will be a pivotal year for advancing the rights of women and girls.

With your continued partnership and support, Legal Momentum is committed to doing what we have done so well for the last fifty plus years – advancing the economic and physical security of women and girls, developing groundbreaking legal strategies that bring about dramatic and lasting change in law and policy, maintaining our unwavering commitment to gender equity, and honoring the inextricable links to racial justice, thus achieving equality for all.

Thank you for standing with Legal Momentum in 2021. I cannot wait to see what we will achieve together this year and beyond.

 

Sincerely,

Carol Baldwin Moody 

President and CEO

Join the Conversation: 

 

We’d love to hear from you!

Carol Baldwin Moody 

President and CEO 

cmoody@legalmomentum.org      

 

Jennifer Becker

Legal Director 

jbecker@legalmomentum.org