sHERO: she is my hero

Fostering Dignity & Hope for Women in Kenya: The story of my friend, Jared Akoma Ondieki

2010-10-08T13:18:00.001-05:00

When women activists and advocates gather to create their battle plans for winning gender parity, they often forget to engage one of their greatest weapons: the men who advocate on their behalf. In a world that continues to be dominated by male voices at the table, it is essential for us to acknowledge and further support the work of male advocates and leaders that share our belief that all human beings are created equal and that by empowering women, you are also igniting increased growth of larger systems and influencing global economics. It is with this thought in mind that I share with you the work of one young Kenyan father and community organizer, Jared Akoma Oniedki, who is walking right beside his sisters as they march forward.

Although he is remarkably humble and small in stature, Jared Akoma Oniedki's sage wisdom and inspiring voice of courage leaves a room of activists, artists, scientists, and some of brightest individuals in politics, business and academia attending Interdependence Day 2010 in sheer awe and breathlessness. As a 29 year-old citizen leader and the founder of CEPACET (Center For Partnership And Civic Engagement), Jared serves as a perfect representative of a global movement to foster connection and cooperation between diverse people and cultures. He is shaping a better future for the Kenyan people, and doing amazing work that deserves to be recognized. I am particularly excited to share with you the Kilimo Bora Kwa Kina Mama Project, an inspiring project that is economically empowering widowed women in Kenya through crop cultivation.

Kilimo Bora Kwa Kina Mama Project: Empowering Women through Crop Cultivation in Kenya
View more presentations from Ellie Van Houtte | Photographer, Citizen Diplomat, Creative Political Professional.

Setting the Stage…..

There exists much gender inequality in the Kenyan society, particularly for widowed women who are unable to inherit the land owned by their deceased husbands. Even with a new Constitution in Kenya that establishes social rights and land ownership rights for women, implementing and funding such initiatives will take time and is embraced with skepticism by many who are most affected by the existing inequities (http://www.globalissues.org/news/2010/09/09/6887).

Widowed women are often confronted with significant challenges in providing economic support to their families. When their husbands pass away, property owned by widowed women is often immediately “grabbed” by male in-laws, leaving women landless. Without being able to support herself off the land, she must resort to alternate means for economic support, including fish mongering---or the selling of fish at markets and on the street. Although this livelihood may seem fine, unfortunately women do not normally fish in the Kenyan society and must rely on male fisherman to acquire fish to sell. With little money, women are often sexually exploited by male fisherman. Not only is this exchange demoralizing to the women who are forced to resort to "sex for fish", but it is also one of the root causes for the 24% prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection in the Homa-bay region (http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_865.html).

To address some of the challenges that widowed women face, as well as restore dignity to thise women Jared and CEPECET created the Kilimo Bora Kwa kina Mama Project to help the districts large number of widowed women gain self-sufficiency through food cultivation. To better describe the project and how it works, I have included a recent project report below. As you will see, the demand for project participation far exceeds the projects current capacity. If you are able to, please consider making a donation to this critical women’s empowerment project at www.cepacet.org. I also encourage you to contact Jared Akoma Oniedki at jared@cepacet.org with your words of support, ideas for funding, and any potential opportunities for collaboration.

REPORT by CEPACET on the Kilimo Bora Kwa kina Mama Project

The farming project dubbed Kilimo Bora Kwa kina Mama Project (Food crop cultivation for Women) was designed to provide an alternative source of income for the widows in Homa-bay district far from the fish mongering business that is rampant in the area due to its proximity to the lake Victoria, which is largely responsible for the high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates amongst the women, most of whom are widows in the district.

The Kilimo Bora Kwa Kina Mama Project is to provide the women with technical know-how on and to popularize extensive food crop cultivation as a means for income generation. It seeks to provide 100 widows, who initially were fish mongers, with an alternative means of income generation away from the preying eyes of the fishermen who have taken advantage of their dependency syndrome. The women are trained in the following topical areas:

* General understanding of Agriculture(Small scale and large scale)
* Agricultural trends around the country
* Food security and causes of food insecurity in Kenya narrowed down to insecurity in Homa-bay District.
* Types of soils and viable crops
* Food crop production as a means to income generation
* Climate change and environment conservation.
* Women economic empowerment (MDG3)
* Marketing
* Savings and access to agricultural loans.

On the registration day after mobilization, a total of 1,308 widows from one turned out for the exercise. A method agreed upon by the women, provincial administration and CEPACET was employed to come up with the 100 widows who were to be beneficiaries of the project.

During the training, with advice from the facilitator from KARI (Kenya Agricultural Research institute) and after examining carefully the type of soil in the project area, it was decided that bulb onions, tomatoes and cabbages would be cultivated in the demonstration plot for trials. However, other crops like carrots, green paper, potatoes were also mentioned amongst the viable crops.

The project was well received and owned by the widows and the entire community. This is evidenced by the turn out during the registration and other project activities. The activities were well attended by an average of 80 women per activity, provincial administration with a representative of the area chief anytime the area chief missed, and other members of the community including community opinion leaders. CEPACET would like to mention in this report that the kind of community involvement witnessed in this project is not a common occurrence in this project area, not even in projects that provide money in terms of allowances and other provisions.

The women’s participation in the project activities has been a clear indication of the way they have owned the project and their determination to improve their lives socio-economically.

To get a turn-out of 1,308 widows for registration and an attendance rate of 80% in the activities is an indication that perceptions are changing and slowly the society is waking up to the realization that it is better to learn how to catch your own fish than wait to be given one at the owner’s time and will.

The project which was supposed to start in October 2009, due to unavoidable circumstances was begun on the 25th November 2010. As a result, activities had to be pushed forward giving space for proper learning and maturation of crops. It is because of this that the field day has been pushed to 8th May 2010, when all the crops shall have been harvested. The field day shall provide the platform for the women to showcase the harvest and also to sensitize the community to prioritize the needs of women and children in the society.

The Kilimo Bora Kwa Kina Mama Project started with little optimism from us at CEPACET since such agriculture projects are rarely received and owned by the communities living along the shores of Lake Victoria. This was the first time such a venture was being made by the non-governmental organization and expectations were relatively low. However, the response thus impact has been overwhelming.

To have an average of 80 out of 100 widows consistent in their attendance of project activities and showing passion is just incredible. This show how much there is need for an alternative for fish mongering and CEPACET has provided these women with an opportunity to turn their lives over.

It is our desire that this project receives funding for expansion in order to ensure sustainability and create a major impact by moving empowering women and changing their predicament. In this way more children will be able to go to school, get good nutrition through feeding, and have clothing and proper shelter. As a result, we shall have contributed significantly in reducing the high rates of infant mortality, HIV prevalence and poverty and also end the circle of violence in the community.

There are other vulnerable groups including older widows who cannot practice farming any more and young teenage mother who do not have land to farm but are in dire need of income generating activities in order to provide for their dependents. CEPACET hopes that in future we will be able to train women on alternative methods such as poultry farming and dress making to provide them with the much needed opportunity to earn a decent living away from the eyes of the mean fishermen who use them to satisfy their sexual desires.
We are now moving on to Phase 2 of the Project where we want each of the 100 widows who have undergone this training to be helped to work on their individual gardens and farms.

River Gypsies of Bangladesh

2010-07-13T22:18:00.001-05:00

The waterways of Bangladesh are home to nearly 800,000 “river gypsies” or bedey (as they are known locally) that navigate along Bangladesh’s network of over 700 rivers and canals on their hand-constructed bamboo houseboats. This photo documentary depicts the lives of the families I met near Savar, Bangladesh.

As you will see in some of the images, many river dwellers are women. Women are expected to maintain their daily routines of cooking, washing, collecting clean water, and raising a family within the tight confines of a small boat. Not much longer or wider than a typical automobile or minivan, the typical houseboat is small in size, but surprisingly capable of fitting all of a family’s physical possessions onboard.

More of my photographic work can be found at www.ellievanhoutte.com or http://ellievanhouttephotography.tumblr.com/

River Gypsies of Bangladesh

View more presentations from Ellie Van Houtte | Photographer, Social Anthropologist, Citizen Diplomat.

Strength In Our Common Dreams: Brick Factory Workers near Keshabpur Upazilla in the Jessore District of Bangladesh

2010-06-06T09:32:00.004-05:00

Photo Documentary by Ellie Van Houtte
Web Portfolio at www.ellievanhoutte.com
Blog at www.ellievanhouttephotography.tumblr.com
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In my months of international travel, and years of community and political organizing, I can say that I have encountered people from many walks of life. From farmers and homemakers in the small towns of Iowa to day laborers and textile shop workers in India and Bangladesh. As different as their lifestyles, religions, and economic circumstances may be, the thread that weaves all people together is the common vision in goals yet to be achieved.

If you take the time to look in the eyes of someone different then yourself to genuinely listen to the story of who they are, you may be quite surprised to find a kinship that you may never have anticipated. When I met the women above at a brick factory on the narrow dust road near Keshabpur, Bangladesh, I felt closer to her than I had with almost anyone else that I had encountered before. I had not known this women for more than a few minutes, but her struggle to support her family by toiling tirelessly to mold earthen clay into bricks was a struggle that I understood.

The sweat on her brow and the strength in her face were like the expression that my mother and father wore on their faces as they separated the the flowers from the noxious weeds as they cultivated life on their farm in the United States. My parents devoted their lives to this work in order to enable my sister and I to lead lives of more prosperity than their own. With the privilege that I had been fortuitously granted, comes great responsibility, and in taking this photo, I was inspired to make a commitment to sharing her struggle so that one day her children could also find opportunities.

To share the stories and struggles of people I have met during my travels, I will post a weekly photo story. I hope that the images will inspire you to change your own life to make a positive difference for another life.

To share the stories and experiences of the people that I met during my recent travels, I will be posting weekly photo documentaries. I hope they will inspire you to change your life in ways that make a difference in the life of someone else.

Strength In Our Common Dreams: Brick Factory Workers near Keshabpur Upazilla in the Jessore District of Bangladesh

View more presentations from ellievanhoutte.

A New Chapter Begins: Join me on my international journey!

2009-09-02T21:25:00.009-05:00

Like the wide-sweeping emotion that transcends an audience to a heightened level of consciousness at the conclusion of a Greek tragedy, my journey of spiritual purification and enlightenment began during an epiphany that I experienced on August 24, 2009. In what seemed like a singular moment of katharsis (see definition below), I realized that my personal and professional success was being challenged by my narrowly delineated notion that someone else was going to create the "perfect" opportunities for me to thrive. In this life-changing moment, I decided to take control of my own destiny by becoming the person that I want and know I need to be.

In re-kindling my creative intuition, as well as fostering my strengths as a tenacious, curious, and entrepreneurial individual, I began planning an international adventure that would launch my “new life”. In less than six-weeks (August 4th-September 11th), I have orchestrated the elements of a global trip that will take me to the cobblestone streets of old and new Poland to visit one of my most inspiring childhood mentors, to the mountains of Nepal, the culture and spirituality of India, a wedding celebration in Bangladesh, and even a few other destinations along the way that are sure to be just as memorable.

My personal travel blog, “Katharsis”, will document my journey to worlds of people, places and experiences that will feed my soul and guide my inner compass. I hope that my discovery, artistic curiosity, and cultural engagement will bring joy to you through poetic journal entries and captivating photographic imagery. I invite you to join me on my journey as I write about my trip and share the stories and images that I gather along the way. Perhaps you too will discover your own means to enlightenment!

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Katharsis

\kə-ˈthär-səs\

1 : purgation 2 a : purification or purgation of the emotions primarily through art b : a purification that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension 3 : elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression

Home on the farm...

2009-06-05T09:35:00.010-05:00

When I go home, I embark upon a journey back to my family farm in Grand Rapids, Ohio.

To many, the first images that they think of when they hear the word farm are cows in pastures of grass, rows of field corn, and maybe a farmer in overalls riding a big green tractor (most likely a John Deere). Every one of these images are familiar to me from my experience growing up and living in rural communities across America---from Ohio to Iowa, but the images that greet me on my family's flower and vegetable farm in early summer are fields of blue and purple bachelor buttons, peonies popping into full-blown puffs of decadent fragrance, and vegetables like lettuce, zucchini and peas. And I must not forget the tender asparagus that is so sweet, you can eat it raw like celery.

Although the farm is a place of much work----planting, weeding, harvesting, selling, and beginning the cycle again almost every week, it is also a place os serenity. A place where one can wonder freely without the slightest ounce of worry and concern, as nature encircles you in the comfort of knowing that everything in life has a purpose. Even though my purpose has yet to come to fruition, by witnessing the seamless coexistence of all elements of nature with one another, I have confidence my skills will somehow work their way into supporting the greater good.

As I straddle universes over the next few months, I plan to write about my experiences home on the farm. I hope to share anecdotes from the customers that are like family and friends on the market, and also to illuminate the unique experiences of returning to the place of my childhood, and the place that has been an integral component of who I have and am becoming. So, I hope you'll enjoy the journey with me!

WEEKEND EVENTS: Retreating Away---near and far. Garden Jazz, Sengalese Art, and Health-N-Wellness Expo.

2009-05-22T13:56:00.008-05:00

The winds of life try to blow us in many directions, and sometimes we must simply allow them to sweep us away. So, this weekend I am retreating away from the city to rekindle my soul. No particular itinerary, nor particular destinations delineated on paper, simply a list of country festivals and quaint towns along the scenic mountainside drives of Virginia (North Carolina too, if I happen to make it that far south). My country meanderings reconnect me to the explorer within, and challenge me to let go of the weights that carry heavy on my shoulders.

