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Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed. ~Corita Kent~
A few weeks ago a friend of mine, Betty Wilson, whom I knew through the Los Angeles Women’s Political Committee, passed away. She was our secretary for years and years. As I listened to Rabbi Laura Geller eulogize her, I felt humbled by the challenges that Betty had faced in her lifetime. As Mother’s Day approaches, I am reminded by Betty’s story that it is the women who came before us that helped us achieve the freedoms and opportunities that I have today. Those of us who strive to advance the women’s movement today are standing on the firm foundation of women like Betty.
Betty was born in 1926. During high school she was the brainy one in class, at a time when being the “smart girl” was not popular. She went on to UCLA for her undergraduate work. At that time UCLA had 213 female students enrolled in comparison to 20,340 today. Upon graduation, her parents urged her to marry by actively looking for a husband for her. Eventually, she wed and began her family, but Betty was driven to do more.
Betty’s intelligence compelled her to political activism and soon she found herself running for the Beverly Hills School Board. She was engaged and always committed to helping women. Rabbi Geller mentioned that when she herself became the first female Rabbi, it was Betty who gave her encouragement and advice. Maybe everyone did not know Betty, but she, like many other women of her generation, faced challenges and overcame them as daughters, wives, mothers, and those who decided they did not want children - these are the women that we need to celebrate on Mother’s Day.
Growing up in Davis, I was raised by a single woman in the 1960’s. Today it is not uncommon to meet single mothers as the family dynamic is very versatile in today’s world, but back in the 60’s it was unusual. I remember mom being the only woman at a Girl Scout father-daughter dinner. I also remember that she could not buy a house without my grandfather’s signature, just a mere 50 years ago. Laws giving women more rights have slowly evolved since then. I think my mom was a reluctant feminist, circumstances dictating her situation, but she was a trail blazer in her own right.
For me, a mother of four, my journey has included opportunities that were not afforded to Betty, but most organizations and businesses that I work with are still run by men. For my daughter, who recently was elected as Secretary of the Johns Hopkins student body, her future is shaped not only by her dreams, but the by the opportunities passed to her from feminist pioneers. The fact that she does not see a glass ceiling is a testament to those women who paved the way. Many reading this newsletter understand that women continue to face challenges and that we have not achieved equality. Feminist pioneers are becoming fewer in numbers. Looking at the declining number of women running for office, I am compelled to ask, “Who is on the horizon to pick up the gauntlet for the future generations of women?
I know there are brighter days on the horizon. My mother emailed me that UC Davis is going to have their first female chancellor and a native of Greece - congratulations to Linda Katehi. Justice Souter is retiring and discussions centering on a woman to secede him seem commonplace. This is indeed reason to celebrate.
Happy Mother’s Day to all! Let us honor the concept of motherhood, compassion, love, and nurturing of each other as we continue to work for equality for all.
Elizabeth being sworn in as Secretary at Johns Hopkins University
In my last newsletter titled Secretary!?, I wrote about my daughter being asked to run on her college slate with all guys as the Secretary. While Liz won her election, I feel I was the real winner. Your reactions were unbelievable - passionate, opinionated, personal. In reading all the responses, I was struck by how a woman’s personal journey shapes the women’s movement. Thank you all for your insight and well wishes.
SAN FRANCISCO ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION
Thank you to Lucy Johns and Cathy Schreiber for hosting a round table discussion held at Jones Day in San Francisco. It was simply a fabulous discussion, especially the two young women who left very inspired. Together we discussed the status of women in California and in San Francisco. We ended by highlighting the declared 2010 women candidates and discussing the importance of early support for their campaigns.
If you would like to host a small gathering in you home, please contact Renee Holt at rbholt@californialist.org.
NEW INTERN IN TOWN
We are fortunate to have Laura Wilson-Youngblood as our new intern from UCLA. She is a political science major with a minor in Women’s Studies. When she completes her undergraduate degree, she plans to attend law school and potentially pursue a career in politics. In addition to her studies, Laura is active in her sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, and in the UCLA Chorale and in the UCLA Chamber Singers. She is music to our ears at the office! Welcome Laura!
I believe that the greatest gift we can give younger women is to mentor them. For the next three months, Laura will be with me at the majority of our meetings so that she can learn first-hand how to run for office.
CALIFORNIA CANDIDATE TRAININGS!
We are joining withSpeaker Karen Bass, Emerge California, and Emily’s List to conduct a series of candidate trainings in various cities across the state. The purpose is to train, mentor and prepare women for the arduous task of running a campaign. So far our training schedule includes the following:
Fresno - Friday, June 19 Candidate Reception/Saturday, June 20 Candidate Training Session
San Luis Obispo - Date TBD August Reception/Candidate Training Session
Date TBD October - Reception Hosted by Speaker Bass/Candidate Training Session
If you know of any women who may be thinking of running for any level of government office, please have them contact CALIFORNIA LIST at train@californialist.org.
We need your help to increase the pipeline and reverse the decline of women electeds. If you haven’t renewed your 2009 membership or want to learn more about the benefits of CALIFORNIA LIST membership please visit our website. Your membership can make a difference join us today!
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