Emiliana Guereca is the President of the Women’s March LA Foundation, which was founded in 2016. In her interview with Jejune Magazine, Emiliana explains that the Foundation was established due to the 2016 election and the amounting threats towards Women’s Rights from both parties. Even today, their work is more prevalent then ever. Recently, the states of Texas and Mississippi have created legislation to ban abortion well before fetal viability. In response, the Women’s March Foundation is putting together a direct mail postcard campaign aimed at big brass Texas businesses asking them to support women’s reproductive rights. Over 250k postcards have already been sent to CEO’S of Texas organizations that supposedly support women. Readers can get involved by visiting their website, listed down below. Read on to learn more about the important work Emiliana Guereca and the Women’s March Foundation of LA is doing to advocate for equality.

Where are you based?
Los Angeles, California.

You are the President of the Women’s March Foundation, which you founded in 2016. How were you able to recognize a need and then put this foundation into action? Was it purely the election of Trump?
The election of Trump and the entire misogynist campaign were catalysts, but the pressure had been building for years as women’s rights were continually shunted to the sidelines by both parties. I noticed a failure to look at issues intersectionally to see how immigration, healthcare, labor, and so many other issues affect women, and women of color specifically. It was clear to me, and the women I work with, that we needed to engage politically much more deeply and organize our networks to build power for the feminist perspective on all these issues.

What does the Women’s March mean to you? Why is it so important that we carry on this tradition every year moving forward?
The March is the visible manifestation of our power, when we come together physically and see what we are capable of. It’s our community in action, and it fills me with inspiration and hope every time. It’s also only the beginning of our work. For many activists, marching is their first opportunity to meet a community committed to working for change, and it can lead to deeper engagement, community leadership, and even running for office.

In what ways does the Women’s March Foundation advocate for equality?
We work to mobilize feminists and help them engage in their communities. One of our most important goals is increasing voter turnout, because denying women access to voting has historically been so successful at suppressing our rights. So we train volunteers to register voters both in person, remotely, and target critical states where women’s voices are most needed. We also work on the local level addressing community needs where we can. For example, during the pandemic we worked to address the equity gap in the vaccine rollout by distributing critical needs packages to Spanish-speaking communities, along with, information about vaccination in Spanish.

Do you have a favorite poster from any of the marches you have been to?
Please see below.

You work with a team of diverse women and men within the organization. Do you have any tips on creating a strong and diverse network? Especially one that is so pro-female?
Our work, and coalition building culture, is of respect. We respect others work and opinions, and ALL know that none of us are equal until ALL of us are equal. We ground ourselves in knowing that we stand on the shoulders of those that have fought for the rights we currently have; we understand that it’s our responsibility as citizens of this planet to continue the fight for equity.

You have roots in both the Latin and Jewish community, how does this inspire your work and advocacy?
As an immigrant I understand the struggle to be othered. I try to represent my communities by being authentic and unapologetic in any room I walk into. The best way to represent my communities is to make sure that folks understand that the Latin and Jewish experience and identity is not monolithic. Our kids are growing up in the most diverse environment we have ever seen, and it’s important that they understand their identity and role as leaders in their communities.

Your most recent endeavor includes launching the Women’s March Action, the 501(c)4 political arm of Women’s March Foundation. Can you explain more about this endeavor?
Women’s March Action is how we take a direct role in electing feminists to political office. We endorse candidates who are committed to upholding women’s rights and working for equity, raise funds for women candidates, and mobilize our volunteers to support feminists running for offices from dog catcher to president. In the long run, the only way we will protect women’s rights for the generations to come is by electing progressive women to office.

Where do you want to see the Women’s March Foundation in the next five to ten years?
Our goal is open a Women’s Building in Los Angeles, a women owned and led building that would anchor and honor the work of women in the social justice/non profit field.

Can you explain more about what is happening with Texas’s abortion ban? Jejune’s team was proud to march against this, but what else can the lay person do?
Texas banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, which of course is before many people know they are pregnant. The Supreme Court chose not to stop the Texas law from going into effect because they invented their own loophole — instead of being enforced by the state, the law allows ordinary citizens to file lawsuits against those who participate in abortions. The law is still being reviewed by the Court, but it is currently in effect, causing abortion providers in Texas to stop their operations. Neighboring states have seen a large increase in their patient load as they try to accommodate patients from Texas.

How are reproductive rights being attacked in Mississippi?
Mississippi passed a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, which is well before fetal viability. They are asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade altogether and rule that the Constitution no longer protects the right to abortion. The Court heard arguments this week and is expected to rule over the summer.

The Women’s March Foundation is putting together a direct mail postcard campaign aimed at big brass Texas businesses asking them to support women’s reproductive rights. When will this campaign take place?
Postcards have already begun to go out! Over 250k postcards have been sent to CEO’S of organizations that supposedly support women. Women working in Texas must be supported BEYOND just a job. These employers have a responsibility to support the women in Texas by standing up and supporting Women’s Reproductive Rights.

How are direct mail campaigns helpful?
Direct mail is one way we can get our message out. In this case it shows those with power and influence in Texas what their customers care about. It’s too easy for influential companies to ignore the political reality in their states without acknowledging that women’s rights are integral to their business. No one’s business interests are served when women who are your customers or workers are kept in poverty, lack access to healthcare, or are forced to carry unwanted pregnancies to term. We expect business leaders in Texas to support the women who work with them and for them.

How can readers get involved?
Visit www.womensmarchfoundation.org

In what other ways are you campaigning for reproductive rights on the national level?
Our most important work is voter registration and supporting feminist candidates for office. The majority of Americans believe in the right to abortion and expect their government to protect it — so it’s critical that they get out and vote for candidates who are committed to reproductive rights. Electing feminists to office is how we will build a judiciary that defends women’s rights for generations to come. Women are the majority in Mississippi, and we need to raise our voices WITH them to support Reproductive Rights and access to abortion.

How are you staying positive during the current wave of the pandemic?
The fight for Equality has been waged on women since the day we are born, and although I stay positive, I don’t forget that those before me have fought and that I’m passing this fight onto younger generations. The youth give me hope as they are much more savvier and engaged than I ever was.

How did the pandemic impact the Women’s March Foundation? Are you almost back to normal?
Like everyone, we had to pivot all of our operations. We shut down for a few weeks but quickly realized we needed to keep our communities connected during the pandemic more than ever. We developed online community spaces where our members could come together while quarantined, sometimes with guest speakers discussing political issues, and sometimes just for social gatherings. We also developed new ways for our members to stay engaged without putting themselves at risk — in fact we had a door-to-door canvassing program that shifted to using text messages, and we found texting was even more popular! We also found it vital to give our members the space to rest and acknowledge their feelings during the pandemic. We didn’t push people to volunteer or donate when so much was hanging over them. At the same time, many people wanted to volunteer as an outlet during the pandemic, and we provided space for that.

What is your motto in life?
It’s actually my grandmothers “ People will underestimate you; so, don’t you do that to yourself too”.

To learn more about the Women’s March LA Foundation, please follow them on the platforms below:
Facebook: @womensmarchLA
Twitter: @wmnsmarchLA
Website: www.womensmarchfoundation.org

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