Everyone “retreats away” in their own ways, and for some that may mean actually silencing time and staying right where you’re at. With rooftop pools and parks across Washington, DC open for the season, there are many places to find peace as we launch into the early months of summer.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that this weekend is also Memorial Day, our national holiday for celebrating the brave souls whose bodies were lost during service to our country. Even if you’re not one to visit cemeteries or to participate in Memorial Day parades and festivities, I hope you will take a moment to salute the men and women who have made sacrifices for our freedom and how they have shaped who we are today. I’ve included just a few of many celebrations and events happening around town below.

JAZZ in the Garden
Lady A (jazz and R & B vocalist)
Friday, May 22nd (and every Friday through September 11th)
5:00pm - 8:30pm
National Gallery Sculpture Garden (Metro: Navy Archives or the Circulator)
Free

Sangria, Food and Beverages are available for purchase at the Pavillion Cafe. You can also bring your own picnic and be sure to bring a blanket to chill out on the grass with your friends as seating is limited. For complete details and more info please click here! For a map of the Sculpture Garden, please click here.

Constructed Color: Amish Quilts
All Weekend
The Textile Museum
2320 S Street (Metro: Dupont Circle, Q Street Exit)
Open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm
Sundays from o1pm-5pm
Free Admission
Textilemuseum.org
Celebrate one of America’s most beloved artistic traditions at The Textile Museum this spring and summer.

Senegalese Folk Paintings with Artist, Niang Thierno
Saturday, May 23, 2009
1:00pm to 4:00pm
The Culture Shop
341 Cedar St., NW
Washington, DC 20012
cultureshop.com

Memorial Weekend Sale! 50% Off Senegalese Folk Paintings. 20% off any one item of your choice. Sizzling summer items arriving daily - shop early. In-store promotion only

Invited artist, Niang Thierno, is returning to France after an extended stay in the States.
Culture Shop patrons have a unique opportunity to purchase his fiery paintings at closeout prices. Mr.Thierno discovered his passion in 1966 during the African Art Festival in Dakar, Senegal - which ultimately led to his first exposition at the historic Goree Island in Senegal. His artistic technique is indicative of his origin - with everything around him reflecting a source of inspiration and creativity.

Pure Love Unity Festival & Health-N-Wellness Expo
(An event of DC Black Pride Weekend)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Love Night Club
1350 Okie St, NW
Washington, DC 20002
Admission: $10.00 or FREE w/ Pure Love Pass
Open to the public - 18 y/o or Older - No Children
The Pure Love Festival is a combination of celebration of the arts and
a celebration of self love, through health and wellness. The 19th
annual festival features local and national talent, vendors, food,
games, prizes and special guest. The Health & Wellness expo consist of
health and fitness providers from various arenas to offer fitness and
exercise training, healthy cooking, diabetes, syphilis, HIV, sickle-
cell anemia, cholesterol screenings and body mass index evaluations.
Special Guest: City Gym Boys, De Marco Majors and National Recording
Artists Crystal Waters.

For more information about these and other events (including parties,
poetry slams, movie screenings, interfaith services, and a bbq), see:
http://www.dcblackpride.org/ and http://phatgirlchic.com/bpride_09.html.

Kennedy Center National Memorial Day Choral Festival
May 24, 2009
2 p.m.
Admission: $10
A 90-minute program features American choral classics in honor of those who have fought to preserve our nation's heritage.

PBS' National Memorial Day Concert
Sunday, May 24, 2009
8 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.
PBS sponsors a FREE concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The concert features actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, and other guest artists along with conductor Erich Kunzel and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Finding Community: A Lifelong Journey for Some

2009-05-21T01:29:00.014-05:00

“The current state of the economy suggests we are needed as much now, as ever before. Working to help women step up and out of homelessness is a process. Change may come slowly, but when it comes, it comes with great reward.”
Dawn Swan, Executive Director at Rachael’s Women’s Center in Washington, DC

Community is something that many of us take for granted everyday.

Our colleagues at work, our families and neighbors, a church congregation, or perhaps our sorority sisters---communities that many of us rely upon on a regular basis (consciously or subconsciously). Community is the network of support that helps us sew together the patchwork pieces of our personalities and talents together into a vibrant quilt that defines who we are. As difficult as it is to imagine, there are many women who are not encircled with a community of personal support. Even the strongest individuals among us, would struggle to find our self-confidence and individual strengths if we lacked the materials and sewing circle for seaming together the ups and downs of our lives into something that ironed out into an inherently beautiful creation.

I first recognized the gifts that I had in my community of family and friends when I met women who had none during a semester long, service-learning program in the Over-the-Rhine community of Cincinnati, Ohio during college. Second-Floor, West, was the corridor where many of the women of the Drop-In Center’s Substance Abuse Recovery Program found a community they could belong to for the first time in their lives. It felt like a prison to some and an escape to others. Through tears and testimony they shed their fears and found hope that they could find forgiveness in themselves and in the people in their lives that had failed them. Seeking to heal themselves would take self-discipline and personal will power, in addition to an ability to trust in themselves and the community of people around them to be there when they couldn’t handle the rough road alone.

Family was obscured for many. My friend Kim, a homeless, recovering alcoholic, had expended her wild cards with her family, and they no longer wanted anything to do with her. Erratic behavior, and decisions that spun her life out of control caused some of her self-destruction. Without a “home”, both figuratively and metaphorically, she followed a pathway into loneliness---a pathway into loneliness that only those that have experience losing their way can understand. The bottle became her friend, and the only constant she could count on in her life.

During long walks through Washington Park (the only substantial green space that was accessible to the women) and on the way to the Family Dollar Store or church for worship and concerts, we bonded together. We learned from each other---I received as much as they received from me. In the 6’x15’ closet, turned smoke room, the women shared with one another, and grew closer. Even though there was still much discordance between them in the ways that they would recover, they now had each other. Their bonds, and the halls of their temporary home, provided a safe haven and a place for picking up the pieces of their lives and finally finding the internal and external peace needed to rebuild.

I was reminded of how important community is on a visit to Rachael’s Women’s Center, a space of growth that has existed for homeless women in the Washington, DC area for the past 30 years. Although the center services over 400 clients every year---some women that are facing substance abuse (50 women a year) and others mental health crisises (70 women a year)--- for most of the remaining clients, the space is a place for seeking support and friendship. One client that I talked with described the weekly bingo games as the reason she returned to Rachael’s Center on a regular basis---an unexpected answer considering that the center provides many other substantial services including meals, showers & laundry, case management, intensive care management, employment counseling, and even computer training. This “real” answer revealed an underlying reality----without the power of friendship and community, all of the other tools that are of our disposal may fall short of meeting one’s needs.

The friendship of community is the thread that seams the quilt together…particularly for women who find home at Rachael’s Women’s Center and other safe havens in Washington, DC and across the country. You can chose to be a friend to those around you by reminding yourself to be there for those closest to you when they need you, and also as a friend to complete strangers---through volunteer service, or simply a warm hello or smile to someone that you pass on the street. Your outreach may help someone find new hope and community.
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I encourage you to learn more about volunteering at Rachael’s Women’s Center by visiting www.rachaels.org.

WEEKEND EVENTS: Curb Day 2009, Sitar Concert and an 18th Century Market

2009-05-16T07:01:00.007-05:00

This seems to be the time of the year during which we grow and adapt. Intellectually as we find new hobbies and subjects to educate ourselves on, physically as we change our wardrobes and bodies to match the changing seasons, and emotionally as we reconnect with the stories of our history.

I’m planning to spend the weekend rediscovering myself, and there are some ways that you can as well. Start the weekend out by doing some spring cleaning (or helping someone else out with this task) by participating in Curb Day 2009. On Sunday, clean out your closet and upgrade your wardrobe simultaneously by participating in a Recessionista’s Closet Clothes Swap.

If you’re in the mood to learn something new, enjoy a Sitar Concert (see photo) with a native of Bangladash, Alif Laila this afternoon, or stop in to see one of the featured films of the Reel Time Brazil Film Festival this weekend. To top the weekend off, travel back in history by participating in the festivities at the 18th Century Market Fair at the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, just a few minutes outside of the city.
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Alif Laila Sitar Concert
Presented by the Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company
Saturday May 16, 2009 at 3:00 pm Westminster Presbyterian Church 400 I Street SW (Waterfront Metro)
RSVP to rsvp@dakshina.org
Alif Laila was born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her connection with the arts was very deep since early childhood. After initial training in vocal music, she was eventually inspired to learn the sitar by her mother, Shehida in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Alif embraces the Sitar as the instrument of her soul. For more information please visit her website:www.aliflailasitar.com and blog:http://aliflailasitar.blogspot.com.

Curb Day 2009
May 16, 2009
More info. at http://www.curbday.com/
Saturday, May 16, 2009 has been designated 'Curb Day 2009: the world's biggest giveaway'. The idea is for people across North America to participate by bringing their extra (but still still valuable) items to their curbs for others to pick up that weekend.

Recessionista's Closet: WIN Clothing Swap!
Sunday, May 17
2pm–4pm WIN office (11 Dupont Circle, NW Suite 243)
For more information and to RSVP email the Environment Network Chairs at environment@winonline.org
Don't throw away your clothes when you resurrect your summer wardrobe. Clean out your closet and get "new to you" items while helping the environment -- just imagine how much cotton we will save. Wearable or easily repairable items - no undies please! Clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories welcome. Extra clothes go to good causes - Dress for Success, Amicus Green Building Drive (to become insulation for habitat homes in the gulf coast), and Goodwill.

Brazilian Film Festival
Friday, May 15th – Sunday, May 17th
FREE
The Hirshhorn Museum (Independence Avenue at Seventh Street, SW---L’Enfant Plaza Metro) AND The Greenberg Theater (4200 Wisconsin Ave, NW---Tenleytown Metro)
“II Reel Time Brazil – a Documentary Film Week” The Embassy of Brazil, along with the Smithsonian Latino Center, will present the film festival – II Reel Time Brazil this weekend, May 15th - 17th. The festival will showcase five documentary films that highlight Brazilian culture through the stories of historical Brazilian icons. Three of the films will make their U.S. debut. The Embassy has once again invited film directors and special guests to speak with audience members about the making of the featured films. All festival events are free and open to the public. Seats are on a first come, first served basis.
Saturday, May 16th
4:00pm – 5:30pm "Pan-Cinema Permanente" Permanent Pan-Cinema, Greenberg Theater 6:00pm – 7:15pm "Panair do Brasil" Greenberg Theater
Sunday, May 17th
4:00pm – 5:30pm "Só Dez Por Cento é Mentira" Only Ten Percent is a Lie, Greenberg Theater 6:00pm – 7:30pm "Simonal – Ninguém Sabe O Duro que Dei" Simonal – No One Knows How Tough It Was, Greenberg Theater

Spring 18th Century Market Fair at "Claude Moore Colonial Farm"
Saturday & Sunday, May 16 & 17
11 am - 4:30 pm
6310 Georgetown Pike , McLean, VA 22101 http://www.1771.org/
A visit to the Claude Moore Colonial Farm is a visit to another world ...the world of an 18th Century family living on a small, low-income farm just prior to the Revolutionary War.

WORDS to INSPIRE: Liberating our colorful inner spirits...

2009-05-07T01:31:00.005-05:00

As we approach Mother’s Day, a poem that reminds us to be forgiving of our mothers, grandmas, and sisters for the times they made us turn red in public from embarrassment. Eventually, every one of us will discover our colorful inner spirits. And when we discover our inner audacity, we may just be more liberated souls.
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Warning
Jenny Joseph
(1960 at Age 28)

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

WEEKEND EVENTS: Yoga on the Mall, Greek Festival and Passport DC

2009-05-01T16:50:00.009-05:00

May is one of my favorite months (not to mention the month I was born in)! It is a time of transition between seasons and a month when the blues of winter fade away to reveal the smiles of summer-time fun.

Start the first Saturday of May off right with FREE “Yoga on the Mall” with the Younger Women’s Task Force in celebration of National Women’s Health Month (I'll blog more about this soon).

If you’re itching to leave town, but your pocketbook is a bit too light, fear not. Washington, DC will be teeming with low budget opportunities to take a sneak peak at destinations around the globe during Passport DC 2009. Over 27 embassies will open their doors to the public from 10am to 4pm on Saturday to showcase the culture, history and traditions of their countries. If feel like you’d rather sail off to the isles, join your extended family at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for authentic Greek food, an Agora marketplace, church tours, and even some parathosi dancing (aka…Greek dancing). I’ve attended the festival a few times in the past, and have really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and family-friendly crowd.

Want to feed your inner beat? Head on over to the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop on Saturday night to celebrate Saartjie Baartman, a South African women that was finally returned to her homeland to rest in 2002 almost 200 years after her body was exploited as exhibit in Europe. Join musicians and a collection of artists to explore the intersection of art and music in the healing process.

If you’re looking to extend your weekend to support some great organizations, join Running Start next Tuesday to applaud the next generation of young female leaders at the “2009 Women to Watch Awards”. Another highlight of the coming week is the FairFUND’s “Pearls of Purpose”, a fundraiser to support the survivors of human trafficking. This year’s FairFUND honoree will be Congresswoman Shelia Jackson-Lee, a legislator who has taken the issue of assisting trafficked children to heart.

Have fun, and feel free to forward your photos and recommendations for next weekend my way!
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Join the Younger Women's Task Force for Yoga on the Mall!
At no cost in honor of National Women's Health Month
Saturday, May 2nd 11:00 am
At the Constitution Gardens near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
(The closest intersection is Constitution Ave and 23rd St NW)
Don't know where to go? A group will be meeting at 10:30 am outside the Foggy Bottom metro stop to walk over together. Bring water and a mat/towel.
Email ywtfdc@gmail.com for more information.
To see the full schedule of YWTF meetings and events, add the YWTF:DC google calendar to your calendar. You can also join us on Facebook!

