My name is Natalie Birnbaum. I am an attorney practicing in New York City, a proud feminist and a Jewish woman. I ask all of you to sign the letter below in the order to restore integrity to a unified and inclusive Women's March and continue to advance the voices of women everywhere. 

To: Tamika D. Mallory, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, Bob Bland

Re: An Open Letter Calling for New Leadership in the Women’s March   

We have so much to be proud of. We have made enormous strides. It is no secret that the organizing power of the Women’s March has emboldened, united, and provided us American women with the platform to be heard throughout the world. For this, women of all backgrounds are grateful. It is in this spirit of inclusivity, that we write to you today.  

We cannot afford to be divided. We cannot allow personal opinions and political affiliations to tear us apart, to silence voices that so desperately need to be heard. Currently, we are at risk of such division, as a movement that was founded on principles of equality and inclusivity, is paradoxically, silencing swaths of women it claims to represent. The LBGTQ community, Jewish women, and all people who oppose bigotry, are losing their seats at the table.

The internal divides and anti-Semitic rhetoric spoken by, supported by, and tolerated by you, the leaders of the Women’s March, is far more divisive than an isolated controversy that can be mended through apology alone.

You, Linda Sarsour and Tamika D. Mallory, refuse to denounce Louis Farrakhan, thereby isolating Jewish women, the LBGTQ community, and our allies from the movement. You, Tamika D. Mallory, refuse to rescind your social media comment that Farrakhan, who is known for his hate speech against the Jewish and LGBTQ communities, is “definitely the GOAT” [greatest of all time]. We disagree.

You, Linda Sarsour, claim to “reject antisemitism in all its forms,” and yet you identify as a proponent of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions of Israel. In a 2017 interview you were asked if there is room for people who support the state of Israel in the movement. You responded, “There can’t be in feminism. You either stand up for the rights of all women, including Palestinians, or none. There’s just no way around it.” We disagree. We believe standing up for the rights of all women includes both Palestinian and Israeli women and our allies.

We believe the Women’s March should be a movement of integrity—a movement of, for and on behalf of all women and their allies. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to be specific, clear, and personal in denouncing and condemning hateful rhetoric in today’s cultural climate. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to have confidence in our leadership.

We echo Teresa Shook, founder of the Women’s March movement, and stand in solidarity with all Sister March Organizations, to bring the movement back to its authentic purpose.

We agree with Teresa Shook and ask that, you, Linda Sarsour, Tamika D. Mallory, Bob Bland and Carmen Perez gracefully step down from your leadership roles in the Women’s March.

We ask that the Women’s March honor its mission “to harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change” and its commitment to “dismantling systems of oppression through nonviolent resistance and building inclusive structures guided by self-determination, dignity and respect.”

We ask that religious inclusion be added to the Unity Principles, which “represent a new understanding of the connected nature of our struggles and a vision of our collective liberation.”  

We ask that Jewish and LGBTQ women are provided the space to feel safe in our fight for equality.

Women, including Jewish and LGBTQ women, will not be silenced, and we will not be siloed.

Women will be included. Indeed, all women must be included, else this movement can hardly claim to be – truly – a Women’s March.