WASHINGTON, D.C. — This weekend, members attending the National Organization for Women (NOW) National Conference elected Christian F. Nunes president and Bear Atwood vice president. The pair will lead the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the country, focusing on the core issues of reproductive rights and justice, economic justice, ending violence against women, LGBTQIA+ rights, constitutional equality, and racial justice.
Nunes became NOW president in August 2020 and was previously appointed vice president by the Board in May 2019. She is the second African American president in the organization’s history, the youngest person of color, and the youngest president in 50 years. She is also a former NOW board member and national committee chair, as well as a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, and a woman-minority business owner who is an active community organizer and public speaker. Prior to becoming a national officer, Nunes held local and state NOW leadership positions in the state of Arizona.
“I’m honored to lead NOW as we embark on a new era and recognize the need to reaffirm what it means to be an anti-racist intersectional feminist. We must be more inclusive and employ a more intersectional lens, centering diverse voices and experiences when it comes to our activism,” stated Nunes. “I know many challenges lie ahead, but I also know our grassroots coalition has the power to dismantle the systems that have perpetuated so many injustices and will continue influencing lasting change, as our organization has done for fifty-five years.”
Atwood first joined NOW in 1977 and has been a lifetime member for approximately 20 years. She is a past president of New Jersey NOW, current president of Mississippi NOW, and served on the National NOW PAC and the national board under four NOW administrations. Her previous experience includes serving as a civil rights lawyer representing LGBTQIA+ clients, acting as the Legal Director for the ACLU of Mississippi, and leading the Southern Poverty Law Center’s youth justice project as their executive director.
“Christian and I are committed to building a stronger feminist, anti-racist, intersectional grassroots movement of activists and allies,” Atwood told the Conference. “We want to bring NOW back to its roots and develop strong chapters across the country. Our diverse multigenerational grassroots is our greatest strength, and we are committed to providing the tools needed to build our bench of leaders.”
Christian F. Nunes and Bear Atwood were elected to a four-year term office, which begins on September 9, 2021.