St. George’s Greek Festival Friday, May 1st- 11:30AM-10:00PM Saturday, May 2nd- Noon-10:00PM Sunday, May 3rd- Noon-8:00PM
7701 Bradley Blvd
Bethesda, MD 20817
Directions: http://www.stgeorge.org/app/w_page.php?id=39&type=section
Information: here: http://www.stgeorge.org/app/w_page.php?id=74&type=section
Rain or Shine! FREE Admission and Parking!

The Saartjie Project hosts a Juried Artist & Benfit Concert May 2, 2009
8:00pm
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
545 7th Street, SE
Washington, DC
Donation: $20
http://www.thesaartjieproject.org/The_Saartjie_Project/The_Saartjie_Project.html

Running Start “2009 Women to Watch Awards” Tuesday, May 5, 2009
6:00pm-7:00pm VIP Reception
7:00pm-9:00pm Dinner and Awards Program
National Press Club
529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.runningstartonline.org
http://www.runningstartonline.org/events/women-to-watch-invite.php
The Women to Watch Awards, held each spring in Washington, DC celebrates Running Start’s efforts to inspire young women to run for public office.

FairFUND “Pearls of Purpose” THURSDAY, MAY 7TH, 2009
DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM
OPENING REMARKS 7:45 PM
THE DACOR BACON HOUSE
1801 F STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20006
TICKETS
$100 General Admission
$60 Young Professionals
http://fairfund.org/subpage.asp?P=events&S=default#tickets
FAIR Fund's 3rd annual gala, Pearls of Purpose, celebrates the creativity and strength of each young woman nurtured by FAIR Fund's circle of support, who is now truly leading a life safer from human trafficking, exploitation, and sexual assault.

INTERVIEW: CA-32 Congressional Candidate, Judy Chu

2009-04-29T00:46:00.005-05:00

The Feminist Queries: Judy Chu

by Jen Nedeau

http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/the_feminist_queries_judy_chu

Published April 26, 2009 @ 03:45PM PST

For today's Feminist Query, I interviewed Judy Chu PhD who is running a Congressional campaign in CA-32, the seat vacated by Hilda Solis. Dr. Chu is an EMILY’s List candidate with a strong record on women’s issues, and she would be a great addition to Congress. Dr. Chu has dedicated her life to improving the quality of life in the San Gabriel Valley as a public official. For the past 23 years, Dr. Chu has represented San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods as a local School Board member, Mayor and City Council member, State Assembly Member and as a member of the California State Board of Equalization. Dr. Chu holds a B.A. in Math (!!) from UCLA, and a PhD in Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. During her time in the California State Assembly, when she represented the Western San Gabriel Valley, Dr. Chu passed legislation to protect victims of domestic violence, to crack down on hate crimes, to promote environmental justice and to modernize aging schools. Her tax amnesty program brought in over $4.8 billion in revenues to improve schools, health care and public safety. Additionally, she served as Chair of the Assembly Appropriation Committee where she fought to protect student, seniors and the disabled from budget cuts. As a member of the nation's only elected tax authority, Dr. Chu works to close special interest tax loopholes, protect small businesses and to administer the collection of $53 billion in state taxes and fees.

Take a look at her interview and feel free to donate to her campaign and help get more women elected to Congress!

Do you consider yourself a feminist? If not, why? If yes, how so?

Yes, I consider myself a feminist. While growing up, I never even contemplated the possibility of being a leader, let alone an elected official. It seemed entirely outside the realm of possibilities for me as an Asian American woman. So I was a math major when I went to UC Santa Barbara. I actually remember the moment I realized that it was even possible for me to be a leader. During the first quarter there, I decided on a lark to take an "experimental" Asian American Studies Class. They had a guest speaker, Pat Sumi, a strong community activist committed to anti-war issues and civil rights. As I listened to her, a light went off in my head. I realized that it was possible for me to be a community activist too, and to be a leader in changing people's lives for the better. I got active in campus and community activities, transferred to UCLA, and changed my major to psychology in order to better help people. I joined the movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment for women, and then taught classes at UCLA on Asian American Women. That was the beginning of my 25 year history working on behalf of equality for women.

What made you decide to run for office?

In 1985, I had not even contemplated running for office. However, I was teaching in psychology in the Los Angeles Community College District and living in Monterey Park. A group of people asked me to run for the board of the Garvey School District. So I ran, but I was a complete unknown. I do remember a critical moment. It was when I went before the National Women's Political Caucus in Pasadena for an endorsement. They interviewed me and were so supportive of this completely unknown candidate that I felt incredibly encouraged. They endorsed me and gave me a donation. I realized from that experience that it is so important to have an infrastructure helping women run for office. Then an "English Only" movement occurred in Monterey Park where long time residents scapegoated new immigrants who were moving into the city. They wanted English only on the signs in the city and for the books in the library. The last straw was when they got a resolution passed in the city council saying that only English should be spoken in the city. I joined a coalition to defeat the resolution. We were successful, and out of that movement, I ran for city council. I made it my goal to bring the city together, and bring about an appreciation of diversity. Seven years later, I was so gratified when our city won the grand prize for Innovation in Addressing Diversity by the League of California Cities.

Have you faced any "glass ceilings" as an Asian American female running for political office?

I felt a very strong glass ceiling as an Asian American woman running for political office. Though it was difficult running for the Monterey Park City Council because of the polarization in the city, but it was still possible to win through hard work and door-to-door walking. But I found that running for state office to be a totally different story. In the state, there was an Old Boy's Network that had institutionalized its power. When the Assembly seat opened up in 2001, I decided to run. But the Old Boy's Network wanted a male, and they put all their resources into backing him and putting up roadblocks for me. Thus, the then-Speaker did not support me. It looked bleak, but then there was a turning point. It was when Congresswoman Hilda Solis decided to support me. She had gone against the Old Boy's Network herself when she did something unprecedented. She ran against an incumbent do-nothing Congressman who was part of the Old Boy's Network, and won. She wanted a new California like I did. Her support provided the critical boost that I needed to win.

How can we encourage more women to run for office?

It was very powerful to have the support and endorsement of the National Women's Political Caucus. It is important to have groups in place that will help women when they run for office. I applaud the work of NWPC, the Women's Political Committee and Emily's List. They have truly changed the landscape for women running for office. It is also important to encourage women to get involved on the local and grassroots level, so they can gain experience and a base when they run.

What is the single most important issue to you today?

The single most critical issue that we are facing today is the economic crisis. Seniors don't know if their 401K will hold any value, business people don't know if they can pay their next month's salaries and young people don't know if there will be a job waiting for them when they graduate. In addition, the foreclosure rate is overwhelming. I want to use the fiscal expertise I've gained as Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, as a member of the California Legislature's Budget Conference Committee, as a member of the Board Equalization collecting the taxes for the state, and as the author of the Tax Amnesty bill which was supposed to bring in $300 million but actually brought in $4.3 billion for this state and was the most successful tax amnesty in the nation in history. I want to bring this out-of-the-box thinking to Washington D.C. The economic crisis has hit women particularly hard because there is a gender gap in wages for women. Women still earn only 77% of what men earn. According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, at the present rate of progress, it will take 50 years to close the wage gap between men and women nationwide.
To me, this is unacceptable. I have worked hard at the Board of Equalization to close this gender gap. I've done a series of women entrepreneur workshops to close this gap, so that women can get the resources they need to be economically independent.

If you could ask feminists everywhere one question, what would it be?

What are you doing to help women attain equality in America? Women everywhere need your commitment and help.

****************************************************************************

If you would like to make a contribution to Judy Chu's campaign, you may do so at http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/21630.

What Would You Do with an Extra $434,000?

2009-04-28T07:52:00.013-05:00

Just imagine what you could accumulate with an extra $434,000 in earnings over a lifetime...

3 Houses in the Midwest Region of the US

(The median home price in the Midwest was $131,000 as of 4/8/09 according to the National Association of Realtors)
9.5 Years of Ivy League Education
(Assuming that the average Ivy League Tuition & Room and Board is $45,000 a year)
15 New Cars
(The average price of a new car according to the National Automobile Dealers Association)
$2.5 Million Dollars in Additional Retirement Savings
(If the $10, 850 in annual lost salary for the average women was invested into a retirement savings that yielded 8% return annually before retirement---Bloomberg retirement plan calculator)

April 28, 2009 is Equal Pay Day. This date is significant because it marks the extra days and months into 2009 that the average women would need to work to “catch-up” to the average salary of a man in 2008.

When a women’s job, even within the exact same field, with the exact same hours and obligations as a the same role occupied by a man, yields 12% less income, one obviously wonders why the issue can be so easily ignored. As illustrated above, the female worker has an average career wage gap of $434,000-----ranging from $270,000 for a women with less than a high school education to $713,000 for a women with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, staggering figures that have directly affect a family’s well-being over the long-term. Pay equity is not only an issue of improving the economic security of our families, but also placing value and dignity in the critical roles of every member of society and the contributions they make.

According to Heather Boushey of the Center for American Progress at an Equal Pay Day Panel, the implications of salary inequity are becoming even more evident in the current economic crisis. Nearly 80% of the 5.1 Million jobs lost since the start of the recession have been occupied by men; and because men earn 2/3rds of a family’s income on average, when a women becomes the “breadwinner” of their household, they are expected to support 100% of their family’s financial needs with a salary that had previously only been 1/3rd of their household’s income.

Although we may not be able to change the root causes for workplace wage inequity without changing the stereotypes and social factors that define women and “pink collar” jobs (a term used by Lisa Maatz at the American Association of University Women), we can use political will to change policies and laws to be more family friendly. The most important legislation pending in Congress for women is the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182), and I encourage you ask your Senators to support this bill by calling (202) 224-3121 (a switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request). You can learn more about the bill’s history at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1338.

As Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), a committed advocate and legislator who has been working to pass pay equity legislation since getting elected to Congress 12 years ago says of our country’s current political and economic state, “Inertia is a powerful force, and the political will is with us on fair pay…the window of opportunity is open, and we must march through the window now.”

Need a primer on Equal Pay Day 2009 and the Wage Gap?
Check out the Center for American Progress’ insightful overview: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/04/equal_pay_day.html

Wage Gap by the Numbers:
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/wage_gap_numbers.html

Previous posting on pay inequity of professions dominated by women:
http://cityvisionary-shero.blogspot.com/2009/04/why-pay-for-occupations-dominated-by.html

WEEKEND EVENTS: Work-A-Thon, UNIFEM Walk, and More...

2009-04-24T17:50:00.010-05:00

Volunteering in the community is the perfect way to embrace the changing signs of the season in our city, as well as within ourselves. By lending a helping hand, we become more aware our our surroundings and more connected to the issues and challenges that weave all people together. You may even find your volunteer efforts so inspirational, that they lead you to re-discover your passion....

To start my weekend, I'll be participating in the Hands on DC WORK-A-THON on Saturday with the Miami University Alumni Association to help create better schools and brighter futures for students in the District of Columbia. Across DC, hundreds of volunteers will be literally swinging hammers and fixing up classrooms so that every child can learn in an environment that makes them feel valued. My team will be spending most of the day painting murals, building book shelves and sprucing up classroom fixtures at KIPP Academy. Check out the Work-A-Thon webpage for more information on joining a team.

If you're more intersted in volunteering your time during National Sexual Assault Awareness Month to rally together with other like-minded activists, consider participating in the UNIFEM Annual Walk to Stop Violence against Women and Girls on Sunday. All of the proceeds for this event go to the UN Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence Against Women. The UN Trust Fund is the only global multi-lateral grant-making mechanism exclusively devoted to supporting local, national and regional efforts of organizations to combat gender-based violence. Since it began operations in 1997, the Trust Fund has awarded more than US$19 million to 263 initiatives to address violence against women in 115 countries.

A few other events of note below:
"Rally to Rescue the Invisible Children of War"
Sunday, April 26th
Starts at 2:00pm at he Ellipse, and ends at the Natioanl Mall
On April 25th, 2009 thousands of participants will gather in 100 cities across the world to symbolically abduct themselves to free the abducted. A civil war, originally contained within Uganda’s borders, has now evolved into a widespread regional crisis. Invisible
Children, in concert with other policy organizations including Resolve Uganda, The Enough Project, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, now believes an international effort to apprehend Kony and rescue his child soldiers is the most viable way to end the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today.

FOR MORE INFO AND TO SIGN UP: http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com
All the info is online. There are many ways to get involved. You can
donate $$ online.

Sisters4Sisters April Networking Event
Sunday, April 26
Come Join Sisters4Sisters Network, Inc. for our April Networking Event scheduled Sunday, April 26, 209 at 3:00pm at Bowie State University, Center for Learning and Technology, Room 102, 14000 Jericho Park Drive, Bowie, MD. Our guest speaker will be George C. Fraser, author of Success Runs in Our Race and Click. Come learn how George Fraser inspired us to form Sisters4Sisters Network, Inc.

This event is FREE, but you must RSVP at events@sisters4sistersnetwork.org or call us at 240 678-0117 to reserve your seat. There will be door prizes, entertainment, lite food and refreshment. George will be available for a booksigning as well!!!

URGENT: Keep Women's Voices at the Table in DC!!!

