Gloria Feldt's Blog, page 18

I’m Doing It: Wireless Activism for Social Change

Being an activist does not always mean being political. Recently, I served as the moderator for a panel of media innovators who discussed how wireless technology is bringing about social change.

It was exciting to explore the tools currently being used, invented and dreamed of to create a better world at CTIA Wireless 2012, the international  wireless association conference in New Orleans. CTIA hosts this premiere industry conference for wireless, telecom and broadband as well as the key vertical markets that have entered into wireless.  Forty thousand service providers, manufacturers, developers, retailers, enterprise end-users and media attend the conference.

The all-woman panel on “Wireless Activism”, presented by the Women’s Media Center,  focused on how wireless tools are used by activists to create local and global transformation.

“The Women’s Media Center exists to change the status of women in the media – including new media,” said Julie Burton, President of the Women’s Media Center. “Because 51 per cent of our population is women and only 3% of all clout positions in the media are held by women, we are working to advance opportunities for women and girls in the media through our monitoring, training, original content and activism.”

The panel I moderated featured Nancy Schwartzman, filmmaker and anti-violence activist who created the iPhone app Circle of 6, which helps prevent sexual violence. Schwartzman recently won the White Houses Apps Against Abuse technology challenge. “Technology can improve lives,” she said. “I am really motivated by creating communities where violence isn’t tolerated and people are making healthy, consensual decisions.” She is the Founder and Executive Director of The Line Campaign, a non-profit using media and action to end sexual violence.

Nancy Schwartzman and I were joined in panel discussion by these fabulous women:

 
Kimberly Bassett – Executive Director of The Wireless Foundation and founding partner of Text4Baby, a free mobile health service for expectant mothers.



Tasneem Raja – Digital Interactive Editor at Mother Jones, a judge on Hack for Change, and winner of Wired Magazine Award for Excellence in a New Media Project in 2010.




Katrin Varclas – co-founder and editor of MobileActive.org, a global network of practitioners using mobile phones for social impact.





Emily White - leading internet and media executive with over 10 years of experience at global and early stage companies including Google and Facebook. Emily is Facebook’s Director of Mobile Business Development and Partnerships, where she works with mobile operators to drive Facebook growth and the creation and adoption of social phones. She is a board member of the National Center for Women in Information Technology.





Lauren Wolfe –Director of Women Under Siege, a Women’s Media Center program using research, action and wireless technology to recognize and end gender-based genocide.

The International CTIA WIreless 2012 conference was held in New Orleans, LA on May 9.

She’s Doing It: Lily Finds Women Revolting and a 9-Year-Old Feminist

You met Lily Womble  in last week’s She’s Doing It and learned that she attended the AWID  (Association for Women’s Rights in Development) international forum in Istanbul.

There, she recorded video interviews with a number of women from around the globe. Besides the two in this post (watch them to learn what the post title means), you can see more on Lily’s YouTube channel.

Now back in college in Mississippi, 19-year-old Lily reflected on her experience:

Jet lagged and overwhelmed with gratitude for last week in Turkey, I come back to Jackson, Mississippi.  Last week at the AWID Forum on Women’s Rights and Development was a time when women from around the world discussed the many obstacles they face in creating a more safe and just world for women.  Fellowship, dialogue, story telling, brain storming, and great exposure to our sisters in the world was what I experienced in Istanbul, Turkey, but now its time to return to our corners of the world and get back to work.  As I struggle to process this amazing experience into words, my new friends from the conference are putting their passions into action all over the world.

Curious about how Lily applies what she learned about women globally to women in the U.S., I asked how she thinks young women here relate to power and leadership differently or the same as their mothers and grandmothers.

Lily mused, “There are definitely more opportunities for girls today than there were in my mother’s or grandmother’s time.  Growing up in a poor family in the south, I do not think my grandmother had a concept of rising to a greater station of power.

“Today there is a greater awareness among girls of their power to exercise control over their decisions and lives than there was in my grandmother’s time.  There are many more examples of women living out leadership in our country today and that is encouraging, especially because many of those women are becoming mentors for more and more girls.

