Lynn Steg Awarded 2009 WRC Spirit Award

Congratulations to veteran WRC volunteer Lynn Steg recognized for her service to WRC with the 2009 Spirit Award during the center's holiday open house December 10th.  With more than 1000 hours in two years, Lynn has become a front desk fixture handling phone calls and welcoming visitors and clients.  Her unique style, considerable knowlege and warm, empathetic demeanor lends itself to the mission and purpose of Women's Resource Center.  WRC appreciates her dedication to those we serve.

Heartfelt Holiday Open House December 10th at WRC

While enjoying some of the great holiday events offered this week in the Hickory area, be sure to visit one of the annual favorites WRC's open house.  This year the center is celebrating Spirit and Service by announcing this year's recipient of WRC Spirit Award during the event.  The award recognizes the individual who has shown outstanding, dedicated support of the center and the community we serve.You will also have the opportunity to see the results of the hard work of Hickory Girl Scout Troop 828 who have just completed their Gold Project by planning and implementing a make over in the center's Women2Work Clothing Closet.  Improvements included fresh paint, new window treatments and refinished wood flooring.  The scouts have all become WRC youth volunteers and will  welcome visitors to the open house and provide tours of the center. Refreshments will be served and volunteers will be offering unique items for holiday gift giving.  Join the center's "Heartfelt Holiday"'

Local Therapist's Inspirational Poster Sales to benefit WRC

Liza Shaw, Hickory area marriage and family therapist has created a poster featuring her poem "The Faith of a Flower" with 20% of net sales benefiting Women's Resource Center.  The poster delivers a positive and hopeful message and would make a unique and lovely holiday gift for a friend or family member.  You can view and order posters at: "The Faith of a Flower" Poster

TEXAS ROADHOUSE WRC EVENT MONDAY NIGHT

Bring your family, friends and your appetite to TEXAS ROADHOUSE on Monday, 11/16 from 4-8PM when 10% of your dinner bill will be donated to WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER.  For more information call 828-322-6333-Hope to see you there!

Texas Roadhouse Hosts November 16th Fundraiser

Enjoy a great meal at Texas Roadhouse, 1020 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd. Hickory on Monday, November 16th. Diners presenting the coupon below will have 10% of their food purchase donated to WRC.  Coupons will be accepted from 4-8PM.  Meet your family and invite your friends to join you and Texas Roadhouse in supporting the services and programs at Women's Resource Center.  For more information about this fundraising event call 828-322-6333.

WRC is celebrating "30 Days of Gratitude"

Center staff, volunteers and Board of Directors are grateful for the community's support and want to encourage individuals, businesses, organizations and agencies to join in expressing their thanks. Go to WRC's website and learn more about the value of gratitude-even a modest expression can be powerful.

Women are the Solution...

...along with men.

I have always believed that if given a chance to truly follow our own initiative, instincts and learning from our life experiences, we women could make tremendous progress in correcting all sorts of inequality in the world.

Here is a website and book that illustrate just that.

I heard about this movement on, of all shows, The Colbert Report.  We happen to be big fans of Steven Colbert, one of the premier satirists of our time, but his interview with Sheryl WuDunn about the work she and Nicholas Kristof have been doing to change the way we see activism was truly enlightening.

I am looking forward to reading this book.  While women in the United States do have it better than most in the developing world, we still have a problem with being undervalued.  We see it in our education system, in commerce with the lack of pay parity with men and in the area of health care and child care.  Women in our country have so many advantages yet we still have so many women, children and families in poverty.  Just take a look at these statistics on hunger and poverty from Feeding America:

"In 2007, households that were more likely to experience food insecurity were households with children (15.8%), households with children headed by single women (30.2 percent) or single men (18 percent), households with incomes below the poverty line (37.7 percent), Black non-Hispanic households (22.2 percent) and Hispanic households (20.1 percent)."

We all need to do more about this.  Everywhere.  This website and book share alot of information to point the way.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC Volunteer

Richard Rodriguez and the Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series

While this post is not specifically about women or women's issues, its worth noting that tonight was the first event in the 2009 - 2010 Lenoir-Rhyne University's Visiting Writers Series.

Tonight we were given the privilege to hear Richard Rodriguez, an American journalist, essayist and author.  For decades Mr. Rodriguez has shared with us his many observances and experiences as the son of Mexican immigrants  in San Francisco.  With a lot of humor  and transparency this evening, he shared with us his thoughts on race and immigration, and his insights into the reasons for our country's seeming difficulty with our heritage as an immigrant nation.

I have listened to Mr. Rodriguez for years on NPR and PBS.  I have always been particularly taken with his ability to get under  a subject to its heart, whether talking about race and immigration or other issues of the day.

I appreciate his remarks about the importance of non-fiction.  I am a big fan of non-fiction writing and agree with him that non-fiction does not get enough attention.  It is through non-fiction that we can get a deeper explanation of events.  To imagine what can be, I think it is important to know what is and what has been.  Authors like Mr.  Rodriguez give us not only a glimpse into events from our history, but an insight into their past and present meaning.  He has given us a body of work that is so intensely personal and honest, showing us intimately what it means to be a first generation American, bridging the world of his parents to his world as an assimilated Mexican American.

I have provided links here to some places on the web where you can read Mr. Rodriguez's essays and hear him interviewed.  Do a search for him and you will find an abundance of biographical information and many interviews and essays to keep you reading for a long time.

