By: Daneene Monroe Rusnak, 2^nd Vice President of Advocacy, NFBPWC 2020-2024

#ShoutForEquality 

Thanks to a brand-new technology developed by the ad agency Ogilvy, ERA Coalition has

 introduced the Shout for Equality campaign to help increase the number of signatures received for the Sign4ERA initiative.  

This innovative approach is bubbling with “viral” potential and that is exactly what we’re all hoping for. Stay tuned for more details on how we, as NFBPWC members and friends, can show our support en masse. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.shoutforequality.com. 

HERstory On Broadway! 

Opening night on Broadway for Suffs the musical will be on April 18^th at the Music Box Theatre. Written by Shaina Taub and coproduced by Malala Yousafzai and Hillary Clinton, Suffs (the name that suffragists called themselves), is set in 1913 when support for the 19^th Amendment is gaining traction. View the Suffs websiteto learn more about this amazing production. 

 

 

Great Resource About the ERA 

Shout out to Virtual Chapter member Kathy Telban who, as a part of ERA-OH, helped to create an excellent ERA flyer with a self-test and loads of resources as a part of their Women’s History Month initiatives. View that creation here. 

Are you ready to “Get Educated, Agitated, and Activated?” 

Discharge Petition Update 

Representative Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi [D-NY-3] added his signature to HJ Res 25 on March 22, so we now have 210 signatureson the discharge petition. Only 8 more are needed!Please continue to spread the word and encourage other representatives to sign.  

Are you curious to know which legislators have signed the discharge petition and which legislators we still need to encourage?  You can check this list to see who the current signatories are.  

Here’s some suggested verbiage when connecting with your representative about the Discharge Petition for HJ Res 25=>  

Suggested Verbiage for Discharge Petition Support 

Share this information with folks you know who are constituents of the representatives who have not yet signed. 

Reminder: 

Don’t forget to use our digital advocacy platform to show your support for the ERA and Voting Rights while encouraging your MOC’s to do the same! You can complete these actions multiple times. Consider making it a weekly (or daily?????) habit. The more messages received, the more they listen…..and hopefully, take favorable action!

By: Kathy Kelly 1^st Vice President of Membership

Happy Springtime!

What do BPW and Easter Bunnies have in common? 

We’re multiplying like rabbits! 

WELCOME NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS IN MARCH! 

STATUS	NAME	LOCATION	SPONSER
Renew	Margaret Kotzalas	Momentum - Maryland	N/A
New	Christina Tomacic	Colorado - Boulder	Barb Flood
New	Sarah Beukelman	Colorado - Denver	N/A
New	Amy King Allegra	Pennsylvania	Dr. Twila Wynn
New	Lorraine Dixon	Pennsylvania	Ella McElwee
New	Paula Himes	Pennsylvania	Ella McElwee
New	Celina Nemec	Pennsylvania	Ella McElwee
New	Tisa L. Vincent	Pennsylvania	Ella McElwee
New	Kara Jones	Virtual -Washington	Daneene Monroe Rusnak
New	Helen Yang	Colorado - Boulder	N/A
New	Gail Parle	Cali - Sacramento	Katherine Winan
New	Angela Pao-Johnson	Cali - East LA Montebello	Linda Wilson

We are on track to Double or More in ’24. Since January 1, NFBPWC has welcomed 46 new members toward our 2024 goal of 200.

Congratulations to Dr. Ella McElwee of BPW Pennsylvania for bringing in four new members, and Dr. Twila Wynn of BPW Pennsylvania with three. Both have enough new members now for one of the new BPW Bling pins – arriving shortly!

Do you love it? Want one? Be sure you’re getting credit for new member

referrals! We will list sponsors in the e-magazine each month.

We’ve also launched our Donation Gifts - BPW Bling! Please see our page on the

website donation page, or email Kathy Kelly at vpmembership@nfbpwc.org with

your order.

