Our Mission - California National Organization for Women

Our Mission

California NOW embodies and uses an intersectional analysis that enables each of us to recognize the fact that perceived group membership can make people vulnerable to various forms of bias and because we are simultaneously members of many groups our complex identities can shape the specific way we each experience that bias.

As a result, an intersectional approach goes beyond conventional analysis in order to focus our attention on injuries that we otherwise might not recognize. Intersectionality is thus a critical lens for bringing awareness and capacity to the social justice movement in order to expand and deepen its interventions in order to capture the interactive effects of race, gender, sexuality, class, etc.

California NOW was formed to take action to bring women into full participation in every aspect of American political, social and economic life and institutions.

California NOW understands that women’s rights are human rights, that is, every human being is born free, equal in dignity and rights, and must enjoy the equal protection of the law against discrimination based on sex, sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age or other actual or perceive classification.

Full participation includes, but is not limited to, equal rights and responsibilities in all aspects of citizenship, public service, employment, education, and family life, and includes freedom from discrimination because of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parenthood or any other category protected by federal and/or state laws.

California NOW and the California NOW Foundation is working with our sister reproductive justice and social justice organizations to create, advocate, implement and monitor legislation that uses a woman centered human rights framework in advancing women and girls’ freedom and equality throughout society.