Drexel University’s Vision 2020 Announces Plans and Partnerships for “Women 100” in the Year 2020

To commemorate 100 years of American women’s right to vote in 2020, Vision 2020 will host year-long programs and events to illuminate the contributions of women throughout history and develop strategies to complete the unfinished business of women’s equality.

Partners and sponsors of Vision 2020’s Women 100 include The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, Comcast NBCUniversal, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and more.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vision 2020, a national women’s equality initiative headquartered at Drexel University’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership, recently announced plans and partnerships for Women 100, a celebration of American women during the year 2020, when the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — women’s right to vote — reaches its 100th anniversary.

Throughout 2020, there will be programs and events in Philadelphia and across the nation focused on honoring the past, enriching the present and shaping the future for women and girls — from an interactive exhibition at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts to panel discussions, educational forums, women’s history scavenger hunts, film screenings and more.

“Philadelphia is the birthplace of American democracy, the city where the U.S. Constitution was drafted and signed, and a home of women’s history,” said Lynn Yeakel, Founder and President of Vision 2020. “There is no better place than Philadelphia for Vision 2020’s Women 100 to lead the national commemoration of the 19th Amendment centennial.”

“Pennsylvania, and our nation, have been shaped and strengthened by the character and leadership of extraordinary women throughout our history,” said First Lady Frances Wolf, who is Honorary Co-Chair of Vision 2020’s Women 100 Advisory Committee. “I am honored to help celebrate this pivotal milestone, the centennial of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution, which illuminates the contributions of these women over the course of our history. Tom and I will continue to do all that we can to protect and promote the rights of women in Pennsylvania and knock down any barriers that hinder women’s ability to reach their full potential.”

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will be the venue for a number of Women 100 programs and events.

“The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is proud to partner with Drexel University’s Vision 2020 ‘Women 100’ initiative and we look forward to being home to the upcoming events and interactive exhibits,” says Anne Ewers, President & CEO of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “As the region’s most impactful performing arts center, our vision is to transform lives daily both on and off the stages, and we hope these conversations around women’s rights will bring people together in creative ways to find common ground and advance the cause.”

Early sponsors and partners of Vision 2020’s Women 100 include The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, Comcast NBCUniversal, Drexel University College of Medicine, Drexel University Lenfest Center for Cultural Partnerships, the National Constitution Center and Independence National Historical Park.

“Penn Mutual is proud to continue our founding sponsorship for Vision 2020 and The Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership at Drexel University,” said Eileen McDonnell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. “Penn Mutual not only supports Vision 2020’s campaign for shared leadership, but we also practice it every day. We’ve made a deliberate commitment to operate in a diverse, inclusive environment and actively seek the best possible talent. Our differences, values, and culture have been an important part of Penn Mutual’s strength and success for more than 170 years.”

“Like Vision 2020, Comcast NBCUniversal shares a passion for investing in women,” said Karen Dougherty Buchholz, Senior Vice President of Administration for Comcast Corporation and a Drexel University Trustee. “The commitment to empower and advance women all over the country is inspiring, important, and necessary. It’s exactly the kind of work that we passionately support as a leading employer and corporate citizen, and we are honored to join in celebrating this momentous occasion.”

“We look forward to collaborating with Vision 2020 and its Women 100 initiative on celebrating the 19th Amendment – an important milestone in our constitutional history,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen.

In addition to working closely with sponsors and partners, Vision 2020 recently launched its Women 100 Proud Partner initiative.

“We are delighted to work with a growing network of organizations dedicated to women’s equality that are planning programming related to Women 100 for the year 2020,” said Women 100 Chair Dianne L. Semingson, President and CEO of DLS International. “Proud Partners to-date include the Philadelphia Orchestra and Brandywine River Museum of Art.”

Vision 2020’s Women 100 plans include:

• March-September 2020: Interactive Exhibition – Vision 2020’s Women 100 is commissioning a custom-made interactive exhibition, developed with Dome Collective and Drexel’s Lenfest Center for Cultural Partnerships, for the Kimmel Center. The exhibition will inspire and educate the public on women’s suffrage and its ties to present-day gender equality challenges and will be open to the public from March through September.
   
• March 4, 2020: Women’s Leadership Forums, sponsored by The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company – Leaders from business and government will gather at the Kimmel Center for panel discussions focused on the importance of shared leadership among women and men. Attendees will be asked to “march forth” on March 4th in a collective effort to achieve 50-50 shared leadership.
   
• March 20-22, 2020: Spring Breakthru, sponsored by The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company – College students from across the country will spend two days in Philadelphia, exploring issues of equality and women’s rights, and learning to become advocates for shared leadership for the future.
   
• Spring and Fall 2020: HERstory Hunt – Taking place throughout Independence National Historical Park, Vision 2020’s HERstory Hunt is a hands-on women’s history scavenger hunt that encourages young people to go beyond the traditional telling of history to uncover the underrepresented voices of the past. Participants discover and learn about women who have served as leaders or important historical figures.
   
• June 19-20, 2020: Vision 2020 Road Rally, sponsored by Drexel University College of Medicine – To honor the past and accelerate the pace of women’s progress, a caravan of buses and cars with women in the driver’s seat will travel from East Falls, Philadelphia, to Seneca Falls, New York — the site of the first Women’s Rights Convention — and return to Philadelphia after stopping in Scranton for a rally with Vision 2020 supporters.
   
• August 26, 2020: Toast to Tenacity™ – The 19th Amendment became law in 1920 on August 26, a date now recognized nationwide as Women’s Equality Day. To celebrate the Amendment’s 100th anniversary, Vision 2020 will lead a nationwide Toast to Tenacity, a tribute to the suffragists, on Independence Mall. The 2020 celebration will include a ringing of the Justice Bell for the first time in 100 years.
   
• September 17-19, 2020: Vision 2020 National Congress – Vision 2020 Delegates, Allied Organizations and national thought leaders will convene over Constitution Day to focus on the status of women’s equality in the United States. A report card will be presented and an agenda developed to complete the unfinished business of women’s equality.

In collaboration with civic, cultural and educational organizations, Vision 2020’s Women 100 will culminate in a nationwide effort to mobilize eligible women to vote on Election Day, November 3, 2020.

“One hundred years ago, our half of the population was not allowed to vote, yet many Americans take that right for granted today,” said Yeakel. “In 2020, to honor the hard work of the suffragists of a century ago, and to act like the majority we are, we will work to have eligible women voting in record numbers. The vision for Vision 2020’s Women 100 is to inspire increased civic engagement for years to come.”

For more information or to get involved, visit drexel.edu/vision2020.

About Vision 2020
Vision 2020 is a national women’s equality coalition headquartered at Drexel University’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership. The coalition is made up of individuals and organizations in all 50 states working together for women’s economic, political and social equality in the United States.

Vision 2020’s Women 100 is a celebration of American women during the year in which the 19th Amendment — women’s right to vote — reaches its 100th anniversary. In 2020, Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, will be home to Vision 2020’s Women 100 programs and events, while members of the Vision 2020 national coalition will host sister programs across the country in support of the 19th Amendment centennial celebration.