SacWomen readers get $2 off.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ladies Who Launch has a Sacramento chapter and some very interesting, affordable and timely seminars coming up. They also have some prime spots on their website for effective and affordable advertising for your business. Check it out.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

California Legislative Women’s Caucus
Invites You to a Special Viewing of
Iron Jawed Angels
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Film begins at 7:00 p.m.
Crest Theatre
1013 K Street, Sacramento
Free admission
Must be 18 or older for admission.
RSVP to Cody Naylor: (916) 319-2438 or Cody.Naylor@asm.ca.gov
Iron Jawed Angels recounts a key chapter in U.S. history: the struggle of suffragists
who fought for the passage of the 19th Amendment. The film shows how defiant activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns broke from the mainstream women’s rights movement, daring to push the boundaries of political protest to secure women’s voting rights in 1920. Iron Jawed Angels is an HBO film starring Hillary Swank, Frances O’Connor, Angelica Houston and Patrick Dempsey.

You should definitely go to this. You will be amazed and forever grateful to your female ancestors for what they did to get us the vote. And you will always, always, always vote every chance you get when you see how much getting us the vote cost them.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Of all Americans without a license:

•Women are more than twice as likely as men not to have a drivers’ license.
•One of every five senior women does not have a license.
•Over 70% are women.

[Source: US Census Bureau Detailed Tables. “Sex by Age Total Population.” July 24, 2006. Federal Highway Administration. “Licensed drivers, by State, sex, and age group.” July 24, 2006]

•There is ample anecdotal evidence that suggest factors like name changes related to marriage and divorce make it less likely a woman will have a current name and address on a photo ID that matches the name and address on the voter list.

Have Republicans found another way to wage war on women by keeping them away from the polls?

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Melanne Verveer has been named as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. This is an unprecedented step in elevating the importance of global women's issues to the forefront.

Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit that invests in emerging women leaders - pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries. Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President's Interagency Council on Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women.

Previously, Verveer served as Executive Vice President of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was Coordinator for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, Field Manager of Common Cause and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant respectively. Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women's Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women In International Security.

Hat tip to Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun Times

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today, President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating a White House Council for Women and Girls to focus the federal government's efforts on advancing the interests of a group that has long done less well than men by a number of measures.

The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families.

During its first year, the Council will also focus on the following areas:

Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care.

The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and will include as members:

The Secretary of State;
The Secretary of the Treasury;
The Secretary of Defense;
The Attorney General;
The Secretary of Interior;
The Secretary of Agriculture;
The Secretary of Commerce;
The Secretary of Labor;
The Secretary of Health and Human Services;
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
The Secretary of Transportation;
The Secretary of Energy;
The Secretary of Education;
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
The Secretary of Homeland Security;
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations;
The United States Trade Representative;
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors;
The Director of the National Economic Council; and
The Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

In addition to the initial list of members, the President may designate additional heads of other Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices.

All this thinking big stuff is making me VERY happy and excited for the future.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

From my roommate Dorothy to the fabulous women on the recent trip I took to Cambodia:

Dear Sisters:

International Women's Day is here again with it powerful emotions about what it means to be a woman in this century.

Thoughts of the Japanese Comfort Women, those who remain, now between 70 and 90 years old and still just trying to get the Japanese government to say the simple words: "We're sorry."

Thoughts of women in Cambodia and Zimbabwe and Sudan and Nicaragua and Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine and Juarez and in the new squatter camps springing up in so many of our own U.S. cities -- just trying to figure out how to keep on living and making a home for their families.

Lesbians in California, fighting for official recognition of their families and everywhere living their love against enormous odds.

Women throughout the world, struggl ing in the face of an ever more severe social discomposition where governments and corporations and military establishments have carved a life that does not include or support life.

I think of the White House--built in part by slaves and inhabited now by a beautiful black family--and despite my best attempts at reason, hope lights its small flame.

We are all in this together, and today I simply take a few moments to celebrate the millions of brave women on whose shoulders we stand and whose hands we hold.

It was an amazing journey with you as my sister travelers. This is a bond we will forever share.

Happy International Women's Day!

Love in action,

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 7:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. And where was Gillian? In Dallas at an Ethiopian rally to speak out for the release of UDJP party chair Birtukan Mideksa. Mrs. Mideksa, the only woman leader of an opposition party in Africa and the real winner of the 2005 Ethiopian national election (but overruled by the corrupt regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi), has been imprisoned by the ruling government for the last 60 days. Here is the Gillian's speech:

Thank you for coming today.

My name is Gillian Parrillo. I had the pleasure of meeting many members of the Ethiopian community when I was registering voters prior to the 2008 presidential election. As they supported me then, I stand here today to support them.