Suggested donation (includes shipping, minimum order of 5 or more please):

$10 each (classic gold NFBPWC, pin clasp)

$20 each (New BPW bling pin, magnetic clasp)

$25 each (NFBPWC scarf)

The National Membership Committee meets on the first and third Mondays of each month, holidays excluded.

In April we will meet on the 1st and 15th. We welcome all members to join us and learn more about the tools and events NFBPWC offers that can support your club to “Double or More in ’24!”

Contact Kathy Kelly, vpmembership@nfbpwc.org for more information.

Let’s DOUBLE or MORE in ’24!

Join us for our BIG membership drive! 

GOAL:  200 new members by December 31, 2024. Ladies, NFBPWC grew by 235 new members in 2022.  We can do it again (We’re already at 36 new members so far in 2024)!  We need strength in numbers to tackle the many advocacy issues facing women in the United States today.  And yes, Heritage sisters count! 

Chances to win BPW Bling. Check out our beautiful new lapel pin design below.  Prizes awarded mid-year at the NFBPWC Biennial Conference in July and again in January of 2025.

Rules of the contest:

• The Affiliate or Club President (or Membership VP/Chair) will verify and forward the information to the NFBPWC VP Membership before the first deadline of JULY 15, 2024  (vpmembership@nfbpwc.org).  Please do not have individual members forward the information.  It’s okay to send the information as you receive it.  We need it by Affiliate/Club so we can keep better records, verify payment by new members, and we will reconcile our information with yours before Convention and again during the January 2025 membership reconciliations.  Prizes will be given at Convention and/or mailed to Affiliate/Club contact for local distribution in July and January 2025.
  
  
• Example of entry (Excel spreadsheet, email or Word)
• • NEW MEMBER NAME, Club, sponsored by (current member) and date.
  • Ex: Dr. Jane Wonderwoman, Boulder, sponsored by Sharon Simmons, 2-14-24
    
    
• Prizes for Everyone!
• • 1 member           Small NFBPWC lapel pin ($10 value)
  • 3 members         Large NFBPWC Bling lapel pin ($20 value)
  • 5 members         Large lapel pin + NFBPWC scarf ($45 value)          
    
    
• Affiliate/Club levels awarded at July Biennial Conference:
• • Top prize:            Large Nike statue and NFBPWC Bling pins for executive team
  • Second prize:     Small Nike statue and small lapel pins for executive team
  • Third prize:         Small Nike statue

Our thanks again to Bessie Hironimus, BPW California, for the great idea! 

Celebrating Women and CSW68

March is Women’s History Month. On March 8^th, 2024, NFBPWC will celebrate International Women’s Day alongside the United Nations and countless other countries and organizations. This year the United Nations observance of International Women’s Day theme is ‘'Invest in women: Accelerate progress.” The Official UN International Women’s Day commemoration will be held in the ECOSOC Chamber and live streamed on 8 March 2024, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am EST.

The International Women’s Day Website has declared “Inspire Inclusion” as the 2024 campaign theme. As the president of an organization that values inclusion, I would like to share their statement:

Inspire Inclusion.

When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world.

And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

Collectively, let's forge a more inclusive world for women.

Read more about a definition of what it means to inspire inclusion here.

(https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme)

“The 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment, will take place this year from March 11^th – 22^nd, 2024 under the priority theme, ‘Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.’” (https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/commission-on-the-status-of-women) As an affiliate federation of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (IFBPW or BPW International), we participate annually in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).  This session will be held as a hybrid event with activities being held both onsite in NYC, virtually, and simultaneously (hybrid). All NFBPWC members have an incredible opportunity to participate in the CSW experience either from the comfort of their own homes or in NYC… for FREE!