His books include: Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez; Mexico’s Children; Days of Obligation: An Argument With My Mexican Father, and Brown: The Last Discovery of America.  

I am so grateful to Mr. Rodriguez for all of the time he has taken to share with us the depth of connection we have to our not so distant neighbors to the south, our American brothers and sisters.  And I am also grateful to Lenoir-Rhyne University for bringing authors such as Mr. Rodriguez to us,  with his unique perspective into what it means to be an American.  His work is even more prescient today as we struggle with what kind of a society to be.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Domestic Violence: The Ultimate Pre-existing Condition

I just had to share this article from The Huffington Post. 

The practice being discussed here in this article is allowed to be practiced by insurance companies licensed in the state of North Carolina.  That practice: not covering victims of domestic violence because domestic violence is a "pre-existing condition".

We have all been watching the rancorous debate over whether or not our health care system should be reformed.  I am sure we all have opinions as to what should be done.  I am not going to use this forum to promote my personal ideas.

But one thing I am acutely aware of as a woman, in my reading about women's issues and from my relationship with the WRC in Hickory, is that women and particularly women with small children are at the short end of the stick when it comes to acquiring the benefits of living in a free society.

For example, we know that women generally earn $0.78 to every dollar a man earns.  We know that those women who work are less likely to have health benefits.  And when you add the children into the mix, you see women having less options for what kinds of jobs they can take because their children require that they be at home.   And for those women who are heading a single family household, i.e., they are "it" when it comes to keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table, it gets even more complicated with less options for sustainability.

So when I read an article about health insurance companies, one industry actually making hand over fist profits when people are losing their jobs and having their benefits cut at an alarming rate, determining that women who are victims of domestic abuse have a "pre-existing condition" and will not pay for the treatment of their wounds, I have to ask myself, "Who are these people who don't want health care reform?"  What kind of a country have we become when the mothers of our children not only have to sustain abuse from their partners, but cannot even get basic medical care for the physical injuries sustained from that abuse.

Can anyone explain why we put up with this - why we are even debating whether or not we need health care reform?  It makes me spit bullets....

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

You Can Change the World

Ms. Fulton makes a timely and thoughtful monologue about the changing shape of philanthropy.

In my mind it offers hope and re-frames how I approach giving - personally and professionally. The damaged economy and severe unemployment numbers are unsettling to many of us. However, this time period also provides us a potential clean slate, great learning opportunities, and a chance to explore new ways of sharing and interacting-not just in our backyards but globally.

Each of us have resources, tools, and skills gained from our individual experiences. What amazing changes we could make by collaborating. I think we need to remember that philanthropy is not limited by one's giving capacity; rather from our personal barriers of doubting that our contributions could truly make an impact.

I want to seek out opportunities to connect, not just with my colleagues and contemporaries, also the next generation of philanthropy.

Let me know if you're interested too.

Posted by Lisa Miller, WRC Executive Director

Rachel Maddow to Appear on this Sunday's Meet the Press!

For those of you who may not be familiar with Rachel Maddow, one of the newer additions to MSNBC, she is, quite frankly in my opinion, the Bomb!  Her show is on at 9:00PM eastern time.  I try to catch it as often as I can.

Cable news for me is a sea of infotainment run amok, with so much pandering to individual segments of society that it's hard to know if one is really getting the news, or just some editorializing slant of it.

Enter Rachel, and for now at least, she seems to be trying to get at facts more than anyone else. While she leans progressive, I have seen her have some pretty right wing pundits and elected officials on and, not only does she treat them with respect, she asks some pretty pointed questions and gives her interviewees time to give in-depth answers.  Some, as in the case of Pat Buchanan, use that time to announce not only that they are racist but just how racist they are, but all get respect.  She also covers stories I see no one else covering.

I wonder if she will address Mr. Armey about his organization, Freedomworks and its alleged inciting of the raucus behavior at town hall meetings that Rachel has been covering.  I wonder if she will confront him and if he will just deny it, as he has up to this point.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for debate, however loud and passionate, and civil disagreement is very healthy.  But all I have seen so far in the video of these town hall meetings is tantrum throwing with no substantive questions or comments.  Screaming "liar!" at our representatives is not, in my opinion, healthy debate and certainly won't help anyone understand the complexity of the healthcare reform bills.  People are worried about how we will pay for health care reform, how it will affect all of us, will it work, what if it doesn't - these are among many reasonable and important questions to be answered.

Meet the Press airs on NBC at 9:00 AM eastern time every Sunday.  It will be very interesting to see how it all plays out.  If you watch it, let us know what you think.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

The Wise Latina...

I have been working on a post regarding the confirmation hearing of Justice Sonya Sotomayor since watching the hearings and reading different viewpoints about the proceedings. Something about the hearings stuck in my craw but I have had trouble articulating just what it is as I have a penchant for backing up my opinions with fact or at least, complimentary opinion from an authoritative source.

Well, now I have it. Below is a short video that Lisa Miller, the WRC Executive Director, posted on Facebook regarding racism and the Sotomayor hearings.

This video does not directly address the sexism issue but the theories proposed here of the difference between systematic racism versus that of reverse racism could be applied to sexism.

As I listened to Mr. Keleher describe the difference I began to cultivate a theory of my own - see what you think of it.

Sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination are worse when they are accompanined by a threat of harm, and by that threat coming from one group's disctinct advantage over another. Justice Sotomayor was not threatening anyone when she made her comments to the students at Berkeley University; indeed she was inspiring them to believe that their perspective and life experiences would enrich all of us if they apply themselves to their learning and excel. I have no doubt that senators Sessions from Alabama and Graham from South Carolina believe that their background, perspectives and beliefs help them bring unique talents to their jobs.

Why shouldn't Justice Sotomayor think the same about herself? Why shouldn't she hold herself and her heritage in high regard? Haven't white men demonstrated this trait, with the muscle to impose it, for centuries? Justice Sotomayor was not suggesting a coup d'etat, Latina women taking over the country to dictate our every move. I think she was suggesting that it's time for more voices and perspectives to come to the table when viewing complex questions of how the constitution is applied to cases before the court. There are some things that I may do better than my husband, and some of those things may be because I am a woman - doesn't make me sexist to think that, just makes me aware of my strengths and proud of them. He does some things better than I do, at least in part due to his gender. He is not sexist because he knows that. He brings those talents to our family to enrich it. It's only if either one of us tried to dominate or oppress the family with our abilities, to deny the abilities and contributions of the other gender by exerting a blanket superiority over the other gender, that we would be practicing sexism.

Senator Graham expressed the view that if he said that he would make a better judge than a Latina woman because he is a white male, he would be drummed out of the senate. Well, some of that depends on the opinions of his constituents. But he suggested that her assertion that maybe a wise Latina could make better decisions than a white man were just as bad as a white man asserting his superiority over a Latina woman. In my view the comparison just does not hold water and his indignation strikes me as disingenuous. Its not the same because white men HAVE and still to a certain extent in certain circumstances DO claim superior status over women. Look at pay parity, violence against women, college entrance rates of women, the list goes on. It's because we don't have real equality in our society between men and women, between white and people of color, that so-called discrimination against white men will never have the same sting as discrimination against women and men of color. I believe that white men hold more cards than women and men of color. Period. That's why Mr. Graham and any other senator should be booted out of their office if they assert that they are superior to a woman of color. Its simply worse when you do have more of the power.

The only sexism I saw at the hearings were white men trying make a Latina woman – an incredibly well-educated, smart, top of her class, summa cum laude judge – feel bad for being proud of her accomplishments and her heritage. Some things may never change.

This is just my opinion – what do you think? What was your impression of the tenor and substance of the hearings? We'd love to know.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC Volunteer

Women and Financial Literacy

Monday morning, Mike Collins, the host of Charlotte Talks on WFAE tackled the issue of women and financial literacy.  

His guests were  Liz Davidson, CEO of Financial Finesse, Greg Ward, Certified Financial Planner and Dr. Kevin Toomb,  Clincal Professor of Marketing at UNC Charlotte who is also involved in the Charlotte Saves program to help teach financial literacy and savings skills.  

The premise of the show was that women are not as financially literate as men. This conclusion was ostensibly based on a "study" - I use that word loosely - comprised of information compiled by the firm Financial Finesse regarding financial literacy in general and comparing women and men when in comes to financial literacy. This "gender gap" was supposed to be based on survey questions of men and women using the services of Financial Finesse, questions asked by those seeking advice of their helpline, and from content usage on their website.

While I am sure that there are some women who are not as financially savvy or confident as others, just as there are men who are not as financially literate as others, what does gender have to do with it? Why is it important to generalize about this as a gender difference rather than an issue of a lack of financial education across the board, men and women alike? Why was it suggested, as in the promo for this show, that women's eyes glaze over when faced with a long list of numbers? The paternalism was palpable.

The study is an extrapolation of statistics from their clients' use of their services. For example, they conclude that women worry more about money and are more likely to ask for help with finances. This conclusion comes primarily out of statistics from their helpline - a phone center for employees of the companies that contract with Financial Finesse to call and ask financial questions. Not a cross section of the employees of these companies, nor a cross section of the general population, but people specifically calling to ask for financial help. So, if I am getting this right, because more women than men called this helpline to ask questions, women know less about finances than men. For what it is worth, Dr. Toomb of UNC Charlotte said he does not see a gender gap in his work with Charlotte Saves - he sees that there is a need for more financial literacy across the board, women and men.  

One pertinent question Mike posed (that I appreciated) was this -- since the "study" cites that 70% of the calls to the helpline were from women, did that really mean that women are not as financially literate as men or are they just more likely to ask for help? He also several times brought up the issue of pay parity between men and women in the context of the issue of savings, suggesting that maybe women dont save as much because they generally get paid less than men, and so they simply have less money to save. Yay Mike! While I wish he had been more forceful in these questions, at least he tried to suggest that the conclusions made regarding women and their financial literacy by Financial Finesse were just one perspective.

In spite of the dubious nature of the conclusions Financial Finesse promoted, a couple of good things came out of the discussion. In their survey questions you can see a difference in the way men and women view their competence with finances. This is important and is something that the WRC encounters often with women making life transitions. Women transitioning out of ended marriages into the workforce, women rejoining the workforce after years of raising kids, women starting businesses with kids at home or after kids have left home. I have no doubt that our confidence in our ability to handle finances impacts our competence, and that we could always use more of both. Their survey also suggested that women who are financially educated and confident in their abilities often do a better job than men at investing for the long term. They are more thorough in their research, at buying and holding investments and diversifying their porfolios for better performance than men of the same competence. This suggests that women are less interested in "playing the game" of investing and more interested in the long term goals of investing.