2009-04-22T21:48:00.006-05:00

Did you know that 80% of homeless households in Washington, DC are headed by single WOMEN? With a 25% increase in homeless in the city this past year and domestic violence on the rise, the female residents of DC deserve a strong voice to advocate for them in city government. Unfortunately, Mayor Fenty's 2010 budget reduces the Office of Women's Policy Initiatives (OWPI) to just one full time employee. Not only does the OWPI staff cut reduce the representation that some of the DC's most vulnerable citizens will have on DC City Council for important budget and program decisions, but it also undermines the vital role that women play in the local community.

Why does the Mayor's 2010 budget appropriate funding for every constituent services office to have at least 2 full time employees, while reducing the Office of Women's Policy Initiatives to only one? President Obama prioritized the voices of women and the issues that affect families with the formation for The White House Council on Women and Girls, and we need to help ensure that local government reflects similar priorities.

Please join our colleagues at The DC Women's Agenda (SEE ACTION ALERT BELOW) to call Mayor Fenty and your DC City Council Members today. Additionally, the DC Women's Agenda will be forwarding on a sign-on letter for local organizations to support tomorrow in preparation for an IMPORTANT DC BUDGET HEARING on Friday, April 24 at 10am (1350 Penn Ave NW). If your organization is interested in supporting a sign-in letter, please email Debbie at dbroumell@wowonline.org, or check back tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for keeping women's voices and issues at the table in DC.

Ellie
__________________________

date Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 9:06 PM
subject FW: [DCWA] Mayor Fenty's Cut to the Office on Women's Policy and Initiatives

We need your help! The Mayor’s FY 2010 Budget proposed cuts to the OWPI leave it with only 1 Full Time Employee while all other offices in constituent affairs have at least 2 Full Time Employees (FTEs).
Other offices are:
Ex-Offender Affairs (3 FTEs)
Veterans Affairs (3 FTEs)
Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (3 FTEs)
African Affairs (2 FTEs)
Youth Advisory Council (2 FTEs)
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs (2 FTEs)

Call or email the Council Members below and tell them that women still need our support in DC!
Please include the following points:

1. The FY 2010 proposed cuts would leave the OWPI with only 1 FTE while all other offices under constituent affairs have at least 2 FTE.

2. Women make up 53% of the DC population.

3. There are many important issues facing women in DC such as homelessness and domestic violence. The number of homeless families rose nearly 25% in DC over the past year. 80% of these households are headed by single women. Many organizations are reporting that domestic violence has been on the rise in recent months due to the economic down-turn.

4. OWPI is an important liaison between the Mayor’s office and non-profits.

Call and email Yvette Alexander- Chair of Office of Aging and Community Affairs- today!
yalexander@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8068

Call and email Michael Brown-Member of Aging and Community Affairs- today!
mbrown@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8105

Call and email Mary Cheh- Member of Office of Aging and Community Affairs- today!
mcheh@dccouncil.us, (202) 724-8118

THANK YOU! Together we can make a difference!

If you need additional information call:

Debbie Billet-Roumell
Coordinator, DC Women's Agenda
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036
DBRoumell@wowonline.org
202-464-1596 ext. 117

WEEKEND EVENTS: LIVING [in theory] and LOTS of Films and Fun

2009-04-16T19:37:00.014-05:00

"out there people judge me, in here I’m always right. out there people abandon me, in here I’m loved. out there I’m scared, in here I’m safe. life on my own terms is better even if it is in theory. what’s in your fort? "
An excerpt from LIVING [in theory], a musical that is making its World Premiere this weekend in Washington, DC.
_____________________
So much to do, so little time! Although, I am compelled to spend as much time as possible this weekend indulging in the decadence of the early Spring weather and greenery of Washington, DC (perfect for picnicking on the mall to celebrate the Nation's Largest Earthday this Sunday), I've spotted several other events that will open our eyes to worlds away from our own:

1.) LIVING [in theory]---A performance by DC Young Adults in the "City at Peace" program
Join the region’s most diverse and talented teenage performers as they explore the answers, in a riveting world premiere musical that will challenge, enlighten, unsettle and entertain as only the rawest of real-life stories can do. LIVING [in theory] is a world premiere musical written and performed by the cast (based on their life stories), and directed by Sandra Holloway, Shae Washington, and W. Thompson Prewitt, with original scores and musical direction by e'Marcus Harper.
April 17 @ 7:30pm, April 18 @ 2:00pm and 7:30pm, and April 19 @ 2:00pm
Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H Street, NE) Tickets are $25 for Adults, and $15 for Students. Click HERE to purchase!

City at Peace is a youth development organization located in Washington, DC that uses the performing arts to teach and promote cross-cultural understanding and non-violent conflict resolution. With an emphasis on youth-led programs and artistic excellence, the organization challenges participants to effect positive community change in pursuit of a city at peace.

City at Peace serves approximately 50 - 70 youth ages 13 to 19 each year in its core program. Participants are chosen through an audition process. The young people are diverse in terms of race, culture, ethnicity, socio-economics, religion, gender and experiences. If they are students, they might attend public, independent or home schools. They live in urban, suburban and rural environments in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. They come from two-parent families, single-parent families and no-parent families. They are impoverished and middle class. They embody one culture and multiple cultures. They have lived abroad and they have lived on the streets. They are powerful evidence that people who seem different can learn, work and build peace together.

2.) Women Film Directors in Korea---An event of the Korean Film Festival DC 2009
Sunday, April 19 @ 3:15 pm
Freer Gallery of Art (Independence Avenue at 12th Street, SW---Smithstonian METRO)
FREE Tickets distributed beginning one-hour before the event.
Panelists Include: Yim Soon-rye and Lee Kyoung-mi [filmakers]
Kelly Jeong and Seung-kyung Kim [scholars]

3.) Portraits from a Peruvian women's prison by Chan T. Chae
Now through May 23
G Street Fine Art (1515 14th Street, NW)
www.gfineartdc.com

4.) 23rd Annual DC International Film Festival
April 16-26
ALL OVER TOWN...need I say more.
http://www.filmfestdc.org

TAKE ACTION: Support the Presidential Commission on Women

2009-04-16T12:07:00.007-05:00

If you haven't been keeping up with the latest news on the Presidential Commission on Women, now is a great time to do so. Although President Obama fielded the initiative early in his administration, the goals and objectives will need to be designed and voted on in Congress. Leading the effort to ensure the successful movement of the Presidential Commission on Women through the House of Representatives is Rep. Jackie Speier [CA-12], who is currently joined by 26 other congresswoman Co-Sponsors (Rep. Speier's Communications Director informs me that many congressmen are supportive of the bill, and will be invited to sign on to the bill following the April recess).

The following are cosponsors of H.R. 1887 to create a presidential commission for women.

Rep Speier, Jackie [CA-12] (introduced 4/2/2009)
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 4/2/2009
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 4/2/2009
Rep Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [PA-3] - 4/2/2009
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] - 4/2/2009
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 4/2/2009
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] - 4/2/2009
Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11] - 4/2/2009
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] - 4/2/2009
Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15] - 4/2/2009
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 4/2/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 4/2/2009
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 4/2/2009
Rep Markey, Betsy [CO-4] - 4/2/2009
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 4/2/2009
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 4/2/2009
Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37] - 4/2/2009
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 4/2/2009
Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] - 4/2/2009
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] - 4/2/2009
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 4/2/2009
Rep Titus, Dina [NV-3] - 4/2/2009
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 4/2/2009
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 4/2/2009
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 4/2/2009
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] - 4/2/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 4/2/2009

Check out the update that I received from the WomenCount Campaign this morning (http://www.womencount.org/). Share your vision for the commission, Twitter, sign the petition on the WomenCount web page, or take action to inform your friends and legislators about the Presidential Commission on Women as you are able to.

______________________

Dear Friend,

You did it! Legislation to establish a Presidential Commission on Women is officially pending in Congress. We’re excited about this accomplishment, but we also know that now the real work begins – passing the bill.

WomenCount will continue to provide the grassroots support to persuade Congress to act. To make that happen, we need to hear from you.

Using our blog, tell Congress what you want a Presidential Commission on Women to do. Earlier this week, we facilitated a Twittercast asking people to share their ideas about how the Commission should be shaped and what , issues it should tackle. The Twittercast was so successful, we decided to continue the discussion on our blog and to ask our members and others to participate.

We’ll compile your input and deliver it to Congress and Rep. Jackie Speier, sponsor of the bill. And as a thank you, we will be sending our very hip WomenCount market bags to five randomly selected contributors to the blog! So post your comments now.

Meanwhile, some quick updates and links:

The bill, H.R. 1887, was introduced with 26 original co-sponsors.
The full text of the legislation is now available. Click here to read the bill.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The next step will be for the Committee to conduct hearings. We will monitor progress on that front and make sure that you have a voice in those hearings.

And here’s what’s ahead:

The petition campaign is still going full-steam. The more signatures we can get, the more it will help when the bill hits the floor. Forward our petition with a brief note to everyone you know. We have over 25,000 signatures, but we can and must do better than that!
We are working now to schedule an event with Rep. Speier that will allow all of you to participate – either online or by phone. Stay tuned for details.
We are continuing to build organizational support with over 70 partner groups now on board. Click here to see the list of supporting organizations or to sign up your group online.

Our movement started less than one year ago, and already we have accomplished so much together. We hope you feel proud. Now, onward!

Sincerely,

Stacy, Dale, Sarah, Jen and the WomenCount Team

Why Pay for Occupations Dominated by Women Isn’t Measuring Up.

2009-04-15T23:34:00.016-05:00

Our gender often plays an important role in the types of careers that we decide to pursue. Whether it is a result how we are nurtured (the dolls that girls get verses the construction sets our brothers get), or simply by the nature of our feminine characteristics, women continue to fill traditional nurturing roles in society, even when more doors are opening for us to pursue professional careers in fields that might cause our grandmothers to roll over in disbelief in their graves. Jobs focused on care giving and education, such as nursing and teaching are predominantly occupied by women, while careers in technology and engineering, such as architecture and scientific research continue to be flooded with armies of men.

Although I believe that women are capable of being just as proficient as men in male-dominated professions, our unequal representation in these fields does not bother me as much as the discrepancies that exist for careers that are predominantly occupied by women. In the field of teaching, where 71% of teachers are female 1, the average salary for someone with 1-4 years of experience is $36,000. In contrast, in the field of engineering and IT, where women are outnumbered 9:1 (according to the Society of Women Engineers) an entry-level Software Engineer earns $73,313---nearly twice as much as teachers do early in their careers. 2 & 3

The hypocrisy that exists doesn’t end at pay, but also, more often than not, at required education. To move up the ladder in professions such as nursing and teaching, an individual is required to obtain a masters degree or even higher certification to be qualified for “upward mobility (which could equate to something as small as a title change)”, even though their pay will not carry the monetary value that it would for someone with an MBA, JD or MD.

My friend, Kim, a nurse from Northwest, OH is a prime example of person that is well educated, but struggling to be find work that will compensate her for her level of education and experience she has. After working in the medical field as a pediatric nurse for many years, she returned to a reputable medical school to receive her master’s degree as a Nurse Practitioner. To her dismay, as she job searches for opportunities to make her comeback in the medical field, she has been a bit insulted by hiring directors who tell her that she would improve her chances of being hired for positions by receiving additional training and a doctoral degree. Despite her strong qualifications and experience, Kim is frustrated by the challenges she faces; “If I knew that I was going to have to get this much education to do what I love, I would have just gone to medical school to become a doctor.”

The hands of our country’s health and vitality is in the hands of individuals that occupy professions that are often most marginalized by society. With mediocre pay and benefits, and often-unrealistic expectations, our teachers, nurses, and caregivers are leaving their professions at alarming rates. Within the first five years of their careers, nearly 50% of all teachers will leave the profession. How can the inner-city teacher nurture the seeds of the next generation, or the home-healthcare give comfort to our sick and aging, when they’re worried about whether their paychecks will be large enough to make their house payments for the month, or to pay for an out-of-pocket visit to the doctor. Regardless of the reason (pay, hours, stress), when we lose women (and men) to professions that nurture, cure and educate, we not only lose people, but also the hope for a better tomorrow.

We may condemn overt pay discrimination against women by signing into law legislation like the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, but the grim reality is that jobs that are inherently occupied by women are still failing to deliver the compensation that is deserved and needed to sustain high quality people in essential roles. It’s time for America to put its values and priorities to the test by having a real conversation on why the pay for roles occupied by a majority of women aren’t measuring up those that are dominated by men.

1.) Fresh teachers may help area weather predicted nationwide shortage. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Fresh-teachers-may-help-area-weather-predicted-nationwide-shortage-42880882.html
2.) Statistics on average salaries by years of experience; www.Payscale.com
3.) Women in High Tech Jobs. http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/hitech02.htm
Image of Women from Getty Images.

WEEKEND EVENT: Sakura Matsuri Celebration in Washington, DC

2009-04-03T15:56:00.004-05:00

During my Junior Year in college, I had the opportunity to spend a summer immersing myself in the culture and architecture of Japan. Although the focus of my educational program was the built form and traditional building techniques, I could not wonder the streets of a city like Kyoto without being mesmerized by the ribbons of history, culture and spirituality that interwove themselves into the modern built environment. Although I enjoyed the serenity of pilgrimaging to shrines and temples across the country, and camping overnight in the Japanese Alps (yes, they exist), the summer street fairs and festivals that filled city block, after city block with vibrant colors, costumes and music are among the most vivid memories I have of my excursion to Japan.

This weekend, I invite to experience a taste of Japan (figuratively and literally) at the Sakura Matsuri Celebration that will fill the streets of Washington, DC on Saturday. The official definition of a "matsuri" is a civil or religious festival that entails a ritual of worship and joyous celebration. The dancing, singing and decorative arts you may see tomorrow will be symbolical of Japanese traditions and a heritage that is rich and full of life.