As you have learned, Judge Birtukan Mideksa, the 35-year old first female leader of an opposition party in Africa has been held in solitary confinement in jail on trumped up charges since December. The only visitors allowed are her elderly mother and her 4 year old daughter. The International Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations have been denied access. Imagine if this was your daughter, your mother, the leader of your political party!

A group of courageous women have come together under the mantle of the Ethiopian Women’s Human Rights Alliance. They are writing letters to women United States Senators asking for their support. Here, in part, is what they write:

“It is pressure from the international community and specifically from the United States that compels governments such as Ethiopia—that can only survive and be viable based on foreign aid—to conform to international human rights laws. As a US partner in the Global War on Terror, the Ethiopian government must be held to a higher scrutiny in matters of human rights. Our reputation as a nation - a beacon of human rights and a stalwart advocate of freedom - rings hollow whenever we remain silent in the face of grave injustice. We know as advocates of a more just and equitable world, you share our hope for a future where all human rights and the rule of law are respected. We ask you to join us in calling for the unconditional release of Judge Mideksa and for the adherence to human rights standards by the Ethiopian government. It is our obligation as women to tell her story and urge you to take a principled position by raising your voice to demand the immediate release of Judge Birtukan Mideksa”.

I ask each and every one of you who are here today to contact your elected representatives and urge them to stand up for Birtukan and the far too many others in similar circumstances.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

“Now, more than ever, we need to be vigilant to ensure that measures designed to promote gender equality are not cast aside under the excuse that ‘we can no longer afford them’. The simple truth is that we can no longer afford to exclude 50% of the world’s population from fully enjoying their economic, social, political and cultural rights.”

Commit yourself to gender equality. Here's a good place to start, donate $25 to a microfinance organization that provides small loans to women entrepreneurs around the world so they can build their own economic 'power'. Visit KIVA. A donation also makes a great gift - mother's day, father's day, graduation, birthday, etc. Or even an International Women's Day gift to a relative, friend or coworker!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.org

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I attended the CARE.org Powerful Noise documentary last night which was shown in more than 400 movie theaters across the United States. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#29528531. I was very engaged by the power of gender equality which leads to economical, educational and political equality and empowerment (among other benefits).

The idea of empowered, educated, economically viable and politically active women having equal say in their families, villages, countries and the world is exciting and world-changing. Many problems the world struggles with now would be tackled in a whole different way. E.g., no more girls sold into sex slavery. Girls would be educated and valued, families would have the income of the working mother and no longer have to rely on selling their daughters to support the rest of the family, women politicians would enact new laws and female judges would hand down equitable, no nonsense sentences to the transgressors.

I believe that microfinance, of which I am a big supporter, is one of the most exciting programs that has been devised in a long time that speaks directly to women’s economic empowerment. And I firmly believe there are many others breakthroughs in this area waiting to be discovered and implemented.

I believe that the power of women’s voices and women’s ability to change the world has barely been tapped. And if it were fully tapped (or even partially tapped), we truly could change the world for the better by focusing on raising up women around the world.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Minerva Award, named after the Roman Goddess, Minerva, who graces the California State Seal, honors remarkable women who have stepped forward in the spirit of Minerva and changed our communities, cities, state and our world. A Minerva Award celebrates a living woman who through her courage, strength and wisdom is making our world a better, more compassionate and just place.

Created in 2004 by California’s First Lady Maria Shriver, the Minerva Awards annually recognize 5 remarkable women who have made a positive difference in the lives of others and who are passing on their legacies of humanity.

Some winners are famous, some not. While most of the awards are presented to women from California, one or two may be given to women from outside California whose work and leadership have impacted the people of our state.

She may be any remarkable woman who has committed herself to creating a legacy of humanity and helping others.

She must have recognized a problem or injustice, stepped outside her comfort zone to address it and helped create a solution.

She must be a living woman dedicated to improving the lives of others.

She may come from California, live in California or her work has made a major impact on the people of this state.

She must have exhibited creativity, compassion, leadership, consistent commitment to a cause or contributed to a ground-breaking accomplishment.

Her legacy may represent a lifetime of service and achievement, or her impact may be the result of one event, a turning point in her life, that inspired her to serve others.

Her story should be one of inspiration, courage and a struggle of triumph over hardship.

She must attend the presentation of the awards in person at the California Women’s Conference in Long Beach, California, held on October 27, 2009.

Deadline is March 15, 2009. Here's is the form to use.

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As we move toward the day we celebrate International Women's Day in the United States - does anyone notice at all? - here is a video of what happens in Russia.

Let's tell our male relatives that if they want to be cool, it requires lots of flowers!

Gillian Parrillo
SacWomen.com

Posted by Gillian Parrillo at 6:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)