NFBPWC is honored to be accepted, for the fourth year in a row, to present a Parallel Event at this year’s Commission on the Status of Women 68^th annual event. We are thrilled to announce that our event will be a truly hybrid one, both in-person and virtually on Zoom. This marks our second in-person, hybrid Parallel Event. We are privileged to be hosting this year’s Parallel Event with BPW Canada Global Collaboration to Tackle Period Poverty on March 13, 2024 from 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM (Eastern Time). Our phenomenal Young BPW, Emily VanVleck, will be the Moderator at the event. It is important to recognize that her leadership elevated the Period Poverty Initiative to this level as she took the lead in executing the planning of the event and speakers with BPW Canada’s Immediate Past President, Karin Gorgerat.

In addition, NFBPWC is proud to be supporting a fellow Dina Fesler’s (a fellow NFBPWC and IFBPW member) event: Navigating Trauma: Empowering Adolescent Girls in Conflict Zones. Please click on this link to participate in this virtual event on March 13, 2024 at 12:30 PM (Eastern Time). Links to other BPW events can be found on our CSW Portal webpage and here: https://www.bpw-international.org/un/csw68-2024/csw68-parallel-events/. Thank you to all the members who are attending events in New York City for the IFBPW Leaders’ Summit and/or the 68^th annual Commission on the Status of Women event.

Your participation is key, and our success on this global platform at the United Nations depends on you. Please celebrate and share this event as widely as you can. Invite your friends, your neighbors, your social media connections, your family, and your work colleagues. This is our opportunity to help NFBPWC grow our membership and market our organization while celebrating women globally. Here is a link to this year’s CSW68 page: https://www.nfbpwc.org/UN-CSW.

What other support do we need to make this event successful? It takes a small village to make an event like this possible. For our members attending this year’s Commission on the Status of Women, it takes a huge commitment of time, funds, and expertise. Please consider donating to make these opportunities more accessible and feasible for all of our members: https://www.nfbpwc.org/Donate and indicate that it is for our United Nations CSW Fund (NFBPWC is a 501c3 organization).

Let us celebrate and honor one another throughout Women’s History month. Please remember, you have an opportunity to provide constructive input and to find your own unique path in this organization. This is a chance to develop your potential, and that of NFBPWC, in a safe and welcoming space. Please continue to bring your ideas, projects, and your own light forward. Let us celebrate our successes as individuals and as an organization!

NFBPWC is truly living our theme for this biennium: Cultivate Connections, Create Community. Sending personal wishes of celebration, health, and progress around the globe!

Kind Regards,

Megan Shellman-Rickard,

NBPWC President (2020-2024)

By: Sandra Thompson
NFBPWC’s Immediate Past President  March is National Women’s History month.    

About Women's History Month 

Women's History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project (now called National 

Women’s History Alliance), Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the 

month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s 

History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. 

The theme this year is - 

“Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion”  

The National Women’s History Alliance provides the following information: 

The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions. 

Women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice. Many feel the critical need to speak up and work harder for fairness in our institutions and social interactions. 

During 2024, we recognize the example of women who are committed to embracing everyone and excluding no one in our common quest for freedom and opportunity. They know that people change with the help of families, teachers and friends, and that young people in particular need to learn the value of hearing from different voices with different points of view as they grow up. 

Today, equity, diversity and inclusion are powerful driving forces that are having a wide-ranging impact on our country. As members of families, civic and community groups, businesses and legislative bodies, women are in the forefront of reevaluating the status quo. They are looking anew at what harmful social policies and behaviors exist and, often subtly, determine our future. In response, women in communities across the nation are helping to develop innovative programs and projects within corporations, the military, federal agencies and educational organizations to address these injustices. 

It takes courage for women to advocate for practical goals like equity, diversity and inclusion when established forces aim to misinterpret, exploit, or discredit them. Throughout 2024, we honor local women from the past and present who have taken the lead to show the importance of change and to establish firmer safeguards, practices and legislation reflecting these values. Following decades of discrimination, we are proud to celebrate women who work for basic inclusion, equality and fairness. 

