March 10, 2011

Vision 2020, the national initiative developed by Drexel University College of Medicine to make equality a priority among women and men, will hold a "Celebration of Women's History and Future" at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on March 30, 2011.

Vision 2020 supporters will receive free admission to the National Constitution Center from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with a rally in the F.M. Kirby Auditorium from 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. During the rally, the National Goals of Vision 2020 will be announced and participants can sign a "Declaration of Equality" to show support for the project.

Featured speakers include: Lynn Yeakel, Vision 2020 co-chair and director of Drexel University College of Medicine's Institute for Women's Health and Leadership; Richard Homan, Drexel University College of Medicine President and Annenberg Dean; Erin Vilardi, The White House Project VP and New York Vision 2020 delegate; and the two Vision 2020 Pennsylvania delegates Fran Fattah and Janet Kroll.

The theme for the day is "Don't Let History Happen Without You." The event is a part of a visionary decade-long project created by the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership at Drexel University College of Medicine to bring about significant progress in advancing equality and women's leadership by the year 2020, the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution giving women the right to vote. National delegates have been enlisted from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and are utilizing resources and organizations in their states to propel the effort throughout the country.

"We invite women to join with us on March 30 and renew their energy for moving forward to true equality," said Yeakel. "We hope to inspire women with a look back at the many courageous women who came before us, and we are very excited about sharing our plans for completing their important work during the next decade."

Event attendees will be able to tour Vision 2020's original exhibition, titled "From the Absence of Many to the Presence of All...The Unfinished Business of Women's Equality," which is on display at the Constitution Center through March 31. There also will be a special showing at 11:30 a.m. of "Freedom Rising," the Center's award-winning multimedia production that tells the story of the U.S. Constitution.

Vision 2020 was launched in fall 2010 when the delegates convened at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia for discussions about women's leadership and influence in the areas of Arts & Culture; Business, Law & Finance; Communications & Media; Education; Politics & Government; Health; Philanthropy, Faith & Volunteerism; and Science, Technology & Engineering. The delegates, representing all of these topic areas in leadership positions, are now working on a variety of important initiatives in their home states, which will be announced in the coming months.

Vision 2020's Sponsors
The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company is the Presenting Sponsor of Vision 2020. The Exelon Foundation is a Forger of the Future and Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company, is also a sponsor.

About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia's Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center and a forum for debate on constitutional issues.