9to5 Ends Employment Discrimination

"Being a member of 9to5 gives me hope." Marilyn Winn, 9to5 member

 When I first began to work for 9to5, National Association of Working Women, I was thrilled by the opportunity to organize with a membership-led organization. 9to5 is one of the few organizations in Atlanta that has a vibrant membership that determines the course, content and direction of our organizing and advocacy work.

One example of a member-led initiative is the Ban the Box campaign. The campaign seeks to end employment discrimination for people with arrest records and is working with the City of Atlanta Council to remove the question, “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” from the City of Atlanta employment application. The campaign was initiated and co-managed by 9to5 member Ms. Marilynn Winn. Ms. Winn was repeatedly unsuccessful in gaining full-time employment because of her arrest record connected to her inability to find employment.

Ms. Winn recently shared with me what being a 9to5 member means to her: "It’s important to remove the box on applications because there are people that may have not committed crimes in 5, 10, 15, 20 years. The box makes people lose hope. Being a member of 9to5 gives me hope. 9to5 works to end discrimination and they have always been there for me when I have needed it most. I have been employed for four years now only because someone gave me an opportunity. 9to5 and the Ban the Box campaign give people opportunities for success.”

Working with 9to5 continuously teaches me that our organizing and advocacy efforts are only as effective as members like Ms. Winn who inform and lead our work. 9to5’s membership gives us direction and purpose, and keeps our work relevant and integral to the lives of working women in Atlanta.

Vanessa Faraj, Chapter Organizer