By: Sondra Nunez
NFBPWC Secretary 2022-2024

I Am SHE (for Women’s Day) 

Poem by Butch Decatoria 

 

I am she 

Who compliments & completes The dream-lover and wishes Made when he is asleep. 

I am she 

 

Who suffers the most, 

Giving birth, cradling ghosts, 

As the crone or maid, 

(Once and always) 

Sister, mother, daughter, wife.  

 

I am she 

Who waits through the night. 

I am she 

Who equals the strength Of his light. 

 

"See me with your loving eyes, 

See me more than the tears I've cried!" 

 

I am she 

Who is willing 

To go with him to war, 

Not a man but as an equal, 

(I'm both soft yet hard) 

I am she 

To whom he'll give his heart 

I am the tunnel's bright end 

I am where 

The family starts, 

The breast which nurse small men. 

 

I am she 

The twin, 

The Juliet, 

The Goddess divine! 

I am she 

Who deserves the same in life, and for all time. 

(Peace be…) 

I am she 

I am you 

I am her 

I am the one besides 

And inside 

She is I… 

The romance in the dress, 

Patient Partner to the ends, 

Tiny dancer on the floor 

I am 

The one that loves you Forever & Evermore. 

By: Daneene Monroe Rusnak
2^nd Vice President of Advocacy, NFBPWC 2020-2024 

On Saturday, February 24, I had the opportunity to spend a little time virtually attending the California Federation’s Winter Board and Public Policy Forum. As always, I was impressed with the quality of presenters, the efficiency of the organization, and the enthusiasm the federation has for advocacy. Many thanks to CFBPW for the invitation. 

During the event, Linda Wilson presented an excellent history and overview of the Equal Rights Amendment. With her permission, I’m sharing some of it here. It’s a great reminder of what we are fighting for……and how long we’ve been fighting!  

Linda writes:     Just a little history –  

Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman wrote the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was introduced in Congress on December 13, 1923. In 1937 the National Federation of Business and Professional Women voted to support it becoming the first organization after Alice Paul’s Women’s Party to work for its passage. The House approved it in October 1971 and the Senate in March 1972. Congress set a deadline of March 22, 1979 for ratification. It was then sent to the States for ratification. In the late 1970s members on BPW contributed $250,000 to its ratification. By the deadline only 35 States had ratified. Congress then extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Since 1978 there have been efforts in Congress to remove the deadline. It was thought the ERA was dead as only 35 States had ratified by the new deadline, but in 2017 Nevada ratified the amendment, in 2018 Illinois ratified it, and in 2020 Virginia ratified it, which made the 38th State needed for ratification.  

Who is responsible for ratification of amendments? 

According to Article V of the Constitution it is Congress and the States who are responsible for ratification of amendments. The Executive Branch is not involved. It is Congress that needs to make sure the U. S. Archivist publishes amendments.  

Where are we? 

Two bills have been introduced in Congress to express that the Equal Rights Amendment has been validly ratified and that it is enforceable as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. The bills also call on the U. S. Archivist to certify and publish it without delay. The House Bill is HJ Res 82 Bush, Cori (D-MO-1). It has 70 co-sponsors – all Democrats. Of these 12 are from California. If your representative is not on the list, contact her or him to be a co-sponsor. The Senate Bill is SJ Res 39 Gillibrand, Kristen (D-NY). It has 22 co-sponsors – 21 Democrats and 1 Independent Sanders from Vermont. Both California Senators are co-sponsors.  

The House bill to remove the deadline for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment is H.J. Res. 25 Pressley, Avanna (D-MA-7). It has 209 co-sponsors – 208 Democrats and one Republican Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania. Of these 40 are from California. July 18th Rep. Pressley moved to discharge the bill from the House Judiciary Committee. To do this she needs 218 votes. After the discharge there would be a vote of the full House. By the way the discharge route was the way that the ERA was able to get out of Committee in 1971 and to then have a vote of the House.  

