natalie white equal rights amendment 1759617

Artist Natalie White was present in the Virginia legislature on January 15 when both houses voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, providing the 38th state needed to meet the threshold set by Congress in 1972. White has been a dedicated advocate for the ERA since 2015, organizing a 250-mile march from New York to Washington in 2016, painting "ERA NOW" on the Capitol steps, and staging civil disobedience performances at the state capitol. She has also helped file a lawsuit against U.S. Archivist David S. Ferriero to compel official recording of Virginia's ratification, arguing that the original congressional deadline is unconstitutional.