The parade will tell the story of equal rights from the perspective of past, present and future, brought to life by giant puppets, musicians, color waves, and participants from various organizations (around the country!) working to make gender equality a constitutional right in our country.  The parade will include sections representing four eras of the Equal Rights Amendment as outlined below:

Maggie Walker was one of the first women to vote in 1920 and to this day is still the only woman of color to run for statewide office in over 400 years of Virginian democracy. VAratifyERA has commissioned a Maggie Walker parade puppet to lead this section. If you’re marching to celebrate 100 Years of Suffrage, please wear white.

White Celebrate!38 t-shirts are available in our donor shop.

 

This year, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (the final state needed). A Phoenix parade puppet will lead this section. If you’re marching to celebrate Equality Rising, please wear red.

Red Celebrate!38 t-shirts are available in our donor shop.

 

Equality for all, regardless of sex, is not the official law of the land in the United States until the Equal Rights Amendment is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Led by a parade puppet titled “Life as We Wish It Were” this section highlights our call to action: No Deadlines on Equality.  If you are marching with this portion of the parade, please wear blue.

Blue Celebrate!38 t-shirts are available in  our donor shop.

NOTE: Groups that have worked on Virginia’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (in whatever capacity and in whatever decade) are encouraged to bring signs, banners, and/or flags identifying their group. VAratifyERA is just a campaign and its strength has always been the alliance of groups working together. Visible representation of the wide variety of groups dedicated to equality is ideal. Groups joining us from around the country are encouraged to bring a state flag or banner.