The comparable Senate bill is SJ Res 4 Cardin, Benjamin (D-MD) It has 53 co-sponsors – 48 Democrats, 3 

Independents (King from Maine, Sanders from Vermont and Sinema from Arizona) and 2 Republicans (Murkowski from Alaska and Collins from Maine). Both California Senators are co-sponsors. Because of the Filibuster rule, it needs 70 co-sponsors. 

The NFBPWC website nfbpwc.org has OneClickPolitics and can be used to contact your Senators to co-sponsor these bills. You can also sign up to join NFBPWC Advocacy alert by texting advocate1919 to 313131. 

Pressure needs to be put on Congress. All House members are up for re-election. Ask them in person and/or via Social Media or phone where they stand on the ERA. In California one Senator position is up for election. Ask those running in person and/or via Social Media or phone where they stand on the ERA. Write letters to the editor and post on Social Media why the ERA needs to be ratified and urge your followers to contact their Congress members to support the previously mentioned bills. 

The world is watching the United States’ inaction on ratification of the ERA. November 3, 2023 the United Nations Human Rights Committee urged the United States to ratify the ERA. We have been trying to pass the ERA for 100+ years, let’s get it done! 

Discharge Petition Tracking 

Which legislators have signed the discharge petition and which legislators do we need to call, and demand sign the discharge petition? You can check this list for all signatories.   

Check the list for all signatories here. 

Here’s some suggested verbiage when connecting with your representative about the Discharge Petition for 

HJ Res 4 => Suggested Verbiage for Discharge Petition Support 

View the table above to see which MOC are viable targets for signature. If you see your MOC reach out and encourage them! Share this information with folks you know who are constituents of these representatives.  Link to the full document here.

By: Kathy Kelly
1st Vice President of Membership, NFBPWC (2021-2024)

WELCOME 22 NEW AND 7 RENEWING MEMBERS IN FEBRUARY!

(And Happy International Women’s Day from From the National Membership Committee.)

Renew	Karina Ketter	Colorado - Denver
Renew	Kathleen Ray	Virtual / Illinois
Renew	Dina Fesler	Virtual / Minnesota
New	Bridget Hildebrandt	Student / Idaho
New	Kayla Marthaler	Virtual / Minnesota YBPW
Renew	Barbara Eichorn	Momentum / Maryland
Renew	Lenita Walker	Momentum / Maryland
New	Greta Davis	Momentum /Maryland
New	Irene Carter	Washington
New	Mary Sweet	Washington
New	Kathryn Burke	Washington
New	Bridgett Law	Washington
New	Barbara Luddon	Washington
New	Terressa Montgomery	Washington
New	Bonnie O'Leary	Washington
New	Roberta (Bobbi) Weller	Washington
New	Sharon Hartjes	Colorado - Boulder
Renew	Dr. Yasmin Darwich	Virtual
Renew	Yasmin el Sayah	Virtual
New	Alicia Hannon	Momentum / Maryland
New	Josephine Rhonor	Virtual
New	Dr. Angel Miller	North Carolina
Renew	Lisa Ling	Virtual
New	Linda C. Martin	Pennsylvania
New	Charmin Jacobs	Virtual / Florida
New	Lorena Alvarez	El Paso del Norte
New	Gloria Merlin	El Paso del Norte
New	Summer Pan	Virtual / Virginia
New	Caroline Poarch	Colorado - Boulder
New	Aubrey Powell	Colorado - Boulder

The National Membership Committee meets on the first and third Mondays of each month, holidays excluded.  In March we will meet on the 4^th and 18th.  We welcome members to join us and learn more about the tools and events NFBPWC offers that can support your club to “Double or More in ’24!” Contact Kathy Kelly, vpmembership@nfbpwc.org for more information.

Let’s DOUBLE or MORE in ’24!

Join us for our BIG membership drive!  

GOAL:  200 new members by December 31, 2024. Ladies, NFBPWC grew by 235 new members in 2022.  We can do it again (We’re already at 36 new members so far in 2024)!  We need strength in numbers to tackle the many advocacy issues facing women in the United States today.  And yes, Heritage sisters count!   

