A City of Champions: Seattle Answers the Call

Today, the Golden Flyer II arrived in a city that has long stood at the forefront of women’s leadership, civic engagement, and the fight for equality. And there could not be a more fitting place to gather on Mother’s Day than here in Seattle — a city shaped by generations of women who organized, advocated, taught, led, and imagined a more equal future.

More than a century ago, Washington became one of the first states in the nation to grant women the right to vote — doing so in 1910, a full decade before the 19th Amendment became law across the United States. Women in the Pacific Northwest helped prove that expanding democracy strengthened communities rather than weakened them. Their victory became part of the momentum that inspired suffragists nationwide.

Here in Seattle, Zonta International members were again our lead hosts — continuing a warm and welcoming tradition across this tour. Zonta is woven from a rich fabric of empowerment and progressive change since its founding in 1919. It was one of the first organizations to endorse and work for the Equal Rights Amendment after Alice Paul introduced it in 1923, and it remains a driving force in the ERA Coalition and ERA-NOW today.

Katherine Cleland — a leader in Zonta and Indivisible, and our Sign4ERA social media coordinator — recruited a truly energetic team of Clipboard Champions spanning all ages, who spent Mother’s Day telling stories and collecting signatures as they have done faithfully throughout the campaign.

The afternoon brought a powerful expression of women’s leadership and visibility: the Golden Flyer II headed to the Seattle Reign FC match. Attending a professional women’s soccer game on Mother’s Day reminded us how much has changed since Alice and Nell crossed this country in 1916. In those days, stadiums filled with fans cheering for elite women athletes would have seemed almost unimaginable. Today, young girls can look onto the field and see strength, teamwork, excellence, and possibility.

That matters. Because equality is not only written into laws and constitutions — it is reflected in culture, visibility, opportunity, and who gets to be seen as a champion.

The Gender Equity Movement (GEM) organized volunteers to collect signatures at the stadium and along Seattle’s new waterfront park. They understand the direct link between constitutional equality and women’s and LGBTQ+ rights — and they showed up in vibrant costumes that told stories of freedom and equality, turning every signature table into a celebration. As always, the Golden Flyer II was a magnet: people stopped to see the 1914 Saxon roadster, take selfies, collect ERA stickers, and sign the petition.

On Mother’s Day especially, we honor the generations of mothers, grandmothers, teachers, mentors, and caregivers who helped move this country forward — often without recognition, and often while carrying enormous burdens. Many of the women who fought for suffrage were mothers themselves. They organized meetings after long days of work, traveled far from home, raised families, and still found the courage to demand a more equal America for the generations that would follow.

Seattle understands that legacy. This city has long believed in activism, public engagement, and the idea that ordinary people can shape history — from suffrage and labor organizing to environmental leadership, LGBTQ+ rights, and today’s continuing fight for equality and representation.

On Monday morning, that civic spirit continued as we honored Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson — a strong feminist and progressive leader — with an ERA Champions Award for supporting the U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution backing the Equal Rights Amendment. Katherine Cleland presented the award with words that captured the moment perfectly:

“Coming together across genders and generations and organizations to support equal rights for all is the best cause I can think of in these times.” — Katherine Cleland

Mayor Wilson signed the Sign4ERA petition and spoke with conviction about why constitutional equality still matters:

“One of the things history teaches us over and over again is that progress does not just happen automatically. Rights expand because people organize, advocate, speak up, and refuse to accept that inequality is simply the way things have to be.”

“Equality should not depend on political cycles or changing interpretations. It should be foundational. And the fact that people are still organizing around the Equal Rights Amendment today speaks to the belief that equal rights deserve lasting and explicit protection.” — Mayor Katie Wilson

At a time when many people feel divided or discouraged, gatherings like this matter. They remind us that leadership is not only about managing cities — it is also about standing publicly for fairness, dignity, and equal rights. Just as local leaders helped support the suffrage movement more than a century ago, today’s mayors and community organizers are helping carry forward the next chapter of that work.

The story of Alice and Nell reminds us that democracy is always a journey — one carried forward by each new generation. Thank you, Seattle, for welcoming the Tour, for celebrating Mother’s Day with us, and for helping carry this remarkable story into the future.