Networking
Winter 2010/2011
NACW is committed to equality and
justice for women by increasing the
effectiveness of member commissions
and serving as their national voice.
NACW Officers
Mary Molina Mescall - President
New Mexico
Lori SchraderBachar – Vice President
Iowa
Bernice Compton Mitchell - Treasurer
Oklahoma
Cecilia Zamora, Secretary
California
Bonnie Coffey – Immediate Past President
Texas (Ex-Officio)
NACW Board of Directors
Amy Brenengen
Minnesota/Region 5
Sue Castner
Oregon/Region 10
Romona Fullman
Delaware/Region 3
Lesley Guthrie
Texas/Region 3
Judith Karandjeff
Michigan/Region 5
Roberta Mack
Arizona/Region 9
Tammy Martin
North Carolina/Region 4
Diane Mills McKay
New Jersey/Region 2
Jennifer Paustenbaugh, PhD
Oklahoma/Region 6
Sandra Moore
Louisiana/Region 6
Jackie Wilson
Maryland/Region 3
Judith Vaughan-Prather
Maryland/Region 3
Mary Wiberg
California/Region 9
Teresa Younger
Connecticut/Region 1
NACW National Office
300 San Mateo Blvd., NE, Suite 101
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Website: www.nacw.org
Montgomery County Hosts 2010
NACW Conference
Over 170 people from across the nation traveled to
Montgomery County, MD to participate in the 40 th annual
conference of the National Association of Commissions for
Women (NACW): Capital Opportunities for America’s
Women and Girls.
Coordinated and hosted by the
Montgomery County Commission for Women (MCCFW), the
conference was held July 22-25 at the Rockville/DC Hilton
Hotel and Business Center in Rockville, MD.
The conference offered a three-day content-rich curriculum
of
professional
development,
strategy-building
and
leadership training for advocates of America’s commissions
for women, women and families. Forty Commissions for
Women from 29 different states were represented. Four
plenary sessions with keynote speakers were offered along
with nine seminars featuring 24 panelists representing
some of the nation’s most prominent women’s and human
rights organizations as well as briefings at the White House
and Capitol. In addition, a non-profit organization helping
local immigrant and refugee women artisans develop small
business skills offered a marketplace adjunct to the
conference.
The conference opened with a keynote address on
healthcare reform by Dr. Bernadette Loftus, Associate
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic States, Kaiser Permamente
Medical Group.
On Friday conferees traveled, courtesy of the Montgomery
County Department of Transportation, to the White House
Old Executive Building for a briefing from Executive Director
Tina Tchen and other members of the White House Council
on Women and Girls. The group then moved to the U.S.
Capitol for a luncheon and briefing on Women’s Issues in
Congress, hosted by U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards.
Among the speakers were Congressman Martin Heinrich
(NM) and Congressional staff from the offices of Senator
Benjamin Cardin, Congressman Chris Van Hollen,
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi and Congresswoman Jan Schakowski, co-chair of the
Congressional Women’s Caucus.
TIP – Belong to a commission with no
budget and still want to join NACW? Dues
for those commissions with no budget are
just $50 per year – so pass the hat! If there
are 10 commissioners, just $5 each will
entitle your commission to be a member
and enjoy the benefits of a greater
community of commissions to glean ideas,
gain insight and demonstrate strength.
Pretty good investment!
TIP: Looking for some amazing resources in
your region? Turn to the Women’s Bureau,
U.S. Department of Labor! NACW’s regions
mirror those of the Women’s Bureau – get
to know the Administrator in your region to
establish a relationship and discover the
resources that are available to you. There
is a long history of cooperation and
collaboration between the Women’s Bureau
and women’s commissions. To find your
regional administrator, log onto
www.dol.gov/wb/info_about_wb/regions/regions.htm
Saturday offered the Women’s Leadership Conference,
providing training and keynote speakers, and open to the
public. The day began with a presentation by Heather
Boushey, Senior Economist with the Center for American
Progress discussing the recently published research on “The
Three Faces of Work-Family Conflict.” The highlight of the
day was a luncheon featuring Sara Manzano-Diaz, Director
of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor,
discussing challenges facing women in the workplace and
her vision for the work of the Women’s Bureau.
