My CA NOW Resignation

Dear California NOW Board,

September 14 I will resign my position on the California NOW Executive Committee as VP Membership.  Those of you who are close to me, know how difficult this last year has been, how much I wanted this position and how painful leaving is. 

The six women I began with shared a vision for grassroots activism and, as servant – leaders, we took our direction from the members who, by majority, voted for us.  The position I have held for 15 months is VP Membership.   Originally the position tasks are increasing membership,  renewing members, oversight of chapters merging or dissolving, and convening new chapters.  I wanted to expand it to include acting as a liaison for the membership; being their eyes and ears where they could not be, reporting frankly with transparency. 

The reality is that this last year I spent countless hours dealing with a lawsuit which was implemented as a formal NOW grievance.  It was disheartening, eviscerating, suffocating and required putting aside the true work of NOW; organizing people to work for the equality and rights of women.  Several of us spent 40+ hours a week writing documents, crafting positions, recovering from attacks, assembling defenses and huddling in both disgust and triage.
 
One by one, I have watched the invigorated, impassioned activists step way.   They were repeatedly derailed by internal attacks for power which eventually and appropriately repelled them.  And finally  those who wrote the law suits, carried out the grievances and insisted on personal power at any cost are ascending to state office.   

While it was my personal hope and goal that  bright, committed, Third Wave feminists would be the leaders of CA NOW, it is obvious, understandable and honorable that they cannot be deterred another moment from the true work of California feminists.  They are committed to environmental and reproductive justice, gender and economic equality, and grassroots activism.  They are working hard to defeat Propositions 4 & 8.  They are supporting pro-choice candidates.  They are planning events for Love Your Body Day.   They do not want to spend another precious moment on internal battles, threatening lawsuits and watching women destroy women.   

I am proud to follow their lead.  I hope they will make room for me in their true, feminist and local movement to advance, protect and support women and girls. 
Most sincerely,
Zoe Nicholson