In response to this I would like to generalize about a gender phenomenon that is a well accepted fact: women get paid significantly less than men in the same job - $.78 to every dollar a man gets. Women have less money to work with than men and along with lower pay, their jobs also tend to come with little or no benefits. While I applaud working with women on becoming more financially educated and confident, how about working on the issue of equal pay and benefits so that they have some money to work with? You cannot save what you never receive.

It is an interesting coincidence that in this month's Skirt Magazine there is a wonderful one page essay by Cindy Reid of South Carolina about the lack of pay parity in our society and it's very negative and personal affect on her life and on the lives of many other women and their families. I think this is the real gender gap issue, one that needs to be addressed immediately.

I'd love to know what you think.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Its All About Healthcare!

Well, maybe its not ALL about healthcare, but I know that is an issue that many of us are concerned about. With a disabled husband, its an issue that affects me every day of my life. I often feel that I am flying through the air without a net.

I found this great sister website, MomsRising.org, that's a national forum for many of the issues that women right here in our own community are dealing with: healthcare, childcare, employment, pay parity, etc.

How are current healthcare issues impacting your life? Go check out MomsRising, read the articles and the blog and tell us what you think.

We hope you will make the Women's Resource Center blog a place to voice your opinions and get support.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Wonderful Spring Gala!

We had a wonderful evening at the Lake Hickory Country Club, celebrating the community we have created over the years here in Hickory.

As a new volunteer, it was great to meet so many supporters of The Women's Resource Center and to get know the board members, past and present. So many helping hands were there making the event a great success.

Lisa Miller, the Executive Director and our fearless leader, gave a great speech tonight, expressing some thought provoking ideas. She spoke about the difficulties we are all facing these days, how our community is changing and that the kind of support The Women's Resource Center provides will become even more crucial as we head into the future.

One of the things I love about The Women's Resource Center is the mingling of youth and maturity and the celebration of all of the talents we have to offer, young and old. We all have so much to learn from each other and its wonderful to be in a community that values all of the insights and energy each of us can give.

Terri Bennett, our keynote speaker, gave us wonderful food for thought regarding what we all could do to not just reduce our carbon footprint, but our eco footprint. I learned many facts about lightbulbs and recycling that have inspired me to do even more to reduce, recycle and reuse. Go to her site to see the many simple things you can do to create a more sustainable life that helps protect the planet.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make the gala such a lovely event, especially Susan Huttman, WRC Outreach Coordinator, who spent the evening managing the logistics, making it all run so smoothly. It was a pleasure to volunteer with so many warm and dedicated people.

I am sure we will have pictures to share soon - hope to see even more of you there at next year's event!

Posted by K ate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Igniting Change at NCRW’s Annual Conference

Image via Wikipedia

The White House Project is proud to co-sponsor NCRW’s 2009 Conference, IgnitingChange: Activating Alliances for Social Justice, featuring a distinguished line-up of speakers, including White House Project President Marie Wilson.

The conference will bring together leaders from business, philanthropy, academia, advocacy, and policy communities to devise collective strategies for change.The conference will be held from June 10th-12th in New York City, at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Geek-Squad’s New Internship for Women

Image by Old Shoe Woman via Flickr

Best Buy and Geek Squad have joined forces with the Women's High Tech Coalition to inspire a younger generation of women to get directly involved with science and technology policy-making by combining a hands-on learning experience with a paid congressional internship opportunity.

Female college students who are passionate about science and technology, and want to spend the summer working on related public policy and learning more about Capitol Hill are encouraged to apply. For more inform please visit their site.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

US Senate Healthcare Roundtable

On January 29 we posted that North Carolina Women United,
a state-wide advocacy group, held meetings to discuss what issues North Carolina women are most concerned about.

The number one issue for women in 2008 was healthcare. It seems to be on everyone's mind.

Well, the senate, too, is discussing this very important issue. I watched much of the 3 hour discussion today and it was very informative. Go to www.CSPAN.org to view the panel discussion in its entirety.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC Volunteer

WRC recognizes National Volunteer Week

During National Volunteer Week April 19^th-25^th, "Celebrating People in Action", we are reminded of the vital role volunteers play in the daily life of the Women's Resource Center. Serving women struggling with a wide range of difficult life transitions, the center faces new and unique challenges every day. WRC volunteers take an active part in assisting staff by handling reception duties, processing donations, disseminating resource information and promoting our programs and services. Their individual efforts and actions help make extraordinary things possible for those we serve in the greater Hickory metro area. Women's Resource Center recognizes our volunteers for their service to the community and honors them for their determination and dedication.

Posted by Susan Huttman, WRC Outreach Coordinator

Kate Michelman in The Nation

I was listening to NPR today and heard an interview with Kate Michelman about an article she wrote for The Nation this month. Its the gut wrenching story of her personal experience with family illness - her husband and daughter - at a time in her life when she should be enjoying the fruits of a long life having worked hard, paid her taxes and saved for her retirement. Instead she faces complete financial loss. Here is an excerpt:

"Our story also illustrates the unique challenges women face in the healthcare system, as in the economy at large. Women are paid less and given benefits less frequently--yet they are the ones on whom the responsibility of caretaking disproportionately falls. In addition, women disproportionately, but hardly exclusively, understand the perverse economic choices the healthcare system imposes. In my case, I had to quit working to care for my husband, only to arrive at a point at which he needs care I can afford only if I can find a job. The bills, meanwhile, are often inexplicable, sometimes contain mistakes and are always impossible to resolve without encountering a thicket of red tape. " Click here to read the full article...

