We don't often say enough about the Consortium staff who are here for you every day. Here are just a couple of photos to prove it. First is L-R Marie, Lorraine, Erin, and Silvia's knee at our staff retreat last fall at Bonnie's house - good colors on those sticky notes, eh?
AND, we noticed the other day that both Lorraine and I just happened to match our coffee cups (which sort of makes up for my bad hair day?)! Thanks to Erin for capturing the moment. -Bonnie
Whew, I am all worn out from a day of launching our Elder Economic Security Initiative! More on that later, but meanwhile I just have to post a few of the wonderful photos from Celebration 29 - more to come soon! Many thanks to volunteer photographer Camila Davila. - Bonnie
Come back tomorrow & we will tell you who all these beautiful people are!
In 1990, a group of women artists joined together with several women's organizations to form Arts Action Against Domestic Violence. The women felt a call to action to speak out against the escalating domestic violence in Minnesota and commemorate the lives of twenty-six women who had been murdered in 1990 as a result of domestic violence. The group created 26 freestanding, life-sized red wooden figures, each bearing the name of a woman whose life ended violently at the hands of a husband, ex-husband, partner, or acquaintance. A twenty-seventh figure was also created to represent those uncounted women whose murders went unsolved or were wrongly ruled accidental. The figures were named the Silent Witnesses.
The Silent Witness Initiative was launched on February 18, 1991 when more than 500 women met at a church across the street from the Minnesota State Capitol with the Witnesses lined up at the front of the church. The women formed a silent procession escorting the figures single file across the street, up the steps, and into the State Capitol Rotunda for public statements and a press conference. According to the Initiative, “The sheer volume of space the figures occupied spoke of their power... and the loss.”
In mid-1994, a few Silent Witness Exhibit supporters formed a national initiative dedicated to the elimination of domestic murder, starting with the creation of Silent Witnesses Exhibits in all 50 states. By September of 1995, the Initiative had grown to a total of 800 Silent Witnesses with seventeen states involved. By February of 1996 the Initiative grew to twenty-four states and as of March of 1997 forty-six states had joined the initiative. The goal of the Silent Witness National Initiative became zero domestic murders by the year 2010. Now all the states are involved as well as twenty other countries. The stories of the original twenty-seven witnesses, whose murders began the initiative, have prevailed.
Today, the Minnesota Women’s Consortium coordinates displays of the original 27 Silent Witnesses in Minnesota. This past October, Fillmore Family Resources, a nonprofit agency providing services to residents of Fillmore County and surrounding communities by helping those who have been affected by domestic violence or other types of crime, contacted the Consortium to organize a display of Silent Witnesses in Fillmore County. The Silent Witnesses were displayed in banks, libraries, and other county buildings. Fillmore Family Resources reported that the Silent Witnesses were well received in Fillmore County and many people were moved by the displays. If you would like to arrange your own Silent Witness display call 651-228-0338 or to support programs such as this one visit our website and click on “Make a Gift Today.”
The Minnesota Women's Consortium helped connect college student Matrika to an exciting job. Matrika Bailey-Turner was one of the Hamline University service learning students at the Consortium last spring, before she graduated. As a volunteer, she helped manage our Girls Rock the Capitol event, undertook some less than thrilling data entry work, and participated in Brown Bag discussions of legislative issues. AND, one day as she was working at Erin's desk, she was introduced to Cindy Reuther, founder of the innovative Laura Jeffrey Academy - a public charter school with girl-focused curriculum for grades 5-8.
Now Matrika coordinates the intersession program at LJA. Last month, for example, she worked with the TVbyGirls organization which showed the girls learned to make their own movies. Several of the fifth graders made movies about homelessness and child abuse, reflecting the consciousness that girls and women can, and must, help each other across all those boundaries. Brava to Matrika, LJA, and TVbyGirls. And stay tuned for more inspiring stories about past volunteers and interns.
Click here to read recent great article (by Kim Ode) about Laura Jeffrey Academy in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
We are so proud of Marcella de la Torre, one of the founders of the Latinas Association of Minnesota. Here she is promoting another institution with strong ties to the Consortium, Hamline University in St. Paul. Cooooool. For more info about the Association of Latina Women of Minnesota, write Silvia Ontaneda. - Bonnie
"If the world were run by women, it would be a more peaceful place." "All men want to do is take over countries and wage war." I hear these statements regularly, especially in the latest election. However, the assumption that women are not only peaceful but also better qualified to take care of the country because they are caretakers is sexist. Essentialism, or the idea that women are x,y,z, is sexism.
So why is it that so many women who oppose sexism believe that any woman would make the world a better place? I truly do not believe that somebody is qualified to run the country simply because they are a woman and therefore an experienced caretaker. In addition, just because somebody is a woman does not mean she supports women's equality. I know many men that call themselves feminists and would staunchly protect women's rights better than many women leaders. Yes, those leaders are women but that does not make them feminists. I do not believe that gender should be a qualifiying factor for anything. Gender is constructed; therefore gender can be deconstructed. If gender can be deconstructed what is left underneath the word woman in these instances? A human being who does not support full equality for women.