The Japan-America Society of Washington DC

Proudly Presents

The 49th Annual Sakura Matsuri -- Japanese Street Festival

Saturday, April 4, 2009
11 am – 6 pm

From sushi to origami, from sake to kimono—

Japanese arts and crafts and products of all kinds—

Anime, manga, and J-POP music—

Traditional dances and the dramatic taiko drums—

If it’s Japanese, it’s at the 49th Annual Sakura Matsuri, the largest Japanese Street Festival in the United States. This year’s Matsuri will be the biggest ever, on Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street in the west to 10th Street on the east —and on 12th street from Pennsylvania southward to Constitution Avenue.

Join us on Saturday, April 4, 2009 from 11 am to 6 pm, right after the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

It’s fun, it’s free, and there’s something for everyone!

Where are the women at the G20 Table?

2009-04-02T15:08:00.013-05:00

Women are 52% of the world’s population, but only occupy 10% of leadership in the countries that control 85% of the Global Economic Output.

If you type in “women at the G20” in your search engine, you will most likely see headlines that include “Sizzling G-20 Wives” and “Forget the G-20, what are the spouses wearing?” As leaders of the world’s 20 largest global powerhouses descend upon London for the annual G20 Summit to discuss critical economic, social and political issues, the voice of women worldwide may still be absent from the dialogue at the table; widespread media gossip about spouses’ attire and etiquette will not illuminate the economic inequities that exist for women worldwide. Considering that 70% of the worlds 1.2 Billion impoverished people are women (according to the UN Millennium Development Goals Report), women’s issue should not be cast into the shadows beneath petty headlines---but unfortunately, they are. The media focuses so much attention on the shopping skills of the women behind the G20 leaders, that they miss the issues that these women champion---if they would dig deeper they would find gifted individuals: a mathematician, lawyers, activists, trained musicians, educators and mothers---who reach out to others as caregivers in addition to their roles as diplomats and liaisons. If only these women would be invited to join their partners at the table…

Of the 20 leaders at the table during the G20 Summit, only two----President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany are women. Although, President Obama and other world leaders may have deep respect for women’s rights and issues that affect families, the question remains, will they convey the same perspective that a room full of women would? Although strides have been made in many countries to bring gender equality to elected leadership (In 2008, Women were elected to fill 45/80 Seats (56.3%) in the Rwanda lower house----far exceeding the 30% national quota for women’s representation in the National Parliament), it takes much effort to get world leaders to take issues of women’s rights and basic human rights seriously.

Even though there are organizations like the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the U.N. Division for the Advancement of Women, women continue to be exploited for political gain, as exemplified in the recent decision of Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, to sign a law that essentially legalizes rape in marriage; the most disconcerting clause in the bill states that “women cannot refuse to have sex with their husbands, and can only seek work, education or visit the doctor with their husbands' permission.” Although the UN and even the US Secretary of State Clinton has stated that this action is a human rights violation and that "This [women’s rights] is an area of absolute concern for the United States…Women's rights are a central part of the foreign policy of the Obama administration,” there is obviously much work to be done if we are to completely obliterate such wide sweeping and unprecedented actions against women. "Rhetoric with no teeth will shamefully perpetuate slow progress in ending gender-based violence and inequalities (Taina Bien-Aim, Executive Director of the New York-based Equality Now states)."

A coalition of over 300 women’s organizations and advocates in over 50 countries, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, are in support of creating the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR), a new women’s agency within the U.N that would play a more powerful role in shaping women’s rights globally. The agency estimates that it will request $1 billion dollars to fund the initiative. A small sum when you consider that the US will spend $534 Billion on the DOD Defense Budget in 2009. The question remains, will the United States and the world’s most powerful political leaders play an influential role in advancing women’s issues forward at the G20 Summit and into the future.

If Susan E. Rice's (the new American ambassador to the United Nations) recent support of moving the United States to join the United Nations' Human Rights Council is any indicator of America’s future support of international treaties like CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), we may be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, until we breach that point, it will be the burden of women who are in privileged positions to put pressure on International leaders to support the wives, mothers and “women that support them”. That is, until we are equally represented at the table of global power.

•The Straight Facts on Women in Poverty: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/10/women_poverty.html
•International Population Center: http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/beijing/intro.htm
•Pressure on Hamid Karzai to Scrap Afghan Women’s :aw: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/01/afghanistan-womens-rights-hamid-karzai
•Development: Global Coalition Backs New U.N. Gender Body: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46320
•Global Database of Quotas for Women: http://www.quotaproject.org/displayCountry.cfm?CountryCode=RW
•U.N. Flunking on Gender Empowerment: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45903
•Q&A: Time Has Come for a New U.N. Women’s Agency: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45955
•In Reversal, U.S. Seeks Election to U.N. Human Rights Council: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/world/01nations.html?_r=2
•G20 Must Bailout Women’s Hardships: http://southasia.oneworld.net/opinioncomment/g-20-must-bailout-women2019s-hardships

BOOK REVIEW: "Women Making History"

2009-03-29T19:26:00.007-05:00

A book review to start the week out....compliments of my friend, Jo Freeman.

You can visit her webpage and blog at: http://www.JoFreeman.com and http://www.seniorwomen.com/authors/authorpageFreeman.html
___________________________________________________
Women Making America
by Heidi Hemming and Julie Hemming Savage
Silver Spring, Md: Clotho Press, 2009
xviii, 378 p.

Out just in time for March is Women’s History month, Women Making America covers women’s history from the Revolution to the present day. Chock full of colorful images, it swoops high and low, sometimes mapping the forest and sometimes looking at a tree.

Organized into nine chronological chapters, this is a book of visual soundbites. Each one covers such general topics as Paid Work, Beauty, Health and Education. You will read about women missionaries, quilters, astronomers and servants.

Numerous sidebars tell the stories of individual women. Have you heard of Matilda Joslyn Gage, Virginia Minor, Mary Beard, Ida B. Wells? How about Nancy Lopez, Wilma Mankiller and Louise Boyd?

In this book you will learn that
-Matilda Joslyn Gage was one of the most radical of the founding suffragists.
-Virginia Minor was one of about 150 women who tried to vote in the 1872 election. The outcome was a major legal case, which went the wrong way.
-Mary Beard was a social activist and scholar in the Progressive Movement who created the field of women’s history long before there was an audience to appreciate it.
-Ida B. Wells was an African-American suffragist, journalist and crusader against lynching.
-Nancy Lopez was a professional golfer. In 1978 she made more money than the men.
-Wilma Mankiller was the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation.
-Louise Boyd was a wealthy woman who used her money to finance her explorations of the arctic. She created charts that the US used during World War II.

There is a lot about what women did in wars.

The section on the Civil War ranges from Varina Davis (wife of Jefferson Davis) to Jane Perkins (a Confederate soldier); from Dr. Mary Walker (a Union Army surgeon criticized because she wore trousers) to Violet Guntharpe (ten-year-old slave). Most reform minded women wanted to keep the US out of World War I. In 1915 Jane Addams, Carrie Chapman Catt and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, all well known reformers, founded the Women’s Peace Party. When the US went to war anyway, the peace promoters went in different directions. Ironically, the war was good for both women and minorities, because it opened up jobs vacated by white men when they went into the war.

And a lot about changes in social conventions.

In the 18th Century courting couples were allowed to spend the night together, in bed but fully clothed and separated by a board. This was called bundling. When dating emerged in the 1920s as the new form of courtship, it shifted control of the encounter from the girl’s family to the boy. "A date was a invitation into the man’s public sphere, where he acted as host and assumed control."

Fashion and beauty have changed radically, but not always in the same direction.

In the1890s a well-dressed woman wore a corset with lots of layers on top. Only immoral women wore lipstick -- to advertise their services. Respectable women highlighted the beauty of their breasts through physical enhancement. Big hats were a necessity. Plump was positive. In the 1920s clothes were shed. Well dressed women wore free flowing short skirts. Big breasts were out and thin was in. Hats were small and hair was short. By the 1950s the girdle had replaced the corset. Big breasts were back, but they were supposed to be pointy rather than rounded. Make-up was a must. In the 21th Century women wore less, but still enlarged their breasts, only they did it with surgery rather than cloth pads.

You will learn a lot of facts you didn’t know, such as
-The numerous victories of US women in the Olympics are a direct result of Title IX (of the 1972 Education Act). Aimed at the elimination of sex discrimination in higher education programs which often had quotas on women, its biggest impact was on college athletics.
-"During the 1920s one-third to one-half of Hollywood’s screenwriters were women,"
-A woman finally joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1985.

And at least one that isn’t true.

The authors say that "The government’s GI Bill, which sent thousands of returning soldiers to college, did not include military women." I don’t know where they got that from since there are no source citations, but that statement certainly shocked me. My mother, who served in the WACs during World War II, earned her Master’s degree on the GI bill.

Errors aside, it’s a fun book to browse.

Stopping War Crimes against Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo Starts Locally---one cell phone at a time.

2009-03-27T21:29:00.012-05:00

“A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” Albert Einstein

The blossoms on the flowering spring trees are so beautiful, beautiful like the soul of a woman. New, full of energy, vibrant, singing the joys of re-birth into yet another season. Last night, I saw the beauty of the trees in blossom, but also the sting of full raindrops on their fragile petals. Heavy raindrops that cinched the edges of the leaves to brown and left them heavy with condensation----wetness that tore the edges and destroyed the pristine quality of their beautiful blossom. Last night, I also heard the stories of the women of Congo, who like the beautiful flowers of the Spring Trees, found their bodies destroyed by the brutal pillaging of their sexual organs through massive rapes that they could not stop.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as it is known today, is a country that has endured tremendous challenges since the inception of war in 1996. A war incited by many factors, including a fight of power between seven foreign armies to gain control of the country’s abundant reserves of precious natural materials that include oil, gas, rubber and metals. As over 80% of the world’s coltan and nearly 1/3rd of the world’s tin---the two materials commonly found in every cell phone and laptop---is found in the DRC, increasing worldwide consumption of these products has resulted in a war that has been prolonged for over 10 years. By participating in the mass consumption of consumer electronics, we are indirectly contributing to this “African World War”, and the ramifications of our everyday decisions have a devastating effect on the communities and people of our global family.

Although the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are plastered in the Western news every day, we rarely hear about the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, even though it has been the deadliest war since World War II. Violence, rape and sexual assault is widespread and devastating; over the past ten years, 5.4 million people have been killed and more than 200,000 women raped by paramilitary soldiers and even some of the peacekeepers that have been sent to distribute aid.

Although all death and suffering is a tragedy, the sexual exploitation of the Congolese women has been perhaps the most disheartening crime committed of all. Just as the hills and rivers of Congo are being stripped of their natural richness, the women of Congo are being raped of their femininity by massive acts of inhumane sexual violence, leaving them literally and figuratively naked, physically and emotionally perpetrated, and with no where to run. This sexual violence takes the life of many women, and leaves many other mothers, daughters and caretakers with impending medical conditions, including fistulas (a rupture of the walls that separate the vagina and bladder or rectum), permanent incontinence.

Why does this happen? Denis Mukwege, the Director of Panzi Hospital---one of the few places in the DRC where women victims of rape can go to receive medical care---assesses the situation by saying that "The perpetrators are trying to make the damage as bad as they can, to use it as a kind of weapon of war, a kind of terrorism. Instead of just killing the woman, she goes back to her village permanently and obviously marked. I think it's a strategy put in place by these groups to disrupt society, to make husbands flee, to terrorize.”

Like the beautiful blossoms that were damaged by the rain, the women of Congo lose their souls to sexual exploitation, and only time and a re-birth will help them heal their wounds and re-blossom into a new season of their lives. One such healer and change maker that is wielding the power of women’s voices worldwide to raise awareness of the injustices against women in Congo and supporting rape victims so that they may experience re-birth is Sylvie Maunga Mbanga. Working with such organizations as the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO), Church in Action, and also the Life and Peace Institute, Sylvie has provided holistic intervention programs to assist victims of sexual violence through psychological counseling and medical care, legal services and access to judicial system, and economic support in the form of income-generating activities. Despite her own vulnerability, Sylvie has courageously moved forward with her peace-building work on women’s issues and ethnic conflict resolution. Her spirit and activism is something that should inspire us all to use our own voices to raise-up the voices of women and all citizens of our global community.

Preventing even more women from being subjected to these war crimes against humanity will entail major intervention and shifts and behavior by major global coalitions. You can begin to make a difference by sharing information about the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo with your circles of networks and keeping informed of ways to use your voice to influence the conflict by reviewing some of the international organizations listed below.

• Biography and Information on Sylvia Maunga Mbanga
http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/WPM/womenpeacemakers2008.html
• The International Rescue Committee
http://www.theirc.org/special-report/ending-violence-against-women.html
• Amnesty International
http://www.amnestyusa.org/all-countries/congo-dem-rep-of/page.do?id=1011136
• Enough Campaign to “Raise Hope for Congo”
http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/
• Congo's Wounds of War: More Vicious than Rape. Newsweek. June 1, 2007. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15704030/?print=1&displaymode=1098

Being the "breast" we can: Cancer survivor, Congresswoman Schultz to launch the "EARLY Act"

2009-03-23T11:46:00.012-05:00

“Some people might say I was lucky… I found my tumor early because of knowledge and awareness…We need to ensure that every young woman in America can rely on more than luck. Their survival depends on it."
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz during her statement about her recent personal challenge with breast cancer on March 23, 2009.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is…...