I posted an entry on March 12 on a panel discussion hosted by Legal Momentum about the subject of women and families and how our country's financial situation is disproportionately affecting them. Ms. Michelman's article really brings those issues home to all of us in a most personal way. As in Ms. Michelman's family, more and more families are becoming dependent on women's income, but that income and any benefits it may bring with it rarely cover the day to day living expenses of their families.

I relate to her situation on a personal level. I, too, have experienced the life changing effects of serious illness. My husband had an aneurysm rupture 10 years ago. He survived and recovered better than anyone could have dreamed. But it changed our lives forever, in so many ways, financially being one of them. I know some of the stress Ms. Michelman is experiencing and the bewilderment at a government and society that sees this happening to so many hard working citizens, and seems to be at a loss to do anything about it.

Health insurance is NOT healthcare. If there is anything that we can glean from Ms. Michelman's article, it is that. I don't know if the solution is universal healthcare but it is obviously not a system of health insurance that pays for only a fraction of what healthcare costs.

I know, as does Ms. Michelman, that what is happening to her is happening to many people across America. I hope those of you that read this and read her article in The Nation will share your stories with us. The web letters following her article are also worthy of attention. Several healthcare providers share their experiences and conclusions.

Together I believe we can exert enough pressure on our legislators and our President to really tackle this problem so that no one has to face financial ruin later in life because of one health crisis - at that rate, each of us is just one crisis away from devastating loss.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC Volunteer

What Defines Poverty?

National Sexual Assault Awareness Month

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 8, 2009

NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PROCLAMATION

Sexual assault scars the lives of millions in the United States. To increase awareness about this issue, prevent future crimes, and aid victims, this month we mark National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Sexual assault is pervasive in the United States. Study after study has shown that this crime impacts people at all age levels and in every part of this Nation. One recent study found that 18 percent of women in this country have been raped in their lifetime. In addition, rates of sexual assault remain startlingly high for students from high school to college. A 2005 survey of high school students found that 10.8 percent of girls and 4.2 percent of boys from grades nine to twelve were forced to have sexual intercourse at some time in their lives. A study of college women found that 13.7 percent of undergraduate women had been victims of at least one completed sexual assault since entering college. Unlike victims of sexual assault in the larger community, students victimized by other students often face additional challenges in a "closed" campus environment. For example, a victim may continue to live in danger if the perpetrator resides in the same dormitory or attends the same classes. These statistics are all the more alarming given that, according to recent research, a majority of victims do not report their attacks to police.

Victims of all ages suffer from both the physical and emotional consequences of the attack. Sexual assault can lead to long-term health problems including chronic pain, stomach problems, and sexually transmitted diseases. It can also cause severe emotional harm that may be even more painful than the assault itself and resulting physical injuries. The effects of sexual assault go well beyond the direct victim: sexual assault also has a profound impact on a victim's family, friends, neighbors, and workplace.

Victims need an array of services to heal from the trauma of sexual assault, including crisis intervention, 24-hour sexual assault hotlines, medical and criminal justice accompaniment, advocacy, and counseling. Victim service providers are essential to this effort and work tirelessly to help victims cope with the trauma of sexual assault and transition from "victim" to "survivor."

Landmark legislation has helped fund these critical services. The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA, Public Law 98-473) established the Crime Victims Fund to fund services such as forensic sexual assault examinations and compensation claims for both adult and child victims. For example, since 1997, VOCA funding has supported the development of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs and multi-disciplinary Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART). The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA, Public Law 109-162) authorized the Sexual Assault Services Program, the first Federal funding dedicated exclusively to sexual assault services. The Program includes funding for culturally specific programs that serve victims who face unique cultural and linguistic barriers.

In addition to helping victims, offenders must be held accountable for their crimes. Sexual assault forensic examinations and trained examiners can ensure that victims are treated with requisite sensitivity and that critical evidence is collected to facilitate a successful prosecution. To this end, VAWA mandates that all States that accept Federal grants to combat violence against women ensure that sexual assault victims receive forensic examinations free of charge, even if the victim chooses not to report the crime to the police.

To make continued progress, my Administration supports efforts to help Americans better understand this issue. Working together, we can reduce the incidence of sexual assault and help all who have experienced this heinous crime.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2009, as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I urge all Americans to respond to sexual assault by creating policies at work and school, by engaging in discussions with family and friends, and by making the prevention of sexual assault a priority in their communities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Weekend Attendees have Freedom to Choose

At the end of the 2009 WRC Enrichment Weekend, everyone sat around in a circle together and had an opportunity to share their thoughts and impressions. During breakfast each attendee was asked to write down one word that summed up their experience over the weekend. Sue Murray wrote down Freedom. She elaborated her point with this beautiful poem; which she kindly read aloud at the closing and generously also let us post here.

