EqualityQuilt

Hmmmmm

I actually like the "Beer Summit" concept which President Obama used to smooth over the incident with white cop, black professor, etc.  With whom could I have a beer (or chocolate?) summit in the women's community, and would it be helpful?  Another note to readers.. surf down the blog to the "Quinceanera" movie preview to see interesting comments from a reader...  and happy Wednesday!  <i>- Bonnie</i>

Feminist Movie Reviews Needed: Juno, Knocked Up

I just saw Juno, which my college-age friends think deserves Best Picture, and loved it.  But Allison says we have got to get a feminist review of this show about a pregnant 16 year old - throwing in thoughts about the movie Knocked Up, which the female star has sometimes thought is sexist and anti-choice and now thinks is OK.   I'm not the one to write the review as I love all movies and I'm way too good at turning off all political sensibility for that short period of sheer escapism.  (My standard:  the more explosions, the better.  Sorry.)  SO, your choice of free admission to Celebration 28 on January 31, or a free one-year subscription to the fabulous Capitol Bulletin, for the best feminist review of those two movies sent to Bonnie@mnwomen.org in the near future.  - Bonnie

Women Bloggers Ignored?

A few interesting facts on women bloggers...   according to Jennifer Pozner at the Women's Media Center in an August 1 article.  Pozner is director of Women In Media & News (WIMN) which publishes a group blog called WIMN Voices.
* In July, 800 women gathered in Chicago for the third annual convention of BlogHer, an online community of more than 13,000 blogging women. 
* The Pew Research Center says women are 50% of all bloggers.
* Pozner urges us all to watch how often women's questions are included in candidate debates done via (for example) YouTube.  In the CNN Democratic Presidential YouTube debate in July, CNN selected men for 70% of the questions posed.   
* The current posting on the WIMN blog is great - on the use of gender-neutral language to diminish the impact of conversation about domestic violence (which we used to call women-battering). 

Come on women, let's demand attention in cyberspace as well as everywhere else.  - Bonnie

Quilting the Empty Nest

My 2 kids took off for college recently - so I'm in "empty nest syndrome."  I guess I thought ENS was just for those without paid jobs, who now find themselves devoted to dusting, or possibly going wild.  It turns out I'm not the only employed mom noticing a major life transition here.  Everyone I spoke with said male partners did not experience "empty nest" the same way.  Previous EQ rants have been about women & child-bearing:  Erin's choosing not to have kids, & Liz's Mommy Wars?, & having lots of kids.  We hope a certain someone will write about medical ignorance of breastfeeding.  So how come kids (or not kids) are still so defining in women's lives?  Please click on "comments" & explain.  Meanwhile, enjoy my latest version of going wild:  blocks (click to enlarge) from a quilt I'm making for myself, having made one for each kid.  Quilting helps me feel re-connected to all the women who have gone before.    -Bonnie 

Conference, Duluth, Art!

Dear readers, I've been a bum and thus only today have posted several wonderful things - so please see below images from our latest art exhibit, and after that news from the wonder-women of Duluth.  Meanwhile, the "Women's Dreams" conference is shaping up.  For example, exciting keynote speeches on Thursday evening, November 15 are from Minnesotans Koryne Horbal and Vivian Jenkins-Nelsen as well as  glamorous Manhattanite  Liz Abzug.   You can download the whole fabulous program, also register!!, by visiting our website.  Love and kisses & don't be a stranger!  - Bonnie

Lyn, 2 Emilys, Dawn, Marna, Dede, Gloria....

We have so much exciting stuff to pass on, like recent leadership development sessions by & for Latinas & Hmong women, & our session on "Fundraising: Beyond Foundation Grants."  But first, some catch-up.  Lyn Crosby received the Minnesota NOW Long Distance Runner Award for her years of continuing feminist work.  Marna Skaar, longtime Consortium supporter, drops in to visit us now and then even though she has been living in California - and this time she brought her daughter Emily.  Former staffers Dede Wolfson and Gloria Griffin were here catching up with Marna also - pictured here with Lorraine Hart.   Another Emily is our summer intern, and we are so sorry to say this is what her car looked like on her second day working with us, as a dead tree fell on it!  Fortunately Emily was not in the car, and all is well now thanks to the magic of insurance.  Finally, here is Dawn Hughes, Consortium Vice President, here helping to plan Celebration 28 as well as organizing an event for her own group, WISE Women - enjoying one of our art exhibits.    