As keynote speaker at the closing banquet, activist-actress
Mary McDonough, a child star on the popular TV series “The
Waltons” and who now has recurring roles on TV shows,
including “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” discussed
the effect of the media on women’s and girl’s sense of self.
The generosity of individual contributions, in addition to
corporate and public sponsors enabled the provision of
excellent informational materials and resources, superior
speakers and briefings with public officials. The MCCFW
very much appreciates the support of the conference
sponsors:
Kaiser Permanente, Lead Sponsor; MCCFW Commissioners;
U.S. DOL Women’s Bureau; Delaware CFW; Holy Cross
Hospital; Friedman French Foundation; NACW; Baltimore
County CFW; Maryland CFW, Prince George’s County CFW;
AARP/Maryland; Marylyn Massey-Ball; North Miami Beach
FL CFW, Zero to Three and Corporate Systems Resources,
Inc.
Conferees repeatedly expressed their appreciation of the
quality of the conference, the caliber of speakers and
seminars, the professional setting and the resources it
provided.
Many participants noted that it was the best
conference they have attended.
To enjoy the 2011 NCW Conference, mark your calendars
now!
NACW Part of VISION 2020 DecadeLong Initiative to Advance Women’s
Leadership & Equality
Vision 2020’s 116 women leaders are back in their home
states ready begin the decade-long initiative to advance
women’s equality and leadership.
Following three days of discussions and debate in
Philadelphia, the Vision 2020 delegates generated hundreds
of ideas to advance women’s leadership and achieve
equality by the year 2020.
“Vision 2020 and its delegates are now off and running
united by one goal,” said Lynn Yeakel, C0-Chair of Vision
2020, a national initiative of the Institute for Women’s
Health and Leadership at Drexel University College of
Medicine.
Noteworthy
● We’re looking for your news, so send it! This is
your opportunity to exercise your bragging right
– let us hear from you and help us publicize the
work your commission is doing!
It’s an
additional avenue to send a copy of the NACW
Networking Newsletter to your funding agencies
with highlights of work you’re doing in your
communities, counties and states.
● Every five years the census publishes data on
small business owners. This fall, new data was
released and the women's commissions of the
Great Lakes Region (Region V) jointly published
data in December.
The commissions put
together a fact sheet on their region and then
each state created a template for their own
state. The fact sheets (regional and each state)
can be found at the Wisconsin Women's Council
website: http://womenscouncil.wi.gov/
● Oklahoma Commission on the Status of
Women held its November meeting at the
Stillwater Public Library in conjunction with the
Dedication Ceremony of unveiling the statue of
Angie Debo, Historian and Heroine to the women
of Oklahoma.
Angie was an Indian Rights
Activist, publishing her last book “Geronimo” in
1976 at the age of 86. She was inducted into
the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984 and
in 1988, PBS made a documentary of her life
which
has
been
revised/upgraded
and
disseminated to every Oklahoma school district
library.
The December Meeting/Christmas luncheon was
held in Tulsa. In keeping with our Commission’s
priority focus of Oklahoma Incarcerated Women
– we produced a “money tree” with the proceeds
going to RESONANCE – (an organization that
trains women in transition from “prison to
personal power”).
February, the Commission will “Celebrate
Women” with the annual Kate Barnard Award
Luncheon – recognizing an Oklahoma women in
public service…more on this in the next
newsletter.
Equality is a measure of our democracy. Yet women, who
make up 51% of the population, represent only 18 percent
of top leaders in the United States. The national and
visionary delegates from all 50 states are committed to
giving more women a voice in government, media,
education, and business.