“[But] the battle for girl’s and women’s empowerment and access to opportunity is not over.  I think there is a grand misconception among women and men in the U.S. that ‘women’s issues’ are settled and feminism is irrelevant.  When I look at how women are egregiously underpaid for their work, how we are denied the right to choose what happens to our own bodies, and how women in many places of leadership are not considered equal to their male counterparts, it is clear to me that we as women, as girls, need to break down the walls separating us for even greater power and leadership.

“Progress cannot happen without women.  That is not a sentiment that was embraced by my mother’s and grandmother’s generations; however, I see that statement starting to take root today, and we as women need to ensure its growth.”

Finally, I wanted to know what would be most helpful to Lily in her work going forward.

“I hope that feminists around the country will not write off the South so quickly, but will pay attention to these girls and women of the south because they are and will continue to change our state, our country, and our world for the better,” Lily replied.

She told me about her recent work in Jackson MS, interviewing and empowering young girls to “change the world by being themselves” in an edition of Smart Girls at the Party, started by Amy Poehler and Meredith Walker. She’s also working as an intern with the Women’s Fund of Mississippi, on the front lines of the fight for better sex education.

Keep your eye out for Ms Lily Womble. I’m pretty sure we’ll be hearing from her again soon. Meanwhile, you can follow her blog , Smart Girls Out Loud.

Declares Lily (citing No Excuses I am proud to say): “I am going to ‘lead my dream’ of continuing in the work of women’s and girl’s empowerment.”

She’s Doing It: Meet Lily Womble Out Loud, Part 1

“I am a college woman living in the worst state for women: Mississippi (as determined by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research), and I am passionate about empowering our women and girls!”

So began the e-mail that made my day, March 29 to be exact. It was from Lily Womble, whom I’d never met but immediately knew was a force to be reckoned with. In a very good way.

Lily told me about her blog, Smart Girls Out Loud and her plans to attend the AWID (Association of Women’s Rights in Development) conference in Istanbul April 19—22.

There is no way I could tell you this whole story in one post. So this is part one of a two-part series. Here I’ll introduce you to this very out-loud and proudly feminist young woman whose declared intention (intention! exactly the quality I found women often lack when I wrote No Excuses) is nothing less than to change the world.

And she’s doing it by amplifying the voices of young women in the U.S. and globally. Yes, even in Mississippi.

I was drawn into her vision by the power of her enthusiasm. So I asked Lily the question I ask women almost every time I do an interview or make a speech:

When did you know you had the power to take leadership? What did that feel like, look like?

Lily responded:

I was raised in Alabama by parents who encouraged me to be bold and adventurous.  They believe in the power of girls and women and passed that along to me.  In high school I wrote a research paper on sex trafficking in the US and met many activists working towards change on this issue in my city.

I realized that most of the people around me had no idea that sex trafficking was affecting the girls in our city and our world; I felt convicted that I had to act and that I needed other youth to act with me.  That is the moment I knew I had the power to take leadership.

I created a youth anti-human trafficking coalition that worked to educate our peers and parents on the issue of sex trafficking; we also lobbied for HB432, that, after the unanimous vote through the house and the senate, made history for being the first anti-human trafficking piece of legislation in Alabama.

I spoke about trafficking at local schools and churches, gathering volunteers and trying to empower audiences to act.  One of the biggest returns on the project, besides raising money and awareness for local anti-trafficking efforts, was seeing my peers realize their passions through mine.  I felt empowered and powerful.  I discovered that I had a voice that mattered, and that knowledge has followed me as my passion has become the empowerment of girls in the south and in the world.

Curious about how she managed to stay true to her mission and vision in Mississippi, as Lily acknowledged, one of the worst states for women on almost every measure, I asked how she had the vision and spunk to do what she’s doing in that culture. Her reply? Get ready for a burst of wisdom:

When I came to Mississippi for college, I was in many ways disappointed in my geographical choice.  “Why didn’t I go to New York or Chicago where they ‘have things more figured out for women?’”

