Pam Elam and Namita Luthra

AUGUST 24, 2018

“The more you understand history, the better agent of social change you can be.”

Pam Elam and Namita Luthra serve on the Board of Directors of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Fund. Their Monumental Women campaign will bring the first statue commemorating real women to New York City’s Central Park in 2020. We discuss the importance of honoring women and their contributions to society in public spaces.

Rethink history to shape the future

Women and people of color have been largely left out of our nation’s narrative, instilling the impression that they made no significant contribution to our society. Rethinking history in a more inclusive way allows us to see that a diverse group of people made a difference, and that all of us can shape our world and our future. It matters who we honor with monuments in public spaces.

The worth of women

The Monumental Women campaign to honor Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony with a statue in Central Park encountered an uphill battle that reflects how women continue to be excluded. The dearth of women in boardrooms, in the highest echelons of government, and in public monuments, confirms that women are still widely regarded as worth less than men.

Women are ready to advocate for themselves

The women’s suffrage movement is the largest nonviolent revolution in the history of the US. It took 72 years for women to achieve the right to vote. Recent marches and the rise of new movements for women’s equality are proof that women have a renewed commitment to augment their role in society and put their issues first.

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Pam Elam and Namita Luthra are members of the Board of Directors of The Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Fund, Inc. Their work has been key for the success of the Monumental Women campaign to bring the first ever statue of women to New York City’s Central Park.