PROCLAMATION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
PROCLAIMING AUGUST 26, 2025, AS WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY IN THE CITY OF COTATI
WHEREAS, on August 26, 2025, we mark the 105th anniversary of the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which secured the right to vote for women; and
WHEREAS, in 1976, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors established one of the first Commissions on the Status of Women in the State of California with the purpose of promoting “equal rights and opportunities that enhance the quality of life for all women and girls” and addressing “issues of discrimination and prejudice that negatively affect women in Sonoma County”; and
WHEREAS, women constitute nearly 50 percent of our workforce, the majority of the students in our colleges and graduate schools, and an increasing number of primary breadwinners; and
WHEREAS, in 2024–2025, Sonoma County women working full time earned 86% of what men earned, and women working in agriculture and service sectors—such as many in Sonoma Valley—earned even less; and
WHEREAS, despite the progress made, substantial challenges remain, including disparities in pay, access to quality affordable childcare, affordable housing, and comprehensive healthcare for women, including reproductive and mental health care; and WHEREAS, the mandate for Women’s Equality Day in 2025 is to “accelerate efforts to eliminate systemic barriers and biases that impede women’s progress…emphasizing the need for swift and decisive measures to achieve gender equity”;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED on this day of August 26, 2025, by the City Council of the City of Cotati that the City of Cotati hereby proclaims August 26, 2025, as Women’s Equality Day, celebrating the achievements of women, marking the anniversary of a key milestone in our democracy, and reaffirming our city’s commitment to advancing equity for women and girls in all aspects of community life.
Approved:_____________________________
Mayor