When I started working as an intern with the Women’s Fund of Mississippi, I expressed this worry with my boss, who was quick to tell me: “If you want to empower girls, to help women, there is no better place to be than Mississippi.”

That moment changed my outlook on working for women in this state.  I am in a place of horrible conditions for women, where most everything is lead by men, but that means that possibilities for women’s leadership and empowerment are endless.

There are many strong, courageous women leaders in this state, and although it can be tiring to do this work, it is necessary to Mississippi’s growth and future well being to work towards making an equal state for women.

In my blog, I feature girls in the south who are living “out loud” and who are changing the world.

Talk about using Power Tool #3—Use what you’ve got; what you need is there if you can see it and have the wisdom to use it—Lily has it on steroids!

So are you as jazzed as I was to meet this young woman? If so, stay tuned for part two, coming soon. Learn about Lily’s experience in Istanbul and whether she thinks young women today relate to power and leadership differently from their mothers and grandmothers.

The Daily Thrive $10 Buck Talk: Sister Courage

The Daily Thrive – $10Buck Talk A virtual experience you won’t want to miss! “SISTER COURAGE: How Movement Building Principles Can Grow Your Business, Break Glass Ceilings and Change the World” -April 19, 2012

She’s Doing It: Elisa Parker Creates Movements Every Day

Elisa Parker, this week’s She’s Doing It, is the visionary co-founder, president and host of the award winning radio program, See Jane Do.

An activist for women, social justice, and the environment, Elisa’s work takes her around the world to discover and share the extraordinary stories and solutions in each of us.

She hosts her weekly show for nationally acclaimed radio station KVMR and is the co-founder of the Passion into Action™ Women’s Conference. She is an alumna of the Women’s Media Center Progressive Women’s Voices program & The White House Project’s Go Run program.

Elisa holds a BA in Communications from SF State and a MA in Organization Development at University of SF. She lives in the Sierra Foothills with her husband and two daughters.

I’ll be privileged to speak at the 3rd Annual Passion into Action Women’s Conference Oct. 12th-14th, 2012 in Grass Valley, CA, along with musician Holly Near, author activist Frances Lappe, Girl Scouts Rhiannon and Madison (of Roots and Shoots), and many more inspiring speakers.

Gloria Feldt: In No Excuses, I asked, “When did you know you had the power to_____?” What have you learned about your power to) during the past year or so?

Elisa Parker: I knew I had the power to be the solution from a very young age. Social justice has always been very important to me and I’m generally the one that will stand up for the underdog. I’m not one to hang on the sidelines but to go for the front line instead with the attitude of “if not me then who”.

Of course my Pollyanna attitude often creates a surge of anxiety for my husband. He’s never sure what I’ll do next. Considering that women still have a ways to go when it comes to gender parity, it’s not surprising that I’ve taken on the challenge of standing up for women just like myself.

I was recently reminded of one of my defining be the solution moments when I interviewed my long time hero, Lily Tomlin. I told Lily the story of how as nine year old girl the film 9-5 left quite the impression on me. I decided (in my 4th grade kind of way) to make copies of the 9- 5 lyrics and hand them out to every kid in my school. I was determined to spread the story of everyday women in the workforce, women who were taking matters into their own hands.

Over the last two years during the development of See Jane Do I’ve taken the inspiration of that nine year old and put my passion for media, organizing, social justice and storytelling into action. I’ve learned that being the solution doesn’t mean doing it on my own. Quite the contrary, I’ve discovered that in taking on my part others have felt compelled to do the same.

One of my favorite quotes from a Girl Scout from South Africa who presented at the 2012 UN CSW was “I stand up for what’s right even if it means standing alone in the dark.” I discovered that when you stand up for what’s right you won’t be alone for long. We are recognizing that we all have the power to be the solution.