Following the model of the Continental Congress, these 21 st
Century patriots gathered in Philadelphia on Oct. 21-22.
There, just two blocks from where 56 men signed the
Declaration of Independence 234 years ago, these 116
women signed the Declaration of Equality. They pledged to
return to their home states and work to realize the goal of
greater women’s leadership. Kathleen Hall Jamieson,
director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the
University of Pennsylvania, presided over the signing at
the National Constitution Center.
The extraordinary women leaders from across the United
States will be creating action projects and breaking down
barriers to leadership in their home states. They will gather
again in 2011 to share ideas and successes in their
advocacy.
“Like any movement, Vision 2020 will not be neat and it
won’t be tidy,” Vision 2020 Co-Chair Rosemarie B. Greco
told an auditorium of 116 women leaders. “But it will
change the way women see themselves and the way the
world sees them.”
The National and Visionary Delegates will serve for the next
three years. There are two National Delegates from each of
the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. Visionary Delegates
are women with national influence. For more information,
visit www.drexel.edu/vision2020.
NACW
was
represented
by
Vice
President
Lori
SchraderBachar, who served as a Visionary Delegate. Two
other NACW Board Members were also in attendance.
Teresa Younger was an Ambassador and was part of two
discussions. Sue Caster served as one of Oregon’s National
Delegates.
About Vision 2020 – Vision 2020 is a national project of
the Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership at Drexel
University College of Medicine focused on ensuring equality
by energizing the dialogue about women and leadership.
Lynn H. Yeakel is Director of the Institute and Co-Chair of
Vision 2020. In 2010, Vision 2020 will develop and launch
its decade-long action agenda to move America toward
equality by inspiring and engaging new generations of
women and men to finish the work of the suffragists who
pursued women’s right to vote as fundamental to social and
economic justice. The centennial of the 19th Amendment to
the Constitution will be celebrated in 2020.
About Vision 2020’s Sponsors – Penn Mutual Life
insurance is the Presenting Sponsor of Vision 2020. The
Exelon Foundation is a Forger of the Future and Wachovia,
a Wells Fargo Company, Siemens, The Philadelphia
Foundation, Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust, Bloomberg
LP, Ernst & Young and Keystone Mercy Health Plan are also
sponsors.
Quotables
● Old age is like a plane flying through a storm.
Once you’re aboard, there’s nothing you can do.
Golda Meir
● Age is not a handicap. Age is nothing but a
number. It is how you use it.
Ethel Payne
● I shall not grow more conservative with age.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
● I postpone death by living, by suffering, by
error, by risking, by giving, by loving.
Anis Nin
● Old folks are the nation.
Toni Cade Bambara
About The National Constitution Center – The National
Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on
Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent,
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing
public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas
and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum,
an education center, and a forum for debate on
constitutional issues.
Link for the Declaration of Equality:
http://www.drexel.edu/vision2020/get_involved/declaration/
If you are Facebook users, here is the page on Vision 2020:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/Vision2020EqualityinSight
Message from Mary
Mary Molina Mescall, President
During this holiday season, members of
NACW will be celebrating in a variety of
ways in a variety of scenarios. Many of
you will be able to watch snowflakes
waft down, while others will enjoy
sunny skies and mile temperatures.
These differences are part of what make
each of us valuable to not only our national association, but
to our communities as well.
NACW Networking newsletter produced by
Bonnie Coffey. Articles & news welcome.
Send to bcoffey123@gmail.com
Appreciating not only our common bonds of dedication to
the issues that impact women but those differences that
provide us with valuable perspective is part of what makes
NACW a unique and needed organization.
This rich
tapestry of women is ideally suited to pursue the
improvement of life for women and girls across the country,
and you are not only needed, you are welcomed with open
arms.
Make it a New Year’s Resolution to add your voice and
thoughts to NACW in the coming year. Let me hear from
you – your voice is important and I look forward to working
with you!
Mary