Society has used gender construction to control women and men for centuries: a woman who speaks her mind is aggressive or a "bitch" and a man who cries is effeminate and somehow less of a man. We begin constructing gender from the time that a child is in the womb. I have seen this among my own friends and family. Upon finding out the baby will be a boy a proud father jovially and loudly declares, "How's my little slugger?," while punching his fists in the air. A proud mother-to-be speaks softly to her soon-to-be little girl saying, "How is mommy's little angel?"
So how do we deconstruct gender? Stop saying women are this or men are that. Stop forcing children into stereotypical gender roles. Recognize how pop culture, media, and institutions define gender and speak out about it. Go further than speaking out, quit supporting it. If a television show portrays rigid gender roles recognize why it is wrong, tell others why it is wrong, and tell your children why it is wrong. If the media rigidly defines gender write a letter protesting their narrow-mindedness. Finally, be mindful of your words. It is very easy to say women are more peaceful than men, but it is much more difficult to undo the consequences of your words. -Erin Parrish
And now for some gender construction fun:
We were delighted to have a second visit from the dynamic staff of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. (Click on their name to visit their website.) They were here for training on civic engagement, offered at Neighborhood House (also known as the Paul & Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building) on the West Side of St. Paul. National president Silvia Henriquez explained some new directions. Minnesota State Senator Patricia Torres Ray and Latinas Association advisory board member Migdalia Loyola both assisted in the training. Silvia Ontaneda, developer for the Asociacion de la Mujer Latina en Minnesota, helped get the word out to the 75 attendees. As on their last visit, NLIRH staff presented excellent information and materials, all in Spanish and in a culturally respectful way. Please feel free to write Silvia O. to stay in touch as the Latinas Association develops. (And watch this space for a Spanish version of this article.) -Bonnie
Oh, we've been away from the blog way too long. But I know you all have been watching the (groan) political ads, been busy with all the post-summer activities, school, and so much more, so I wasn't worried about you being bored. Here's just one sample of what some of the friends of the Minnesota Women's Consortium have been doing! Dyane Garvey is a member of Hmong Women Achieving Together and sings in Calliope Women's Chorus - just to prove it's the busiest women who can be counted on for everything. Besides all that good work, she recently served as a consultant on Hmong language and culture for a Clint Eastwood movie, "Gran Torino." She says Clint was a pleasure to work with and worked very long days on the set every day. Thanks for letting us in on the bright lights Dyane! - Bonnie
P.S. Calliope is singing awesome literary work this fall, like Chief Seattle's moving words that "the earth does not belong to us... we belong to the earth."
We are currently seeking an intern for the Fall 2008 semester. The job description is as follows:
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY: The MN Women’s Consortium is a coalition of a 170+ women’s groups around the state working for women’s equality and justice. The work of the Consortium is to connect and inform these groups as well as individual women to each other.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The MN Women’s Consortium is looking for an upbeat individual who can assist the organization in its work during the fall months. Responsibilities include:
• Assisting Consortium staff with special projects such as a Greater Minnesota Women’s Conference in St. Cloud on October 1, 2008, the Elder Economic Security project, and a healthcare reform project
• Preparatory fundraising and planning for Celebration 29
• Assist with upcoming Consortium events
• Weekly blogging for Eqaulityquilt.org
• Research topics and issues the Consortium is highlighting for things such as the Women’s Action Plan, Special Newsletter Inserts, or events
• Assist in the development of an in-house email list serve
• Assist Consortium staff with answering telephones, and general office work as well as any special projects that should arise.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Applicants must have strong commitment to equality for all women and girls. An applicant must be flexible, responsible and willing to take on new projects. Spanish speaking skills are desirable but not required. Availability on Wednesday mornings is preferred but not required. Women of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Minnesota Women’s Consortium is willing to work with students and their school to provide the supervision needed for students obtaining credits for the work. 10 - 15 hours a week. The position is not stipend.
HOW TO APPLY:
Send resume and cover letter by August 15, 2008 to Erin. Resumes received after August 15 will not be considered.
As the new intern at the Consortium this summer, I'd like to take the time to introduce myself to everyone. I'm Julia Quanrud from Caledonia, Minnesota, and I'm a senior at Macalester College in Saint Paul. I'm studying English literature and Hispanic Studies, and I also work with the school's Civic Engagement Center as the Women and Gender Issue Area Coordinator. My work there involves developing partnerships between Macalester students and community organizations committed to working on women's and gender issues. After I graduate from Macalester next spring, I hope to continue working with organizations committed to working for women's rights, so I'm very grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the great organizations working in Minnesota and to meet all of you!
Having just returned from living and studying for half a year in Seville (Sevilla), Spain, I'm happy to be back in Minnesota, and just in time for summer! I love playing sports in the summer, including soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, cycling, and swimming. You can also find me this summer buried in a book, hiking around the woods of Minnesota, or scoping out the music scene. I look forward to getting to know you and your organizations!