Chances to win BPW Bling. Check out our beautiful new lapel pin design below.  Prizes awarded mid-year at the NFBPWC Biennial Conference in July and again in January of 2025.

Rules of the contest:

•       The Affiliate or Club President (or Membership VP/Chair) will verify and forward the information to the NFBPWC VP Membership before the first deadline of JULY 15, 2024  (vpmembership@nfbpwc.org).  Please do not have individual members forward the information.  It’s okay to send the information as you receive it.  We need it by Affiliate/Club so we can keep better records, verify payment by new members, and we will reconcile our information with yours before Convention and again during the January 2025 membership reconciliations.  Prizes will be given at Convention and/or mailed to Affiliate/Club contact for local distribution in July and January 2025. 

•       Example of entry (Excel spreadsheet, email or Word) o NEW MEMBER NAME, Club, sponsored by (current member) and date.

o Ex: Dr. Jane Wonderwoman, Boulder, sponsored by Sharon Simmons, 2-14-24 

•       Prizes for Everyone!

1 member: Small NFBPWC lapel pin ($10 value)

3 members: Large NFBPWC Bling lapel pin ($20 value)

5 members: Large lapel pin + NFBPWC scarf ($45 value)       

•       Affiliate/Club levels awarded at July Biennial Conference:

Top prize: Large Nike statue and NFBPWC Bling pins for executive team

Second prize: Small Nike statue and small lapel pins for executive team             

Third prize: Small Nike statue

Our thanks again to Bessie Hironimus, BPW California, for the great idea!

By: Sandra Thompson
NFBPWC’s Immediate Past President 

Have you ever been to King of Prussia?   Do you know where King of Prussia is?  

You will have the opportunity to visit King of Prussia this coming July.   NFBPWC Biennial Conference will be held there.    Registration is now open and there is information on the National website about the conference.

If you haven’t figured out where it is, I will tell you that it is just outside of Philadelphia, PA.

Steeped in the history and lore of the American Revolution, the King of Prussia area is next to Valley Forge National Park, where George Washington and the Continental Army camped in the winter of 1777, readying themselves to fight British Redcoats for the nation’s independence.

More than 250 years later, the area has also become known as the site of the country’s third-largest shopping mall and a massive business park with hundreds of shops, restaurants and offices.

The King of Prussia name refers to an inn built in the area in the early 1700s and is now occupied by the local Chamber of Commerce. Centuries later, the area is renowned for its hospitality and the numerous diversions at the namesake mall and contemporary town center. The mall opened in the 1960s and remains anchored by old-school department stores, including Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Primark. The town center, completed in 2016, is a prime example of new mixed-use development. 

King of Prussia is considered to be an edge city of Philadelphia, consisting of large amounts of retail and office space situated at the convergence of four highways.

Many events are being planned.   So please mark your calendars and plan on attending our Biennial Conference as this is a wonderful time to get to know your BPW sisters from around the country.   

Main Street King of Prussia

By: Sondra Nunez

NFBPWC Secretary 2022-2024

Kindness

Naomi Shihab Nye -1952

Before you know what kindness really is

you must lose things,

feel the future dissolve in a moment

like salt in a weakened broth.

What you held in your hand,

what you counted and carefully saved,

all this must go so you know

how desolate the landscape can be

between the regions of kindness.

How you ride and ride

thinking the bus will never stop,

the passengers eating maize and chicken

will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness

you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho

lies dead by the side of the road.

You must see how this could be you,

how he too was someone

who journeyed through the night with plans

and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,

you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.

You must wake up with sorrow.

You must speak to it till your voice

catches the thread of all sorrows

and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,

only kindness that ties your shoes

and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,

only kindness that raises its head

from the crowd of the world to say

It is I you have been looking for,

and then goes with you everywhere

like a shadow or a friend.