History, dialogue and a renegade bike pageant meet on the streets of Newburgh on Thursday evening, November 19th:

120 Years ago (November of 1895), Newburgh was the site the NYS Women’s Suffrage Convention, where Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt and many other brilliant women gathered to engage the public in a discussion about women’s roles and rights. It was another 25 years before women gained the right to vote!

Has the playing field since been leveled? And where has this discussion disappeared to in our current culture?

We’re bringing it back!

**The Official Event**
6 – 8 PM
Safe Harbors Lobby at the Ritz

To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Convention held here in Newburgh, Safe Harbors Lobby at the Ritz will host a community circle on Thursday, November 19 from 6 – 8 PM.

The circle celebrates the spirit of the 1895 event by bringing the discussion of the roles and rights of women in our current society back to Newburgh and engaging the community in dialogue through the model of community circles developed by The Restorative Center (TheRestorativeCenter.org). The event is open to all.

This evening is conceived and organized by independent artists Ophra Wolf and John Delk, inspired by Johanna Yaun, and sponsored by The Restorative Center and Safe Harbors on the Hudson. Heather Renée Russ is the artist behind the flyer.

**The Unofficial Pageant**
5:00 – 5:45PM

Meet between 4:30 – 5:00PM @ Space Create to suit up in white, then join the delegation as we all ride our bikes down Broadway from William St. past City Hall and back around to the Ritz.

Why?

In the early 1900’s, the younger generation of women started to get more radical and visible, organizing massive pageants with women of all ages dressed in white marching to demand their right to equal treatment.

To celebrate the strength and perseverance of these women, and of all the women in our lives who have made our world a better place to live, we’re taking to the streets for group bike ride, and with a massive downhill swoop, building up the energy to sustain the work of social justice in Newburgh and beyond.

Wear a white dress! (or white skirt and shirt)

Don’t have one? Leetha Berchielli of Mrs. Max has kindly offered to make a few exquisite articles available to you, and she can even help decorate your helmet – come to Space Create at 4:30PM the day of. Or you can bring a white sheet and wrap it around like a toga, or ok, if you have to wear a white shirt and light colored pants, we’ll still take you, but you’d look great in skirt or dress… And you can change as soon as we arrive at the Ritz.

I’m guessing we’ll start the ride no later than 5:15 PM, still a tiny bit of light out, but bring your flashing bike lights and headlamps. As a group we’ll be safe and visible!