Still Rising: Bringing History’s Inequalities Into Public View

by Rachel Ryan, Enlight Media 

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the ratification of the 19th Amendment, a pivotal moment when women secured the right to vote. Yet, over a century later, many of the inequalities women faced then persist today, shaping our lives and limiting opportunities in countless ways. The Still Rising campaign highlights these ongoing issues by bringing stark, factual messages into visible spaces so they can no longer be ignored, minimized, or forgotten.

The Urgency of Gender Inequality
Gender inequality isn't history; it remains embedded in today's systems and structures:

• No U.S. state has fully closed the gender pay gap, despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

• Women currently hold only 29% of seats in the U.S. Congress, even though women make up more than half the population.

• In 14 states, abortion rights have been rolled back, reversing freedoms established nearly half a century ago.

These facts illustrate persistent, structural inequalities rooted in historical context. Understanding what got us here is essential to addressing and dismantling the barriers women continue to face.

Why Billboards?
We’re featuring billboards in this campaign because they’re concise, direct, culturally iconic and impossible to ignore. We want to spark urgent public conversations, and we want you to participate. By pairing stark, undeniable statistics with clear historical contexts, our campaign shows how deeply embedded and widespread gender inequality remains.

Our hope is that by encountering these truths in everyday spaces, people will make connections between individual experiences and the broader systems that perpetuate inequality. Even more, we hope they will feel compelled to be part of the solution.

What would you feature on your billboard?

Understanding History to Inspire Change
Change begins with awareness, but meaningful, lasting transformation requires historical understanding. Our video-based series, Women Rising, provides this deeper context, exploring women's resilience and ongoing fight for equality through powerful stories and personal narratives. Still Rising extends this learning into the public sphere, creating conversations and building momentum for collective action.

Take Action With Us
Inequality thrives when it's hidden or misunderstood. By bringing these uncomfortable truths into public view, we foster greater awareness, understanding, and urgency. Join us in confronting and addressing the historical inequalities that continue to shape our world.

Visit InContextNow.com to explore Women Rising and participate in the ongoing journey toward true equality.