Women's March severs ties with controversial board members following anti-Semitism accusations
Article By LaTonia Peyton // EEW Magazine // Women’s Issues
The Women’s March severed ties with three inaugural board members after allegations of anti-Semitism swirled and threatened to overshadow the organization’s grassroots work.
Tamika Mallory, Bob Bland and Linda Sarsour will transition off of the board and shift their focus to other advocacy projects.
Infighting across the national Women’s March movement arose after Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan praised Women’s March Inc. co-president Mallory and declared Jews his enemy during an address in February. Since that time, the movement splintered, with chapter members criticizing the Women’s March leadership’s response to Farrakhan’s anti-Semitic rhetoric as being insufficient.
Women's March co-chairs, from left to rigth: Bob Bland, Linda Sarsour and Tamika D. Mallory . They have reportedly left the organization. Carmen Perez, however, (far right) has remained with the group. (Photo: Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) File
The Nation of Islam has been labeled an anti-Semitic hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Mallory denounced the anti-Semitic statements. But Women’s March chapters continued to put pressure on movement leaders to step down, with one chapter disbanding over the issue.
The Chicago chapter responded to the controversy through a statement condemning “bigotry in all its forms.”
“No universe exists in which it is acceptable to support anti-Semitic statements,” the chapter wrote.
The Women’s March said in a statement on Twitter, “Despite reports saying otherwise, our outgoing board members have simply served out their terms and are moving on to new ventures. We are more unified than ever and we thank them for their groundbreaking work and sacrifice.”
The Washington Post first reported the leadership changes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.