*Freedom to Choose*

Freedom to choose---
The ropes course or hiking
Canoeing or kayaking
Guided meditation or short story discussion
To create a vision collage or lantern
To explore our relationship to the moon
To dance, sing, share a talent or gift
To speak up or to be silent
To reign yourself in or let loose
To be serious or silly or both or something else
Freedom to do as much or as little as you choose, if only you will give yourself permission
And that is the only permission you need!
Can you give yourself permission to do and be exactly who you are in each moment?
Can you give others permission to do and be exactly who they are in each moment?
Freedom to choose---
To say YES or NO to whatever, to whomever...
Both are equally important words and knowing *you* *can choose.*

Published with permission from Poet Sue Murray, one of the contributing writers featured in WRC's new book: Voices and Vision.

Posted by WRC

Terri Bennett's Prescription for Making our World Cleaner and Safer

Terri Bennett, a nationally recognized earth scientist, is the keynote speaker for the Women's Resource Center 2009 Gala on May 7. Here is a recent article she published on her blog that provides practical advice for those of us interested in keeping it clean without harming the environment with toxic chemicals.

Cleaning with Less Waste

Most of us have that under the sink cabinet or pantry closet overflowing with cleaners of all varieties. We think we need all of these cleaners to cut through grease and grime and provide a cleaner, less germy environment for our families. I certainly fall into this category...or at least I used to. That's before I discovered vinegar and baking soda. Now my cleaning cabinet has a 2 gallon jug of vinegar, a couple of spray bottles that I recycled from other commercial cleaners and several boxes of baking soda.

There are many benefits to cleaning with fewer chemical cleaners. Of course there is the obvious health benefit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the air inside our homes is on average two to five times more polluted than the air outside, largely due to household cleaners. The EPA has also found that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants. And it's not just the air that we are polluting with these chemical cleaners. The Clean Water Fund estimates that the average American uses 40 pounds of toxic cleaners every year and much of that finds it way into the water supply where we spend billions of dollars trying to remove the toxins from our drinking water.

But there is another benefit, you'll also be creating less waste when you clean with fewer chemicals. In 2006, the United States generated about 14 million TONS of plastic waste. A large portion of that is from plastic containers and packaging including all of those cleaners in plastic bottles. It's estimated that on average we each generate 190 pounds of plastic trash every year and the recycling rate for plastics are around 20 percent, at best.

When you choose to clean with fewer chemical products, you create a healthier environment in your home or business. You will also buy fewer products, so naturally you'll create less waste. One two gallon jug of vinegar mixed with two gallons of water can fill one spray bottle about eight times! And a two gallon jug of vinegar costs about 2 bucks. That's what I call a savings! I'm also keeping harmful chemicals out of my house and creating less plastic waste by buying one jug instead of eight.

Finally, you're all wondering "But does it really work?" The answer is YES! I now use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to clean everything except marble. It's great on glass, countertops and undiluted vinegar cuts grease too (just let the vinegar sit for a few minutes). Vinegar also naturally kills germs, bacteria and mold so you don't have to worry that you're not really cleaning. Baking soda works great anyplace you need an abrasive to remove dirt (do not use it on stainless steel) or to remove odors in shoes, carpets, even pets and pet beds! You can find many more uses for vinegar and baking soda by checking out the Do Your Part section of our website.

So finish up those plastic bottles of chemical cleaners, rinse them out, and reuse them when you can for a natural solution of vinegar or vinegar and water (I keep a spray bottle of each under the sink). And remember to recycle those plastic containers when you can. The energy saved making one plastic bottle from recycled content rather than virgin materials can power a 60-watt light bulb for six hours!

Published with permission from Terri Bennett.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Women's Advocacy Day

Register Now!

NC Women United Sponsors WOMEN'S ADVOCACY DAY
Wednesday, April 1st  Legislative Building, Raleigh

It is time for us to converge on Raleigh again to advocate for the Women's
Legislative Agenda!

Training - First Baptist Church

*        8:30 - 9:00: Registration
*        9:00 - 10:00: Advocacy Training: Overview of lobbying best practices
and the NC Women United issues

Advocacy Day - Legislative Building

*        9:00 - Noon: Registration - First floor 1200 Court (if you did not
register at the training and to pick up packets for legislators)
*        10:30 - 11:00: Press Conference - First floor press room
*        11:00 - 3:00: Issue experts available for consults - First floor
1200 Court
*        All day: Visits with your legislators - please make your own
appointments. Maps will be in your registration packet.

The Women's Legislative Agenda, along with issue talking points, will be
posted on NC Women United's website prior to the event. For those of you
who will not be able to attend in person, we will also have a virtual advocacy
opportunity for you coming soon!

We need your participation and support for this event to be successful and
to have the impact we need to pass legislation that furthers the mission
of NC Women United.

NC Women United is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed
to advancing public policies that support the full economic, legal and social
equality of women in NC.

Please forward to your friends and colleagues!  We look forward to seeing
you on April 1st!

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Rachel Carson’s Timely and Timeless Message

Rachel Carson was a very brave woman at a time when being a woman and standing up to a major American industry was, well, something maybe only a handful of women did.

Selected by the National Women's History Project to serve as the iconic model for this year's theme, "Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet," Rachel Carson is often credited with inspiring the modern environmental movement.

Cover via Amazon

She had been a naturalist and environmentalist all her life, getting a MA in Zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932. But it was her challenge to the manufacturers of pesticides like DDT that put her in the national spotlight. I am not only struck by her courage to challenge male-dominated agribusiness in 1962 but her forethought in so meticulously documenting her findings so that it would be virtually impossible to silence her. What she wrote became a substantial mainstay to the environmental movement. Just eight years after Silent Spring was published, the first Clean Air Act was passed.