As women we can no longer sustain a movement without moving forward together. See Jane Do has begun to partner and collaborate with other like-minded organizations like The White House Project, B-Lab, Habitat for Humanity, Moonrise, US Women Connect, CAWA, Gather the Women, World Pulse, Women in the World Foundation and others. It’s been an incredibly exciting year for women and I feel we are very close to the tipping point.

GF: Was there a moment when you felt very powerful recently? If so, please describe the circumstances, what you did, and why you were aware of your power.

Was there a moment when you felt powerless recently? If so, please describe the circumstances, what you did, and why you felt your lack of power.

EP: Over the last year I’ve experienced tremendous growth opportunities where I felt both powerful and empowered. Last August I was selected to participate in the Women’s Media Center Progressive Women’s Voices class in Washington D.C.

What an experience to work with and connect with fifteen incredible female leaders. What I found most surprising was that initially it seemed many of us were downplaying our accomplishments and talents.

The Women’s Media Center did a fantastic job of working with us to share our passions effectively and feel that every woman is an expert.

Power Moments also extend to our new partnership with NC Habitat for Humanity on their Women Build program (an area that I am not an expert in). We are helping to spread the can do attitude by encouraging women to build together. It was extremely powerful to have over 70 women show up to our first Women Build Soiree, throw down the hammer and show their support for Karrie, the recipient of the home we are going to help build. Karrie shared her personal story at our event…a single mom who had left an abusive relationship. Now that was powerful.

GF: Which of the 9 Ways Power Tools have you used or do you particularly resonate with?

EP: I love the power tool Create a Movement! See Jane Do’s vision is to co-create a movement for women where each of us feels empowered to put our passion into action.

One of my favorite quotes by Gloria is that “a movement isn’t a movement unless it’s moving”.

Moving forward is going to require that each of us recognize that we are the solution. It’s realizing that we can all be activists and heroes in our own life. See Jane Do is providing the tools for women to achieve this and mobilize them together through events like Passion into Action.

GF: For the first time in history, gender parity at work, in civic life, and in personal relationships seems possible—if we choose to make it so. That’s my take. What’s yours? What are the signs that tell you I’m right, or that make you think I’m overly optimistic?

EP: Recently when I interviewed Shelby Knox at the Women in the World Summit she commented that a revolution generally takes at least 100 years to sink in (it took women the over 90 yrs to gain the right to vote). She figured we were about 60 years into the journey.

We have seen significant shifts for women in the past couple of years and while the numbers of women holding executive leadership positions or elected office positions haven’t changed much in ten years women are definitely coming into their own power. For example, more women are completing college and starting their own businesses.

I just think we will and are doing it differently than the guys. It’s up to us as women to create new models for the next generation. In order to achieve gender parity we need more women in office to create policies that support caring economics.

Also remember ladies that as women have the power of the pocketbook…we just need to use it more effectively.

GF: What other observations about women’s relationship with power or leadership do you want to share?

EP: Of the hundreds of women I have interviewed not a single one of them have been motivated by their ego but a situation or issue they deeply cared about that required them to act. They are humble, passionate, supportive and extraordinary women who are just doing their part.

See Jane Do webinar

Free Webinar with Gloria Feldt
Invest in Your Passion!  Power Tools You Need

You are invited a See Jane Do Webinar featuring Gloria Feldt!

Thursday April 12th, 2012  10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. PDT

Join us and learn how movement building “power tools” can propel your passion, grow your business, break glass ceilings and change the world.  Embrace Sister Courage and succeed.

In this webinar you will learn:

 How how to apply 3 simple principles of movement building Gloria learned on the frontlines of leadership.
Bite-sized, useful takeaways that you can use right now to put your personal passion into action and harness the power of Sister Courage.

We will discuss key topics from Gloria’s  newest book, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power, which reveals why women are stuck at 18% of top leadership roles and, through both inspirational stories and practical “Power Tools,” shows how we can redefine power, lead ourselves with intention, and reach parity from the boardroom to the bedroom for good–our own and society’s.