My week: Les Soeurs, Latinas, & more

Too long I've been away from the blog!  But glad to say we've had more than 2,000 visitors so far.   Here are some of the recent doings of the Minnesota Women's Consortium.  If you don't know this already, you can very often click on a pic or a link to learn more, see related information, and above all please don't forget to leave me a comment by clicking below the post!

Ran into these beautiful women on a sad occasion, the funeral of Les Soeurs founder Lia Ozols.  It turns out Lia was a major supporter of freedom for her home country, Latvia, besides all her support for women.  These three - Jean Rand, Diane Cummisford, and Mary McEnneny - are among those who banded together over 25 years ago to provide moral support for women filing sex discrimination lawsuits.  Diane continues as co-leader of Workplace Justice, a Consortium member group that meets every other Saturday for similar purposes.  They are not web-icious, but you can reach Diane at 952/996-9291.

Meanwhile, back at the office, we hired Veronica Flake (far right) for the temporary position of Latina Coordinator for the Asociacion Latinas de Minnesota.  ALM will be hosting an intensive two-day training session on reproductive health advocacy for 25 Minnesota Latinas in June.  And, here's a workday pic of Erin and Lorraine trying to make the new list-serve work - with one of the beautiful fabric art pieces in the background.

A little vacation

Hi all,  I am just back from a couple of days off with wonder-women in Michigan.  This pic is from an earlier trip to Arizona.  We'll soon post more substantive stuff - but please remember to send in YOUR thoughts, either by clicking on "comments" below each post, or write me at Bonnie@mnwomen.org.   To have your events or action alerts included in the Consortium's weekly publications, write info@mnwomen.org (that's Lorraine, for the Capitol Bulletin hard-copy newsletter calendar and posting on our website, www.mnwomen.org) and/or Erin@mnwomen.org (for the E-Consortium Notes - that venue strictly limited to dues-paying member organizations).  Don't be a stranger! - Bonnie

Capitol Capers, Continued

The Capitol is STILL a crazy quilt, with good things happening, but many legislators not very available to meet with constituents. See an outrageous example at the end of this post, and click here for previous examples. They ARE working hard - witness a hearing of the Senate "Gov Ops" committee that heard 21 bills last Friday. They passed two bills of special interest to our member groups (Download pay_equity_bill.mht), and (Download domestic_partners_bill.txt).  For more info on pay equity: Download pe_contractors_testimony.pdf.  For more on domestic partners, visit OutFront Minnesota.   Our biweekly E-Consortium Notes and our biweekly newsletter the Capitol Bulletin are great info sources for

Girls Rocked! and Please Pleeease RSVP

Wow! Girls Rock! the Capitol 2007 was a blast yesterday.   Consortium staff and some of our best friends are all tuckered out - plus there's a blizzard  underway so we have to go home - so not too many details right this moment.  DO check out the Girls Rock photo album on the sidebar.   These girls are from MAWA, the Minnesota African Women's Association.

And, PLEEEASE do RSVP NOW for Women Come to the Capitol, 8:30AM to 2:30PM on March 14.  It will be an unforgettable day for both seasoned Capitol groupies and women new to the process, with lots of friendly help and informative support.  The cost is $15, negotiable if you can't swing it and payable at the door.  But please note that Bharti and other staff are working hard to make advance legislative appointments - not so easy! - and we will provide FREE PARKING ALL DAY for the first 20 people to register.  To let us know you're coming, write Bharti @mnwomen.org, info@mnwomen.org, and/or  call us!!! 651/228-0338.