Being the parents of a 15 year old naturalist, we often have conversations in our house about the environment, and we never miss a nature documentary if we can help it.

I was asked to write this post at the same time that Rachel Carson’s work came up in a vocabulary lesson my son was studying. I confess I did not know much about her from my school years but having a son so interested in nature, I have been exposed to a great deal of scientific information that I don’t believe I would have sought out on my own.

This pioneer named Rachel Carson has inspired us to visit the library this week to find her books and read them. She is a great American, a great woman and a pioneering environmentalist to whom many of us owe gratitude for her courage and tenacity. I wonder how she would feel if she were alive today – discouraged that some big industries are still plundering our natural resources, polluting our air, pouring filth into our water, or would she be encouraged by so many citizens advocating for the health of our environment, buying local and organic food, educating ourselves about what needs to be done to protect our planet, and voting for leaders who support science and environmental protection. And would she wonder who will win.

For more information on Rachel Carson, visit these websites:

http://www.rachelcarson.org

http://www.time.com/time/time100/scientist/profile/carson.html

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

The Most Admired Woman in My Life

She was only 13 when her father died. She was her mother's main companion until the latter's death when she was 28. Nevertheless, she earned a Bachelor's degree in English, with a minor in Psychology. And out of that generic preparation, she would create a career in corporate communications and marketing.

After a few years as a copywriter and in public relations for nonprofits, she opened her own public relations and marketing business at the age of 28. In a competitive market in Charlotte, where there are a number of large agencies established and still opening, she has had a successful business for 24 years. She even received the Public Relations Society of America/Charlotte Chapter Infinity Award for lifetime achievement in 2002.

I admire her for having the courage and persistence to attempt all of this on her own. She is my little sister, Dorothy Waterfill Trotter.

--submitted by Betty Waterfill Stone, WRC Board member

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC Volunteer

Economic Security for Women and Families

Being a night owl, I am sometimes up late at night when CSPAN2 shows some really great panel discussions and congressional hearings. On Friday, March 6, a panel discussion sponsored by Legal Momentum aired about how the recession is affecting women and how the working demographic is and has been changing for women and families. It was a great discussion with timely statistics and anecdotal analysis for women and families.

The video clip below shows Representative Jared Polis from Colorado speaking on possible policy changes that will benefit working women and their families.




I highly recommend you go to see the entire panel discussion by pasteing http://www.cspan.org/Watch/watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-A-16138 into your browser window or go to CSPAN and search for "Legal Momentum".

I was struck by how the place of women in the workforce has become the rule, vital to the stability of our economy. It’s no longer the purview of feminists that women should have the right to work – we now depend on women in the workforce more than ever. But women have less access to benefits, to job and retirement security, and still lack wage parity, earning $0.78 to every dollar a man earns.

Posted by Kate Tinnan, WRC volunteer

Obama pays tribute to women who helped preserve, protect the environment

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
March 3, 2009


WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, 2009
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

With passion and courage, women have taught us that when we band together to advocate for our highest ideals, we can advance our common well-being and
strengthen the fabric of our Nation. Each year during Women's History Month, we remember and celebrate women from all walks of life who have shaped this
great Nation. This year, in accordance with the theme, "Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet," we pay particular tribute to the efforts of women in preserving and protecting the environment for present and future generations.

Ellen Swallow Richards is known to have been the first woman in the United States to be accepted at a scientific school. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1873 and went on to become a prominent chemist. In 1887, she conducted a survey of water quality in Massachusetts. This study, the first of its kind in America, led to the Nation's first state water-quality standards.

Women have also taken the lead throughout our history in preserving our natural environment. In 1900, Maria Sanford led the Minnesota Federation of Women's Groups in their efforts to protect forestland near the Mississippi River, which eventually became the Chippewa National Forest, the first Congressionally mandated national forest. Marjory Stoneman Douglas dedicated
her life to protecting and restoring the Florida Everglades. Her book, The Everglades: Rivers of Grass, published in 1947, led to the preservation of the Everglades as a National Park. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993.

Rachel Carson brought even greater attention to the environment by exposing the dangers of certain pesticides to the environment and to human health. Her landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, was fiercely criticized for its unconventional perspective. As early as 1963, however, President Kennedy acknowledged its importance and appointed a panel to investigate the book's
findings. Silent Spring has emerged as a seminal work in environmental studies. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1980.

Grace Thorpe, another leading environmental advocate, also connected environmental protection with human well-being by emphasizing the vulnerability of certain populations to environmental hazards. In 1992, she launched a successful campaign to organize Native Americans to oppose the storage of nuclear waste on their reservations, which she said contradicted Native American principles of stewardship of the earth. She also proposed
that Americans invest in alternative energy sources such as hydroelectricity, solar power, and wind power.

These women helped protect our environment and our people while challenging the status quo and breaking social barriers. Their achievements inspired generations of American women and men not only to save our planet, but also to overcome obstacles and pursue their interests and talents. They join a long and proud history of American women leaders, and this month we honor
the contributions of all women to our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2009 as Women's History Month. I call upon all our citizens to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.


BARACK OBAMA

How to stand out at a job fair

WRC volunteer Mary Ann Dore was featured in the Hickory Daily Record for a job seeking seminar she recently presented.