Sign up today!  Registration is free.  Space is limited

Each registrant will receive:  Free download of Gloria’s 9 Ways Power Journal

Special giveaways: Winners will receive a copy of Gloria’s book, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power or a For Good Tea package including the just launched Equali-Tea.

ABOUT  GLORIA: Gloria Feldt is a nationally renowned activist, author, speaker, and leadership expert. she’s former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood and has worked for a variety of social justice causes.

About Us: See Jane Do is a social change organization that redefines media for women & the power of story to create positive change.  Turn your Passion into Action today.

Get Your Coven Together-It’s Friday the 13th!

I like Friday the 13th.

Thirteen is a great number. Why?

First of all, my birthday is on the 13th, April 13th. Every once in a while it lands on a Friday, as it does this year, and I feel just as lucky as when it falls on a Tuesday. The gifts are just as much fun to open, the good wishes just as lovely to receive.

I also like Friday the 13th because 13 is the number of a coven. Covens are powerful. Every women needs her coven, no matter what her religion is or what she thinks about witches. We need our circle of women friends, our old or new girls network. Our sister courage. Our girl gangs. One of us alone can accomplish a lot, but 13 of us together make a movement. Remember, thirteen colonies started a revolution and formed a new nation in 1776.

Third, according to some traditions, twelve is considered “complete” but 13 is deemed “irregular” because it disrupts the “even dozen.” The thirteenth witch was considered the devil in ancient Rome, where apparently witches normally traveled in 12’s.

Then there were 12 apostles, 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 months of the year, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 gods of the Olympus.  Never 13. That makes me like 13 even better because in my experience disruption, or chaos, is opportunity. In a time of chaos, people are open to new ideas they wouldn’t have considered when things were normal. Chaos breeds innovation because innovation always comes from the margins, from the abnormal, from the boundary breakers who don’t quite fit. That can only be a good thing.

 

I have never understood why anyone thinks he or she is avoiding the number 13 just by renaming the floor in a building or the row of seats on an airplane “14” instead of “13.” A rose by any other name, and all that. And so far the fact that those rows and floors are really 13 has made no difference at all in how the world turns.

Yes, I like 13 just fine.

PS. I like black cats too.

What Do Boomers Want? Here’s Boomer, Babe, and No Excuses

I was in Arizona last week, and who knew that a national radio program I’d been asked to do emanated from just across the valley from my Scottsdale home, in Youngtown AZ?

Youngtown being a euphemism for older folks, which Baby Boomers are quickly becoming in the millions—a very important segment of America. It was great to talk with Pete and Debra who are “Boomer and the Babe”

Listen to the interview right here and chime in with your thoughts in comments.

Open the podcast in a separate window here or listen now by clicking the PLAY arrow above.

What Do Boomers Want? Here's Boomer, Babe, and No Excuses

I was in Arizona last week, and who knew that a national radio program I'd been asked to do emanated from just across the valley from my Scottsdale home, in Youngtown AZ?

Youngtown being a euphemism for older folks, which Baby Boomers are quickly becoming in the millions—a very important segment of America. It was great to talk with Pete and Debra who are "Boomer and the Babe"

Listen to the interview right here and chime in with your thoughts in comments.

Open the podcast in a separate window here or listen now by clicking the PLAY arrow above.

She’s Doing It: Jamia Wilson Learns Resilience and Power of Inter-generational Bonds

I’m a little biased about Jamia Wilson having had the pleasure of knowing her and working with her as we both went through several career transitions during the last decade.

She’s an inspiration to me because of her seamless commitment to social justice and her positive way of putting her ideas into action.

Her responses to my questions continue the series in which I ask people I interviewed for No Excuses what they’ve learned since then. You can connect with Jamia on Facebook and Twitter.

Gloria Feldt: In No Excuses, I asked, “When did you know you had the power to _____?”  What have you learned about your power to _____ during the past year or so?

Jamia Wilson: In the past year or so, I have learned so much about faith and perseverance.  I have faced many triumphs and challenges during a transitional time in my life and have learned so much.