• The youngest women elected to the Florida State House of Representatives (first elected at the age of 26)

• The 24th Most Powerful member of the U.S. House of Representatives according to the 2008 Congress.org "Power Rankings"

• A mother of 3 young children, and
• A breast cancer survivor at the age of 40

Although only 5% of all breast cancer is found in women under the age of 40 (American Cancer Society), the recent news that Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, age 40, survived breast cancer, reminds all young women that it’s never too early to begin early detection. Performing a monthly self-breast exam and talking to your doctor about your family history are the first steps to “knowing your body”, and being most prepared to detect breast cancer in its early stages.

To facilitate awareness of early detection of breast cancer among women ages 15-39, Congresswoman Schultz will be introducing the “EARLY Act”, and I encourage you to keep your eyes open to find ways to support her effort. in response to her motives for the “Early Act”, Congresswoman Schultz remarks to the Miami Herald, 'I wanted to be able to not just stand up and say, `I'm a breast cancer survivor.' I wanted to find a gap and try to fill it.”

BREAST CANCER FACTS:
• Breast cancer incidence in women in the United States is 1 in 8 (about 13%).
• About 90% of breast cancers are due not to heredity, but to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general.
• About 40,480 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2008 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.
• As of 2008, there are about 2.5 million women in the U.S. who have survived breast cancer

Resources for more information on Breast Cancer:
BreastCancer.org: http://www.breastcancer.org/
Susan G. Koman: http://ww5.komen.org/

-Breast Cancer Fact Sheet for Young Women: http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedfiles/Content_Binaries/806-352a.pdf

-Breast self-exam (BSE) guide: www.komen.org/bse

American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

Information on Congresswoman Schultz:
Wasserman Schultz To Pitch Breast Healt Bill http://cbs4.com/local/debbie.wasserman.schultz.2.965002.html
Wasserman Schultz Statement On Cancer Awareness http://cbs4.com/misc/debbie.wasserman.schultz.2.965443.html

WATER We Thinking: How can 4,500 children die a day & 50% of girls in developing countries drop-out of school because of unsafe water and sanitation.

2009-03-22T08:00:00.011-05:00

"When each of us learns to live without wasting a drop, our planet may have a chance at survival."
Prof Dr. Ahmet Saatci, Vice-Secretary General of the 5th World Water Forum

Flushing toilets and safe water from a running faucet are a BIG DEAL! In honor of World Water Week--March 22-28, 2009, I wanted to write about why we need to pay more attention to water and what you can do to improve access to clean water worldwide.

Most of us go about our daily lives without assessing how lucky we are to have access to these modern day amenities that keep our cities clean, our bodies healthy, and our daily routines quite stress free. Just as we need oxygen to breath, and nutrients to sustain our energy, we need water to live; even with many modern advancements, 40% of the world’s population continues to lack access to safe sources of water. It is estimated by UNICEF that nearly 1.6 million young children die every year due to waterborne illnesses (approximately 4,500 children a day).

Growing up, I was surrounded by the world’s largest source of fresh water---the Great Lakes---a political “ace card” that gives the region a “hand” in the global game of water access. Although I knew that the Great Lakes were a special asset to our region, it was not until I visited Colorado Springs and saw the dried up tributaries of the Colorado River, and recently read that there were “water cops” patrolling outdoor water usage in Las Vegas (World Forum Looks to Replenish Ideas As Era of Abundant Water Dries Up in March, 2009 Edition of The Washington Diplomat), that I reexamined how critical geography and political dynamics were to acquiring access to the luxury of fresh water. It is easy to believe that water is an inherent entitlement for all when you have 24/7 access to potable running water, hot showers, sprinkler systems and indoor plumbing, like we do in the United States. Unfortunately, many around the globe do not.

Over 1 billion people do not have access to water, and even more---2.5 billion people---do not have access to sanitation. Imagine having to walk through the pitch black of night to an outdoor latrine to urinate, or walking 3.728 miles to retrieve 5.2 gallons of fresh water; this is how far the average women or girl in a developing country will travel each day to haul drinking water according to UNICEF. In stark contrast, the average American will consume between 80-100 gallons of water a day---with most of that water wasted when we habitually pull the handle to flush the toilet.

Unequal access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities often has a disproportionate affect on women, as they are most adversely affected: more hours of time spent collecting water equates to less hours available to go to school, resulting in higher rates of illiteracy(nearly 2:1 ratio to men), and more impoverishment than men. A 2009 study released by the Women in Europe for a Common Future on gender and sanitation notes that the “Lack of adequate toilets and hygiene in schools is a key critical barrier to girls’ school attendance and education.” In rural Pakistan, for example, more than 50% of girls drop out of school in grade 2-3 because the schools do not have latrines; the 50% dropout rate for girls is replicated across the board in many developing countries.

At the 5th Annual World Water Forum last week, Turkish President, Abdullah Gul told delegates, "Humanity has entered a new era of challenges. Water is no longer considered to be an issue of the environmentalists as it used to be in the near past. Now it is everybody's concern. In this critical age, water should be a bridging force for the nations of the world." I agree with President Gul, and think that it is time for individuals, and the US government and the international community to devote more attention to this issue. The loss of 4,500 children every day to waterborne illnesses is NOT acceptable, and I’ve included information on how you can take action to bring awareness to the need for clean drinking water and systems for sanitation below.

TAKE ACTION: March 22, 2009 is “World Water Day”. Will you do something to help?
1.) Sign the “Declaration on U.S. Policy and the Global Challenge for Water” to encourage the US to invest $1 billion dollars each year for global water assistance over the next four years. SIGN the Declaration by CLICKING HERE: http://www.csis.org/gsi/declarationform/

2.) Call or Email your Member of Congress and Senators to ask them to join Senator Dick Durbin in supporting the establishment of the Office of Water within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and bringing clean water to 100 million more people in by 2015. Read Senator Durbin’s Press Release at http://www.durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=310110.

3.) Protect Women’s Rights to resources such as clean water and sanitation by asking members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support The Conventional on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

SIGN A PETITION to get CEDAW passed in the United States: http://www.freechoicesaveslives.org/campaign/cedaw
CEDAW is the most important legally-binding international instrument for the protection of women’s rights. CEDAW mentions in its article 14(2) (h), that States parties shall ensure women “the right to enjoy adequate living conditions, particularly in relation to housing, sanitation, electricity and water supply, transport and communication.”

Although President Carter signed the CEDAW in 1970, the United States Congress has yet to approve the provisions of the CEDAW, even though 185 other countries have already ratified the bill. Stand up for women’s equality by supporting CEDAW today. More about the UN CEDAW: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/index.html

LEARN MORE: Visit the websites of organizations working to ensure gender equality in access to fresh water and sanitation.
• Gender and Water Alliance---www.genderandwater.org
• Women in Europe for a Common Future---www.wecf.eu
• Interagency Task Force on Gender and Water (UN)---www.un.org
• Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)---www.wsscc.org
• Women’s Environment and Development Organisation---www.wedo.org
• International Water and Sanitation Centre(IRC)---www.irc.nl
• UNICEF on Water, Sanitation & Hygiene--http://www.unicef.org /programme/wes/news/nline.htm
• Water Advocates: http://www.wateradvocates.org/

WEEKEND EVENT: 3/22-3/23 "The Vagina Monologues"--Donations support My Sister's Place

2009-03-20T22:36:00.017-05:00

There are LOTS of great events going on this weekend, and every day of the week (check out my comprehensive calendar for more events), but I've highlighted one in event in particular, a reading of "The Vagina Monologues" in celebration of

V-Day. 90% of the proceeds from the event will be contributed to My Sister's Place, a Washington, DC community that is committed to

eradicating domestic violence.

And, while we're on the subject of women and their rights in situations of domestic or sexual abuse, I would like to introduce the "Stand Up for DC Women" Campaign, an initiative of the DC Younger Women's Task Force. According to the Census Bureau and the National Institute of Justice, 20% of women in Washington, DC will be raped at some point in their lifetime. If you would like to get involved in our effort to raise awareness about the injustices in the treatment of sexual assault victims and ensure that they receive adequate care, please join us at our next planning meeting on April 18th (details will be updated on my calendar as they become available).

Have an inspiring weekend, and see you soon.

Ellie

______________________________________________________________________________________

The Vagina Monologues: A Community Staged Reading in DC

Sunday, March 22 at 3 PM and 7 PM

Monday, March 23 at 7:30 PM

Location: 1810 16th St NW DC (16 & S), Washington, DC

Contact: Katie Liberman

E-Mail: vmindc@gmail.com

Recommended donation: $8 for V-Day and My Sister's Place, a local women's shelter

Reserve your ticket now by emailing vmindc@gmail.com.

This year marks DC's second annual community staged reading of "The Vagina Monologues" by Eve Ensler. Please join us as we raise awareness to end violence against women.

"The Vagina Monologues" is part of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. Further information about V-Day can be found at www.vday.org. All proceeds will be divided between two worthy causes: our local beneficiary, My Sister's Place, and this year's V-Day spotlight campaign, the women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

My Sister's Place (MSP) is an interactive community committed to eradicating domestic violence. MSP provides safe, confidential shelter; programs; education; and advocacy for battered women and their children. MSP's goal is to empower women to take control of their own lives. 90% of our proceeds will go to My Sister's Place.

This year's spotlight campaign is a new global campaign to call attention to the wide-scale atrocities committed against women and girls in Eastern DRC and demand an end to the impunity with which these crimes are committed. 10% of our proceeds will go to this campaign.

COMMENTARY: "Founding Sisters"

2009-03-16T22:00:00.005-05:00

A Commentary by CEDPA President Carol Peasley

March 16, 2009 from http://www.cedpa.org/content/news/detail/2155

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month throughout March, we need to remember that the origins of these events go back to long-ago protests in Europe and the United States for the political rights of working women. Those political roots are important, especially for those of us who care about history and want to learn from the past. Certainly, in the United States, our public media has been filled with recent celebrations of our history, including remarkable insights about Abraham Lincoln on the 200th anniversary of his birth and about John (and Abigail) Adams during the brilliantly produced HBO television series. They certainly provoked me to go back to my history books and to read more about our founders. One of my favorites was “Founding Brothers” by Joseph Ellis. That book was a wonderful reminder of how fortunate the United States was to have such exceptional founders – people who put community and nation first, people who knew how to compromise, and people who had the highest standards of integrity.

Now, why would the CEO of an organization known for training and empowering women promote a book titled “Founding Brothers”? The answer is simple: I hope future generations around the world will be reading about the “founding sisters” in their countries.

There are many women around the globe who are writing the initial chapters of those books. While most are unseen by the elites in their countries, these grassroots activists are providing services and pushing for reforms in their countries. These “sisters” abound with the unique characteristics of those founding brothers in 18th century America – i.e., intelligence, integrity, commitment, collegiality, energy, the ability to compromise and a willingness to sacrifice for the larger whole.

The challenge for all of us, as we celebrate women this month, is to find new ways to expand the voices and profiles of these women. Certainly we at CEDPA, and those in our sister organizations around the world, are committed to helping a new generation of women leaders emerge so that they can become their country’s “founding sisters.” We want them to emulate women like CEDPA board member, Phoebe M. Asiyo, a former commissioner of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission and current chair of Kenya’s Caucus for Women’s Leadership. Phoebe has had a remarkable impact in Kenya and on all of us who have had the honor to work with her at CEDPA. What are some of the steps we need to take to help build more “Phoebes”?

We need to strengthen women’s leadership training around the world and do it the right way. Only highly motivated participants who are committed to replicating their training should be selected; trainees should be challenged to develop and then implement action plans to apply their training; and they must have the chance to learn from one another and to network with others. When done right, the results can be remarkable.

We need to build coalitions of individuals and organizations that can advocate for change and achieve concrete goals. Such coalitions can have substantial impact, as reflected by CEDPA’s experience with women’s advocacy networks in Egyptian governorates. Those networks led to thousands of new female registered voters, health improvements and new microenterprise opportunities.

We need to mobilize women voters and ensure that women participate in all aspects of the electoral process: as candidates, activists, poll workers and election monitors as well as voters. Again, CEDPA has seen first-hand the important role women’s groups can play in fledgling democracies such as Nigeria over the past ten years. Five Nigerian women’s coalitions launched voter education activities in 1998 and mobilized more than 750,000 new registrants for the country’s critically important 1999 election. In later years, these coalitions took on even broader roles, moving beyond voter education to active roles in monitoring election posts and in securing greater confidence in the democratic process.

We need to elect more women candidates. Women hold less than 20 percent of all parliamentary seats worldwide and are underrepresented in other community and national decision-making bodies, thus limiting their influence on the policies and resources that govern their daily lives.

We need to hold public officials accountable. Some successful strategies have included the formation of local advocacy groups; the collection of data and monitoring by “watchdog” groups; use of report cards for public officials; and work with journalists. When local groups are persistent and when they take the time to adequately document government performance, they can bring about change. Certainly we saw this in Kaolack, Senegal where community activists convincingly pointed out government shortfalls and thus increased the funding for reproductive health, including the free provision of medical kits for delivery and caesarean births.

We need to advance peace and security. When countries emerge from conflict, a window of opportunity opens to advance women’s leadership, foster democratic systems and create new policy frameworks, governing structures and institutions. We need to ensure that women are represented at all stages of the process of securing and maintaining peace, whether in mobilizing communities to end hostilities; providing support to victims; strengthening community institutions that bring people together; serving as military observers; designing and implementing demobilization plans; training the security forces to address gender-based violence; or leading and participating in political processes to develop new governing structures. We have certainly seen the success of this approach through our work with the WomenAct coalition, a group that has ensured active female participation in Nepal’s constituent assembly and constitution-writing process.

