NORTHAMPTON — The Western Mass Code Pink Women for Peace organization is holding a celebration of International Women’s Day on Sunday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at First Churches of Northampton at 129 Main St.
The four female speakers and their topics are:
■Arlene Avakian, retired University of Massachusetts professor, on the struggle to achieve democracy, women’s suffrage and the Movement Voter Project;
■Desta Cantave, program coordinator at Civil Liberties & Public Policy, on trans and non-binary erasure and inclusion;
■Meghan Lemay of the Socialist Feminist Working Group of Democratic Socialists of America, on the fight for reproductive justice and exposing fake clinics;
■and Tanisha Arena, executive director of Arise for Social Justice, on the intersections of allegiance to sisterhood.
“In these challenging political times, we need to hear more women’s voices,” said Susan Lantz of Code Pink. “As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, voter suppression is massive. Reproductive rights are under attack. Gender bias is rampant. As women, we will work together to call out all those who seek to roll back progress for women and girls. We will encourage all citizens to vote. As women it is our time to unite and lead the fight to ensure basic rights for all people.”
“Our goal in this program,” organizer Susan Triolo said, “is raise up these issues, inspire women and men to action, and continue to build alliances between the many activist groups in Western Mass.”
The event will also include music by the Raging Grannies, the Offbeat Womyn’s Drumming Ensemble and local folk singer Ann Ferguson.