The rough edges and moments where I stared fear in the face taught me about the importance of courage and authenticity above all else. I have learned that I have the power to choose to be who I am authentically without apology and let that guide me towards realizing my dreams and my highest power.

As Janis Joplin said, “Don’t compromise yourself, you’re all you’ve got”.  2010-2011’s greatest gift to me was an appreciation for my own resilience and that to me is one of my most sacred superpowers.

GF: Was there a moment when you felt very powerful recently?

JW: I have learned so much about being powerful in the midst of times when I have felt powerless. The last few years have taught me a lot about the power of letting go.

I feel powerful each time I release myself from the clutches of fear and anxiety about conforming to a specific standard or potential judgment from others and trust in myself.

In Return to Love, Marianne Williamson wrote “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us”.

The last few years has taught me so much about accepting, honoring, and nurturing my light and celebrating  my truth without fear.

I had several experiences over the last year that pushed me to trust in my personal power, fight fears and step up and amplify my voice—this included going on TV for my first appearance on The Today Show, speaking on a panel with dynamic women like Gloria Feldt, Shelby Knox, and Gloria Steinem, and presenting at the Anita Hill 20th anniversary conference. I felt powerful being “me” in each of those spaces—and understanding and trusting in my voice.

If I were to align this lesson with a power tool I would say, I have felt most powerful by working toward defining myself on my own terms and basking in the glow of what that practice engenders. Being in the presence of women who embody, voice, and live this same purpose has helped me realize this vision and practice for myself.

 GF:  Which of the 9 Ways Power Tools have you used or do you particularly resonate with?

JW: It is so hard to pick one tool! I love them all—Know your history  and Tell Your Story are two power tools that resonate with me the most.

My story has been informed by my ancestors and all of their sacrifices to make the world a place where I can thrive and realize my fullest potential. Their stories of transformation, and endurance guide me through the darkest times and have led me to use the power that I possess to make the world a better place for generations that follow. Honoring those who came and fought for justice before me motivates me to share my story and make an impact in my own unique way.

GF:  For the first time in history, gender parity at work, in civic life, and in personal relationships seems possible—if we choose to make it so. That’s my take. What’s yours? What are the signs that tell you I’m right, or that make you think I’m overly optimistic?

JW: I believe that we have the power to choose how to respond to every situation that we face with the tools, resources, consciousness, and capacity to understand that we have at any given moment.

My father  recently he gave me some excellent advice, he said: “You can only play the hand you’re dealt, because the hand you’re dealt is the only hand you control. Just make sure you play the cards you do have right”.

I appreciated his wisdom because it was hopeful while realistic about some of the barriers that exist within a world that is not always fair, just, or equitable for women, and women  of color like myself and others from marginalized communities.

Even though the laws on the books might have changed, there are still social and cultural inequalities that make it so that many of us have to navigate the workplace, educational system, and civic participation differently.

I’m enthusiastic about the potential for change but know we haven’t arrived yet. We have lots of work to do.

At the same time, I will acknowledge that the change we make within ourselves and the efforts we make to be our best selves with the resources is always a positive step in the right direction toward parity. It is extremely important for us to “be the change” no matter what we face if we ever hope to take things to the next level.

GF:  What other observations about women’s relationship with power or leadership do you want to share?

JW: I have gained a tremendous amount of wisdom by engaging, cultivating, and maintaining strong inter-generational bonds and partnerships with diverse women. Participating in several women’s circles and connecting with mentors and partners from a variety of different spaces has helped me grow and change exponentially.

I feel very powerful when surrounded by smart, dynamic, and fierce women—I always feel that my energetic frequency is elevated when it is a part of a community of women with strong, brave, and brilliant hearts and minds.

I have also learned that writing is an extremely cathartic and empowering form of expression and wielding one’s powerful voice. I am so blessed to have contributed chapters in two new books in the last year:  Madonna and Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop and Women, Spirituality, and Transformative Leadership: Where Grace Meets Power.

I hope to use my power to raise my voice even more in 2012 and beyond.