As we move forward on all of these steps, we can be sure that we are paving the way for that next generation of “founding sisters.” I can hardly wait to read that book.

WEEKEND EVENT: 3/15 "Taking Roots" Screening

2009-03-13T11:18:00.007-05:00

Hello Friends,

With the bursting of the season's first daffodils and the emerging buds of Washington, DC's infamous Cherry Blossoms, I encourage you to think about how you will grow this Spring. Will you decide to decrease your environmental footprint by taking to the street on your bike, begin volunteering with a local organization, or simply find the time to do something you've always wanted to do? With the goals we set, also arise the challenge of maintaining the will to stay committed, and reliable friends and some "food for the soul" make staying focused easier.

As inspiration for our journeys through 2009 and beyond, I hope you'll join me at the DC Jewish Community Center this Sunday, March, 15th for a screening of "Taking Root"....a compelling film about Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai and how her simple act created an entire national movement. You can find all details and RSVP for the film screening below.

Enjoy your weekend and see you on Sunday!

Ellie

__________________________________________________________________

The Washington DCJCC Community Cinema Cafe Presents:

"Taking Root"

Sunday, March 15, 3:00 pm

Ina & Jack Kay Community Hall

(Located at 16th & Q Street,

NW)

"Taking Root"

US, 2008, 80 minutes, documentary

English and Swahili with English subtitles

Director: Lisa Merton and Alan Dater

The dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement. This charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration for safeguarding the environment, protecting human rights & defending democracy.

Free film and discussion. Reservations recommended.

Click here or call (202) 939- 0794.

Space is limited. Visit http://www.communitycinema-dc.org / for more information.

Community partners presenting this program are the Washington DCJCC, ITVS [Independent Lens] and WETA TV26.

PROFILE: "Paper to Pearls"

2009-03-11T10:07:00.009-05:00

Photographs taken at the DC Green Festival on November 7, 2008 by Ellie Van Houtte.

I often find dynamic organizations that mentor, train, empower or simply mobilize women to action. These organizations, small and large, deserve more recognition for the work they are doing---too frequently people do not even know that they exist. To highlight some of these inspirational organizations, I plan to post written profiles of select entities on my blog, and also create a directory so that you can reference them in the future. If you know of someone or an organization that would be a great addition, just email me the name of the group, their webpage and why you support the organization.

Today’s profile will be of “Paper to Pearls”, an organization that empowers women in the Refuge Camps of Northern Uganda through a unique entrepreneurship program. Using recycled sheets of colored paper, the women hand craft beads that are designed into elegant and quite amazing pieces of jewelry. When the beads are covered with resin, they embody a beautiful shine that is bright as “pearls”. I now own several Paper to Pearls necklaces, and friends and strangers alike frequently compliment me on my unique and colorful accessories.

What makes the Paper to Pearls organization even better, is the fact that almost all of the proceeds from the jewelry that is sold online and at stores across the Washington, DC region is returned directly to the women for training, education for their children, and other programs that improve the political and social opportunities for these women in their communities.

You can learn more about Paper to Pearls at www.papertopearls.org, or visit the Voices of Global Change store at 505 Wythe Street  Alexandria, VA 22314 (703-549-7077 ext. 202 voices@vfgc.org).

Happy International Women's Day: Some Food for Thought.

2009-03-08T11:06:00.007-05:00

GENDER FACTS
Sunday 08 March 2009

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/facts.asp

Networking ...
•Women use 20,000 words a day while men only use 7,000

Global Issues ...
•Females in developing countries on average carry 20 litres of water per day over 6 km
•Globally women account for the majority of people aged over 60 and over 80
•Pregnant women in Africa are 180 times more likely to die than in Western Europe
•530,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth each year
•World population hit 6,872,741,131 on 1 January 2009
•Of 1.2 billion people living in poverty worldwide, 70% are women
•80% of the world's 27 million refugees are women
•Women own around only 1% of the world's land
•AIDS sees women's life expectancy of 43 in Uganda and Zambia
•5 people are added to the world's population every 2 seconds
•Women are 2/3 of the 1 billion+ illiterate adults who have no access to basic education

Innovation ...
•Globally women comprise 42% internet users (Italy 37% ... US & Canada 51%)
•In OECD countries women comrpise only 30 per cent of degrees in science and technology
•Women's representation in computer and information sciences workforce is around 30% globally
•Female inventors still only account for around 10% of the US inventor population

Business / Finance ...
•Women control $14 trillion in assets and this should grow to $22 trillion over next 10 years
•Women comprise 21 of the 37 million people living below the poverty line in the US
•Only in Japan and Peru are women more active in starting a business than men
•Women spend more time researching before they invest than men do

Media / Arts ...
•Only 21% of all news subjects (people interviewed or whom the news is about) are female
•Women less than 1% department heads, editors, media owners but third of working journalists
•80% of UK purchasing decisions are made by women but 83% of 'creatives' are men

Work ...
•Women do two-thirds of the world's work but receive only 10% of the world's income
•Women's education is the most powerful predictor of lower fertility rates
•One year out of college women earn 20% less than men and 10 years later 31% less
•Women on average are away from workforce for 14.7 years compared to 1.6 years for men
•The biggest EU gender pay gap is in Cyprus and Estonia at 25% then Slovakia at 24%

Government ...
•56% of women who voted supported Obama compared to only 49% of men voted for Obama
•Until 20 years ago there had never been more than 5% women MPs globally
•Benazir Bhutto was the first woman prime minister of a muslim country (assassinated 27/12/07)
•From the 27 EU member states, UK ranks 15 for women's representation in national Parliaments
•From 1945 to 1995 the percentage of women MPs worldwide increased four-fold

Cookies Inspire the Perfect Ingredients: Courage, Confidence and Character

2009-03-08T01:21:00.010-06:00

As the fragrance of Spring arrives, so do the legions of energetic Girl Scouts with boxes of Samoas, Shortbreads and Thin Mints in tow to sell for their annual cookie program. It was a welcome surprise to be greeted by the jingle of some very happy (and may I also note, ambitious) young girls at the Crystal City Metro over the weekend, reminding me of my own Girl Scouts memories.

Although it’s been over 15 years, I can still distinctively remember the fond times that I had with my Girl Scout’s Troup Leader, Mrs. Burton, and a cluster of giggling “brownies”. Whether learning about global cultures at the Toledo International Institute, attending Camp Libbey, or simply baking new foods in the church kitchen where we gathered in friendship to learn, serve and collect our sew-on badges for our vests, my experience as a Girl Scout was a formidable part of my youth.

I am encouraged by the continuing strength of the Girl Scouts program nationwide, and strongly believe that the skills that participants acquire in relationship building, peer mediation, and social consciousness are invaluable in fostering civic engagement and leadership. In fact, a post-election survey by the Girl Scout Research Institute shows that over 71% of 13-17 year-old girls surveyed said that they intend to register to vote when they are eligible. What is even more impressive is the fact that 55% of Girl Scouts think they have a chance at becoming President. You can review full survey details at http://www.girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2009/elections_impact.asp.

The next time you see a Girl Scout standing at your local shopping center or METRO Stop, I hope you will buy a box or two of cookies and congratulate these young entrepreneurs for continuing to be confident with who they are.

Quick Facts from the Girl Scouts of the USA web page:
• The Mission of Girl Scouts is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

•The first Girl Scout Troop was founded on March 12, 1912 in Savannah, Georgia by Juliette Gordon Low.

•Girl Scouts of the USA was chartered by the U.S. Congress on March 16, 1950.

•Today, there are 3.7 million Girl Scouts—2.7 million girl members and 928,000 adult members working as volunteers.

• An estimated 50 million women enjoyed Girl Scouts as girls.

To learn more about the Girl Scouts Cookie Program, and to find out where you can purchase cookies, click here: http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/.

ACTION: Share your "Defining Moment"

2009-03-07T08:23:00.002-06:00

I recently saw this posted on one of my Linked-In Groups, and thought it would be something interesting to share with others.

___________________________________________________________________

A Call for Papers! Get Published in my Next Book!

Susan Rae Baker

CEO at Future Endeavors

A Call to Share Your Defining Moment.

This is an opportunity for all women from all walks of life to share their defining moment in life; a time when you could finally say, "I Have Arrived"! What was it that made you who you are today? In the early Spring of 2008, my first book titled "The Last Box: A Women's Guide to Surviving Corporate America" was published. Right behind it will follow "Defining Moments: A Collection of Women's Journeys". If you have a story to tell and would like to see it in "Defining Moments", I am accepting submissions through April 1st, 2009. There is no limit to the number of words as every journey is unique. All submissions must be thoroughly edited and sent via email to Susan@future-endeavors.net in PDF format. You will receive acknowledgment in the book and a signed copy of "Defining Moments" along with a discount of 25% for up to 6 books purchased.

Please tell other women you know about this exciting opportunity!

Susan Rae Baker

www.future-endeavors.net

Life and Business Coach, Expert on www.thestreet.com, Award Winning Auther, Motivational Speaker, and Columnist for Phenomenal Magazine.

Today's "Great New Gals"

2009-03-06T11:31:00.012-06:00

Every little girl has dreams of growing up to be a princess, and with the first female presidential candidate with widespread support in the 2008 elections, perhaps the first women President of the United States (I do want to give fair recognition to pacesetters like Shirley Chisholm who helped pave the way for Hillary Clinton). Yet, when we take mental snapshots of the U.S. Congress, our state legislatures, corporate boardrooms, and professions such as architecture, engineering and law, men continue to disproportionately dominate the space and the conversation. As little girls grow up to be women, they become aware of their uneven representation, and for all too many, confronting this inequality appears to be an impossible task, and as psychologists may tell us, what we think, often manifests itself as reality.

In a panel entitled, “Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership”, hosted by the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Women in Politics at the National Archives on March 5th, a distinguished collection of current and past elected officials gathered to share insight into the vexing question of “why” so many qualified women (and a more diverse electorate) are absent from the important power centers of politics.

Jennette Bradley, Ohio’s first African-American Lieutenant Governor, noted that most women have a strong “fear of failure”, and that they allow their perceptions of themselves to hinder them from following the call to public service. Another member of the panel, Congresswomen Marsha Blackburn felt that women were risk adverse, and unlikely to think about running for office in the first place---primarily because they assumed their “qualifications” weren’t valid for the job. Echoing the previous point about women’s insecurities in comparison to that of men, Congresswomen Mazie Hirono candidly stated that “men don’t let their incompetence stop them [from running for office].” Speaking with sincerity and a bit of humor, Congresswomen Blackburn, a mother of two children reassured the crowd that “If you’ve ever organized a 5 year-old’s birthday party, then you can run a campaign.”

With all of these barriers, you might wonder “how” the five panelists overcame them and made the decision to run for office. Each of these women had unique journeys to office that were motivated by a combination of passion, a personal commitment to serve, and a venerated role model. Universally, these women began their careers with a will to “win” and the personal stamina to be “thick skinned” in the face of adversity, or even failure the first time or even the first couple of times they ran for office. Without a direct invitation to run for office, people like Governor Madeleine Kunin were empowered to seek public office when the realized the impact they could make by transforming their anger into action. Governor Kunin enjoyed the positive feedback that she received when she made her community a safer place for her children by moving local legislators to action, and realized that “if you stick your neck out, you might just get something in reward.” For others, like Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, running for office seemed like “common sense”, as citizens without power and money needed a voice. Although Napolitano had the odds stacked against her(according to many): a working-class background, only a high-school education, and a woman of Hispanic ethnicity, she took “the life she was given, and made lemonade from lemons”.

So, what types of advice did these encouraging women offer to other aspiring leaders and office holders? Governor Kunin eloquently summarized some repeated pieces of advice:

Overcome your stereotypes of power and politics as something “dirty”. “Power is the act of empowering others.”
Don’t wait to be asked to run for office. Sometimes, women need nudging, so also invite other women you know to take leadership roles (elected or otherwise).
Don’t think you’re not qualified. Most likely you’re more qualified than you think.
Train yourself to run for office. Learn to read, speak, listen, write, and to develop your voice, as they are valuable tools for your journey. Volunteering on other campaigns or attending trainings for women interested in running for office is great way to “learn the ropes” and overcome fears.

Regardless of how women take on leadership (whether the halls of Congress or the halls of their own households), these women reminded other women to remember what makes you uniquely you and to hold on to your idealism---even when colleagues, constituents and the media are coming after you “with everything, including the kitchen sink”. Collectively, these women leaders believed it was important for them to find time to be mentors, as “leaders should raise up other leaders”.

Although we can’t instantaneously change the numbers of women in office in 2008, we can band together to help each other take our place in the circles of leadership, one woman at a time. As Congresswoman Blackburn says, it’s time for the “Great New Gals” to bring some balance to the “Good Old Boys Club”.

____________________________________________________________________

Two of the panelists, signed copies of their books at the event. I've included info on their books below. I plan to write a review of Eleanor Clift's book, and would love to share notes:

Interview for Inspiration: Ruby Dhalla

2009-03-05T13:36:00.005-06:00

In follow-up to yesterday's posting to challenge women to think about running for office, I've found a great interview with Ruby Dhalla who became a member of the Canadian Parliament, despite overcoming obstacle that would have deterred many from even trying.

For further inspiration, please join me tonight for "Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership", a panel discussion with some of today's leading ladies in elected office and leadership. Details below:

"Big Strides, Diverse Paths: Women’s Journeys to Political Leadership"

Thursday, March 5

7:30 p.m.-9:00pm

William G. McGowan Theater

(Enter via the Special Events Entrance on 7th and Constitution)

Eleanor Clift, weekly panelist on The McLaughlin Group and author of

Madam President, moderates a panel of women who have come from a

variety of backgrounds, represent different levels of political

activity, and have played leadership roles in politics.

