Dawn Addis, WMSLO Founder, To Attend the State of the Union Address
The Women’s March San Luis Obispo (WMSLO) is proud to announce that Dawn Addis, a WMSLO founder, will attend the President’s annual State of the Union Address on January 30, 2018, as Rep. Salud Carbajal’s guest.
“Dawn has been a force of nature when it comes to civic engagement on the Central Coast, helping organize thousands of people for women’s marches, as well as rallying our community to oppose the misguided deportation of a hardworking mother,” said Carbajal. “As we hear from a President who has systematically rolled back protections for women’s health, working families, the LGBTQ+ community, and immigrants, Dawn’s presence will serve to strongly represent our Central Coast values in opposition to these misguided priorities. Our state of the union is strong when citizens directly engage in our political system. Dawn has proven this valuable lesson in our own community and it is an honor to have her join me for this address.”
“I am humbled to be invited to the State of the Union Address by Congressman Carbajal,” said Dawn Addis. “As a co-organizer of Women’s March SLO, along with Andrea Chmelik, Jen Ford, Pat Harris, and Terry Parry, I am proud of the thousands of advocates across the Central Coast who stand for women’s rights, human rights, and environmental justice for all people. Representing the Central Coast in Washington DC is a huge honor and I thank the Congressman for recognizing the efforts of his constituents to create a positive future.”
In 2016, recognizing that she could no longer work on the sidelines to create change, Ms. Addis took a leap of faith and decided to enter the public arena of community organizing. She put her skills and voice to work, drawing 10,000 people to the Women’s March in San Luis Obispo, the largest single-day demonstration in San Luis Obispo’s history. Since then, the WMSLO has become a premier Central Coast organization focused on transformative social change.
From left to right: Pat Harris, Andrea Chmelik, Rep. Carbajal, Terry Parry, Jen Ford and Dawn Addis
I commend people like Dawn Addis for tirelessly getting herself involved in so many categories that our nation is facing. Equal rights and immigration is in a crisis. President Trump promised he would protect, “the Dreamers” how easily he using the wall now as a bargaining tool against the Dreamers. They have become doctors, scientists, inventors, environmentalists, I could on and on of all the professions immigrants that excelled in and now they are facing deportation. They have been paying taxes all these years, they followed the rules. Now there lives are hanging in the balance. The government will cover Viagra for men but won’t pay for planned parenthood for women. President Trump’s obsession to build a wall is going to cost the Americans big time in taxes funding this wall. If I could get out of this wheelchair, I would be along side with Dawn Addis marching for women’s rights too. I have known the Dawn’s mother, Trudy Ross Addis for more than 60 years. I know she is proud of her daughter as I am.