'‘When you’re in job search mode, you have to sell yourself’" Mary-Ann Dore, president of Act2Consulting in Hickory, NC, provided job seeking strategies at a recent workshop . Dore advised to identify three key strengths they possess and be prepared to discuss how those strengths could benefit a company

read more | digg story

What Issues are Important to NC Women?

North Carolina Women United, a statewide advocacy group, hold meetings around the state every other year to ask local women what concerns and issues are on their mind and how our state legislature can help. The release below showcases the results of the 2008 discussions.

2008 NCWU AGENDA ASSEMBLIES COMPLETE AN HISTORIC YEAR

2008 marked the 20th anniversary of the local Women's Agenda Assemblies across the state of North Carolina. Since 1988, members of the public have been meeting once every other year to discuss and prioritize social and political issues of importance to women and their families.

Last year, between August and December, eight agenda assemblies took place across the state, comprised of a total of 388 women, in the following counties: Buncombe, Alamance, Guilford, Orange, Mecklenburg, Cumberland, Wake, and Pitt.

Although every category received significant support, the total of the counties' assembly votes prioritized the four general categories of importance in the Draft Agenda for 2008-2009 as follows:

1st - Health Care
2nd - Economic Self-sufficiency
3rd - Civic Participation
4th - Violence Against Women

Many thanks go to the women and men who donated their time and effort to see that the 2008 assemblies were a success: NCWU Agenda Assembly Committee members (Anne Mackie, Polly Williams, Becky Mock and June Kimmel) Authors of the 2008-2009 Draft Agenda, and Anne Mackie for her special introductory section Authors of the assembly handouts from Planned Parenthood, Democracy Now, and the NC Justice Center NC Council for Women Regional Representatives Local Women's Agenda Assembly Leadership, Organizers, and Donors Elena Everett and Independent Voices for the DVD production of the Agenda Assemblies AND MOST OF ALL - a special thank you to all of the 388 assembly participants from across North Carolina!!!

For more information, please contact: Jenny Brobst, NCWU 2008 Statewide Agenda Assembly Coordinator, jbrobst@nccu.edu (representative from the NC Association of Women Attorneys to NCWU). Post was written by Jenny Brobst.

Thoughts on 2009 Inauguration Event at Ridgeview Recreation Hall

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to share in the experience of watching the Inauguration event at Ridgeview Recreation Hall with my co-workers from the WRC and with a community of people. We all stood together, applauded together, prayed together, and cheered together as we watched our 44th President take his oath of office. The atmosphere felt like I was right there in Washington. I know that I would not have had the same experience watching the highlights of it later in the day at home.

The Ridgeview community also made the event extra special by having three talented youth read their essays on their thoughts of the election. Also, two community groups of Hmong and African-American young ladies shared their cultural dances in celebration. Bravo to the Ridgeview community! There are times when we should all take a few moments out of our busy schedules to come together as a community and celebrate the very important events of our country.

Posted by Twila Hartford, WRC Support Services Coordinator

A Word About The Woman Who Influenced Me The Most

The most influential African American woman in my life is my mom, Frances Willette Goode Dula. My mom, known by those in our community as Willette Dula was born and grew up during the Great Depression. She and her family had precious little possessions. As so many did during that era, they struggled just to have food on the table and a roof over their heads. However, through all of these difficult times, she learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and faith in God, values she passed along to my siblings and me. She also taught me the great value of education. My mom was the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Many days she had to walk to school in all types of weather. But, no matter how harsh the conditions, she went anyway. She wanted to go to college but was unable because her family couldn’t afford to send her to college. In spite of lacking a formal college degree, she became a well respected nursery school and daycare teacher. She is a natural teacher who instinctively knew how to inspire, encourage, and motivate the scores of children she taught over the years, including me. For you see, she was my first teacher who taught me the power and the importance of the 3Rs and so much more. Where I am today is because of who she is.

Arnita M. Dula - City of Hickory Staff Attorney
WRC Board Member

Lighter Side of Divorce...

Did anyone hear Bob and Sheri last week? After attending the seminar about "The Legal Aspects of Separation and Divorce," I felt much more informed about my rights as a woman and mother, but the next morning on my morning commute was so pleased when I heard a much lighter conversation regarding what can be a very scary time for many women. Lisa talked on the show about her new book that discusses dating post-divorce. Check out the following link to hear it for yourself.

Posted by Connie Connelly, WRC Intern

The Power of Thank You and Sharing Our Needs

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope that you had a restful, happy holiday. The WRCstaff is gearing up for 2009 and one of our collective goals is to take better care of ourselves personally. It's a pretty common New Year's resolution, but how can we keep the momentum going after the newness of 2009 wears off.

One of the benefits of working at WRC is that self care and improvement is our mission. Our programs and services are designed to offer tools, support, and encouragement to women looking to improve the quality of their life. WRC staff and volunteers continually think about how to promote self care to women and their loved ones. (As service providers, we just need to remember ourselves as well).

Personally, I'm learning that part of self care means clearly stating my needs. Sometimes that means asking for a little validation or pat on the back. In this 3 minute video below, Laura Trice explains the power of sharing these needs and being a good listener as well. I thought her message made for a good New Year's Resolution and wanted to share it with you.

Please feel free to send me an email or leave a comment about this post. We want to get the ideas and conversation flowing, so take a moment to share.

Posted by Lisa Miller, Executive Director