Panelists include:

Mazie Hirono, U.S. Congresswoman, D-HI

Grace Napolitano, U.S. Congresswoman, D-CA

Madeleine Kunin, former Governor of Vermont and author of Pearls, Politics, and Power

Jennette Bradley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ohio

Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Congresswoman, R-TN

Presented in partnership with the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston’s McCormack Graduate School. Generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.

______________________________________________________________________

Q&A: "Women Leaders Have to Be Tougher and Stronger Than Men"

Nergui Manalsuren interviews RUBY DHALLA, Canadian MP Ruby Dhalla

Credit:Nergui Manalsuren/IPS

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45990

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 5 (IPS) - Ruby Dhalla, a Liberal member of Canada's Parliament, is also a community activist, doctor, and one of the leading progressive voices in North American politics today.

Born and raised in Winnipeg to a family originally from Punjab, India, she has championed the causes of women, young people, immigrants and Native Canadians, as well as her country's role in the global arena for democracy, peace and humanitarian relief efforts.

Dhalla is part of the International Knowledge Network of Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics), a joint project by the U.N. and other international agencies with the aim of increasing the participation and effectiveness of women in political life by creating an online workspace where women connect with one another.

"iKNOW is an incredible forum to bring together women from throughout the world to share experiences, to share knowledge, to be able to identify, to mentor, and recruit women, and, I hope through this network women can connect with each other, and continue to believe, to achieve, and to succeed in their goals," Dhalla said in an interview with IPS correspondent Nergui Manalsuren at U.N. headquarters, where she is attending the 53rd session of the two-week Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Excerpts from the interview follow.

IPS: You’re the first South Asian woman to be elected to federal parliament in the western world and were subsequently re-elected twice. What does that mean for you?

RD: I was very blessed to have a great generation of women leaders and men that have broken many barriers for someone like me. There are many challenges that one continues to encounter. There are many struggles and sacrifices, many other barriers that I know are broken down every day.

When I see a young six-year-old girl from a cultural community, a young girl of colour, I look at her when she says to me that she wants to be a prime minister one day, I know that all the barriers, struggles, hardships that I happened to go through are worth it and the most glorifying experience is to be able to hear and to see these young children believing in themselves.

IPS: What obstacles have you faced as a woman?

RD: In my case, being a young woman, being a female, and being from my cultural community are fitting into three minority groups. Women’s participation in politics traditionally is not something that a woman of culture, a woman of colour is brought up to believe in.

I was very blessed to have a very supportive mother who really encouraged me to break down those types of traditional stereotypes that people have of what women should and should not do. I really hope moving forward that the issues that impact women are no longer going to be marginalised, every issue whether in regards to foreign policy, the economy, and strategies on how to deal with violence and terrorism, these are issues that are important to women just as issues of child care and health care. The issues, challenges and barriers that women face in politics are many, but you must be strong, you must have a vision, and you must always have a thick skin.

IPS: In your opinion, how does sexism affect women leaders’ performance? And how should they deal with it?

RD: Women have to be tougher, women have to be stronger, and women have to believe a lot harder in their vision, and it is incredibly important to surround yourself with pillars of strength whether it’s your family or close friends. Also, to really have that belief and confidence in yourself that if you have a dream regardless of whatever the barriers are that we going to go out there and you’re going to do it because if there is a will, there’s always a way.

IPS: Based on your experience, what is the best way to get ahead in politics for women?

RD: Work hard, work hard, work hard. Make sure you have a great team. The benchmark of women achieving is a lot higher than it is for men, that’s why you put your nose to the ground, and work hard from the bottom up.

IPS: What do you think the United Nations should do to bridge the gap between men and women on decision-making positions?

RD: I would hope that moving forward, the U.N. has a tremendous role to play in bringing women together throughout the world because even though women from different parts of the world, different communities, villages may share different journeys, may have different stories, there’s a common vision and a common goal and hope to strive for equality.

And to empower women, empower those who are struggling to be heard. And, it is incredibly important to unite the common sense of purpose to establish mentorship programmes, to establish programmes that will bring women together, but also to identify, train, and recruit, and to mentor women.

And to ensure that political parties do the same as well, to get more women candidates, to get more women elected, because when women are at the table - whether you’re elected or not - I can tell you it raises the level of debate and the outcome of the decisions.

CHALLENGE of the DAY: Think about Running for Office

2009-03-04T16:53:00.007-06:00

Did you know that the United States ranks 71st internationally for women’s political participation? That in the United States, women represent 51% of the population, but only 22% of elected state officials.

Although women undeniably face more challenges than their male counterparts in establishing their legitimacy as serious candidates, as you will read below “in a pew study…69 percent [of people surveyed], rate women and men as equally good political leaders.” I know that this is easier said than done, but this means that more of us need to muster the courage to step into greater leadership….if not personally run for office, at least help an aspiring friend or colleague do so.

To plant this thought in your mind, I’ve included a recent article by Celinda Lake below, and also details on upcoming White House Project “Go Lead! Go Run!” Trainings in 2009.

White House Project “Go Lead! Go Run!” Dates:
* May 1-3 Rural Go Run Tower, MN
* June 19, 2 Minnesota Go Run Twin Cities, MN
* June 25, 26 Georgia Go Run Decatur, GA
* July 10-12 Michigan Go Run Saginaw, MI
* July 24-26 Colorado Go Run Denver, CO
* Sept. 25-27 Florida Go Run Orlando, FL
* October New York Go Run New York, NY

For more information, please visit http://thewhitehouseproject.org/voterunlead/trainings/.
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Gender Gap in Politics Is Invite for More to Run
By Celinda Lake
Run Date: 03/04/09
WeNews correspondent
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=3938

(WOMENSENEWS)-- As I reflect on Women's History Month and the gains we have made in the political world, I see a future with plenty of room to improve.

Yes, more women hold elected office; yes, there is still work to be done.

While over two-thirds of adults think that, in general, women and men make equally good political leaders, women are only 17 percent of U.S. Congress. Of the 50 states, female governors lead only eight.

Voters point to many reasons for the lag in female officeholders, including a lack of receptiveness to such women as well as a sense of different standards for male and female candidates.

Last year's campaign by Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination and Sarah Palin for the vice presidency on the GOP ticket may move the needle on that. Those candidates showed women can make serious bids. They are expected to mightily inspire other women to run for office.

Yet the low numbers of women in office and some polling data still speak to the challenge that remains.
Is America Ready?

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans think the country is not ready to elect a woman as president (51 percent say this is a major reason), while more than 4-in-10 say women in politics are held back by men.

A sizable proportion of Americans--roughly 4-in-10--also see discrimination against women as a major factor in the scarcity of high-ranking female lawmakers.

While men and women agree that these are the inhibitors to female leadership, women hold this view more intensely.

On the idea that the country is not ready to elect a woman, 56 percent of women call this a major factor versus 46 percent of men. On the idea that women are held back by men there is again a perception gender gap, with 48 percent of women holding this view compared with 37 percent of men. When it comes to discrimination against women you find 45 percent of women seeing it that way compared to 30 percent of men.

A Lifetime Television survey conducted after the November 2008 elections asked women about the requirements for male and female candidates. An overwhelming 65 percent said that men and women are held to different standards. When running for elective office, only 29 percent said requirements were the same.
Women See More Challenges

Women considered it more challenging for female candidates to be taken seriously by media and the voters. Seventy nine percent of women said men had less trouble expressing their seriousness to the electorate and 71 percent said it was less difficult for them to convince the media of their legitimacy.

Despite all this, the public does not think women should stay away from elected office.

In other research, we have found that voters want the best candidate, male or female.

In the Pew study, a strong majority of respondents, 69 percent, rate women and men as equally good political leaders. Only 21 percent prefer men, while 6 percent favor women.

Few attribute the small number of women in elected office to ideas such as women not being as good as men at leadership (16 percent say it's a major reason) or women not being tough enough for politics (that's 14 percent).

In the Lifetime survey, when women were asked to select from a list of nine possible reasons why fewer women hold elected office, 20 percent said the perception of lack of experience could be blamed. An equal number said that women are not perceived as tough enough. Eleven percent believed women would prefer to devote their attention to their family and not to politics. The remaining answer choices were in the single digits.

Women Enjoy Some Advantage
In policy areas, female leaders are judged to be better than men at dealing with social issues such as health care and education, while their male counterparts have a lead in dealing with crime, public safety and national security. The economy and fiscal issues are another point of vulnerability for female candidates.

Communicating strength and expertise on these traditionally male areas is critical for women, especially in today's turbulent economy.

The Pew research also indicated that female politicians have the respect of female voters in key areas. By a 13-point margin (48 percent of women to 35 percent among men), women say that female leaders exhibit the trait of working out compromise. Women are more likely than men to say that female leaders better represent their interests (38 percent among women to 18 percent of men).

If female candidates can connect with the female electorate, that can go a long way to improve their chances.

However, as we saw in both the 2006 and 2008 elections, younger female voters tend to be less supportive of female candidates and gender is less important than agenda and qualifications to them.

Female leaders also have advantages over male elected officials in personal traits, according to the Pew survey.

As a whole, women are seen as more compassionate (80 percent say more true of women than men), creative (62 percent), outgoing (47 percent), intelligent (38 percent), and honest (50 percent). On some scores women and men come up equal: just as ambitious (34 percent each) and hardworking (28 percent each).

One area of vulnerability is the perception that women aren't decisive. In this same Pew study, respondents gave male candidates a doubled-digit advantage over women on this key trait.

The lesson here is that while female candidates may have an edge in the compassion and honesty traits, they need to make a concerted effort to prove their ability to lead and make decisions to overcome this bias.

Of course specific contests where women are on the ballot are unique and each one presents its own challenges.

Women need to test the mood of their potential constituency, tailor their messages to their districts or states, and find ways to prove that they are indeed the best candidates regardless of gender.

If they do this successfully, they will certainly give us all more to celebrate next March.

Celinda Lake is a pollster and political strategist for Democrats and progressives. She is president of Lake Research Partners, with expertise in electing female candidates and framing issues to female voters. American Politics calls Lake a "super-strategist or, better yet, the Godmother," and Working Woman says she is "arguably the most influential woman in her field."

Heros are Homegrown

2009-03-03T21:48:00.012-06:00

Our families often inspire us to live life to its fullest. When I need to be reminded of what it means to be courageous, I turn to my younger sister Jenny, a true homegrown hero. My sister and I grew up on a flower and vegetable farm in rural Ohio: we sat bundled up on the farm wagons as our parents worked in the fields, ran barefoot through muddy puddles together as rainbows rose above us after rainstorms, and shared in the joys of sisterhood---even when we were pulling at each other’s hair over silly stuff. To this day, we are bonded together through our unique experiences growing up together. Many sisters understand how comforting it is to have someone to share your secrets with and to help you decipher life’s mysteries. Sisters inspire each other, just as the sun nurtures a tiny seed to grow into a tall and beautiful flower.

My sister calls me her hero, and I call her mine. Although many of us see the beauty in our siblings, my sister is becoming more heroic to me every day, as she begins to remove the blinders that she covered her eyes with just over ten years ago when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. If you understand how frustrating and scary it is to go to bed one night a normal, healthy person and wake up the next with a chronic disease that cannot go away, you can understand how paralyzing it was for my sister to be diagnosed with diabetes on an emergency room visit shortly after her 13th Birthday. As a teen you’re supposed to remember the first time you drove a car alone, days spent skating at the roller rink with friends, or maybe a first kiss, but too many of my sister’s teenage memories were those of finger pricks and insulin injections she just didn’t want to take, long road trips to endocrinologists, specialists and hospitals to figure out why she wasn’t feeling well, and waiting rooms visits for procedures that only “old folks” seemed to need. Sure, Jenny’s situation could have been much worse----cancer or a car accident, but the way that she internalized her situation, made her disease seem like it was just as bad.

When thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills came to our house, Jenny blamed it on herself. When relatives told her she couldn’t have a holiday cookie, she wanted to run away and curl up in the corner. She wanted to be normal….to pretend that nothing was wrong, to be blissfully ignorant of the pink elephant in the closet. For a long time, no one could help her tame the anger inside---no doctors, no medications, and not even her closest of family and friends. The stress of coping with her disease made her even more ill, and took away a normal college experience, when she got sick and had to return home after just one semester away. To helplessly watch someone you love suffer so much, was painful to my entire family and everyone that loved my sister. There were days when she hated life, and wondered if it was worth living. Her only lifeline was self-resuscitation.

To find a four-leaf clover in a field of alfalfa takes a lot of time, and sometimes it’s not easy to find one the first time you try. But, once you do discover that lucky charm, you carefully press it in a book and keep it with you forever. Healing my sister’s body, mind and sense of value in life---even when she felt like a raggedy old doll, took time, but with time she has discovered her charm. Jenny has finally realized that she is a beautiful person, inside and out, and that her diabetes cannot control her life unless she lets it take over. With the miracles of technology (an insulin pump and continuous glucose sensor---devices allow her to monitor her blood sugar and administer her insulin without poking her fingers or sticking a syringe in her body every time she eats), she has made strides in the right direction. Her attitude has become “can do” in recent months as she has discovered her ambitions to get her life back on track and perhaps start her own business. Observing her transformation has been like watching a sunflower unfurl open in front of my eyes; it is one of the most miraculous things you will ever see.

My definition of a hero, is someone like Jenny. A hero is a person that makes a 360˚ transformation in their life. Regardless of how big or small it may seem, it is a transformation that forever changes themselves and the people around them.