Who are you grateful for?

Purple Campaign President Ally Coll speaks on a panel with Rep. Jackie Speier, Jenna Ben-Yehuda, and Rep. Cheri Bustos

As the holiday season approaches, I’ve been reflecting on the people in my life who I’m thankful for.

One person that I’m especially grateful to  is Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who  recently announced she will not seek reelection to Congress after more than four decades in public service. She has been a tireless advocate for human and civil rights, and it’s been my honor to work alongside her over the past few years to reform the Congressional Accountability Act and address harassment in workplaces across the country. 

Jackie was an early supporter of the Purple Campaign, headlining one of our first events in the spring of 2018. This August, I was honored to co-author an article for Roll Call with her in support of the Judiciary Accountability Act, a bill we’ve worked on together to address harassment in the federal judiciary. 

I am also grateful for all of the people who are passionate about this work and committed to building a safer and more equitable world. After nearly two years of Coronavirus restrictions, I was excited to head back out on the road this month and join Professor Jeannie Suk Gersen at Harvard Law School for a discussion about our efforts to address the pervasive harassment impacting employees of the federal judiciary.

“Yet today, the federal judiciary, the very institution tasked with enforcing anti-discrimination laws, has yet to fix the issue in its own house.”

–Ally Coll and Dylan Hosmer-Quint

Last week, I co-authored an article in Bloomberg about the issue and the case of Jane Roe, a former public defender who experienced harassment and sex discrimination while working for the federal judicary. Earlier this year, the Purple Campaign filed an amicus brief in support of Roe, arguing that the federal judiciary must be held to the same standards as other employers when responding to employee reports of harassment and discrimination.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude for the Purple Campaign’s amazing team and all of the wonderful people who have supported our organization over the years. This work is important and it has a real impact on people’s lives, but it wouldn’t be possible without committed individuals like you. As we plan for the year ahead, if you’d like to invest in our mission to create harassment-free workplaces for all, click here to give.

I hope you have a safe and joyful holiday season.

#PledgePurple,

Ally Coll
Purple Campaign President