By: Sandra Thompson, NFBPWC’s International Chair, international@nfbpwc.org  

International Congress is coming in November.   See the following message from International President Dr. Catherine Bosshart 

It gives me immense pleasure to invite you, delegates, leaders and members, to attend the XXXI BPW International Congress to be held from 17 to 21 November 2024 at St. Kitts Marriott Resort and The Royal Beach Casino. We hope to bring together all delegates and members of Affiliate Federations and Clubs, and all 

Individual Members from across the world to this global assembly to align with the 

theme of this triennium – New Actions Through Cooperation. This exceptional gathering promises to strengthen bonds between leaders in business, government and civil society to accelerate progress for all women and their families worldwide. 

Today we kicked things off with the Call to Congress. Read the invitation to the Congress carefully, it contains very important information that you will need for your active participation. In 8 months, we will meet in St. Kitts. Surf our congress website, visit the hotels virtually, read the notes on travel preparations and let your enthusiasm carry you away. 

Our International Congress is our Triennial Assembly of Delegates. We will have to deal

 with the business of our international federation and discuss and decide on important issues for the future in order to send our federation on its journey into the next triennium. But we will also have time to get to know each other and make friends across all borders. And we will get to know a small island paradise in the Caribbean that welcomes us with great hospitality. 

Be our guest and congress participant and discover our association up close and in all its

 diversity. We wish you a warm welcome! 

Dr. Catherine Bosshart 

BPW President 2021-2024 

To get more information please visit the website at https://stkittscongress.bpw-international.org/ 

By: Suzette Cotto 

NFBPWC Public Relations Chair

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By: Susan E. Oser, NFBPWC Rapid Response Committee Chair 

Issues that will need your attention and need to be addressed. – Focus on Voting Rights  

As Rapid Response chair, it is my job to keep my ear to the ground and eyes to the screen or otherwise on issues that I feel should not only be an issue for us personally but also for your locals to discuss or have a special educational presentation on.   

Last month I mentioned three big issues that will be big political footballs this year to keep your eye out for.  This month, I’d like to focus on voting rights and why they matter for ALL of us. 

Voting as we all know is our fundamental civil right.  However, there are some states and some communities that don’t really think so.  Because of this, organizations like the ACLU have helped with lawsuits that have taken governments to court. 

Here is a Michigan situation related to redistricting and drawing maps: 

A three-judge federal court panel agreed on new boundaries to be drawn by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) for some state House seats.  In December, a federal court determined that the redrawn map affected the black voting power that is strong within the city of Detroit (which is 77% African American).  Thus MICRC was ordered to literally go back to the “drawing board.” 

Source: https://tinyurl.com/yr55fafc  

Nationally, at the capital, the Freedom to Vote Act (S.1) and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (S.4) are in a holding pattern. If passed, these bills would protect voting rights, stop voter suppression and gerrymandering, reform our campaign finance system, and safeguard our election security from a federal level. The Senate has voted a few times to move these bills forward but have been blocked by the minority party. 

The League of Women Voters has more information on Voting Rights at the National Level here: 

Support the Expansion of Voting Rights -https://tinyurl.com/56azjcfd 

Tell Democrats and Republicans to Work Together on Voting Rights -https://tinyurl.com/ye2xe8fv 

Urge Your Members of Congress to Support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act - https://tinyurl.com/mshh2sbr 

So, what can you do to make sure you have voting rights in your state while supporting others? 

1. Get involved and sit in on meetings or webinars as time allows. 

2. Volunteer for organizations that fight for voting rights. 

3. Write to your representative and senator (state and nationally) 

4. Write a letter to the editor. 

5. Post and share any information you come across on your social media platforms. 

6. Host presentations and webinars in your local/affiliate BPW clubs. 

Please connect with Sue Oser at rapidresponse@nfbpwc.org if you have any ideas on topics that should be focused on and discussed as we get into the big election cycle or you feel have not been addressed in this article.  In future articles, I’ll be focusing on each of these (and any others suggested by you) for a better understanding and education of the issues. 

Keri Hess Laursen, NFBPWC Health Committee Chair, Downtown Sacramento Member Health@NFBPWC.org  

Congratulations to the Health Committee and Virtual member, Dr. Karla Kurrelmeyer, for another successful Heart of a Woman conference in partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital. Additional gratitude to PR Chair, Suzette Cotto, for supporting NFBPWC and attending in person. We are grateful our BPW community and connections that help to make us stronger together. 

The Health Committee currently meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 5pm PDT.   

Please email Keri at:  health@nfbpwc.org to inquire about serving as co-chair or to get on the Health Committee listserv.   

By: Nancy Werner, NFBPWC Advocacy Team ERA Lead 

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT 

100^th ANNIVERSARY MARCH  

Advocacy –Equal Rights Amendment.  “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex” needs to be placed into our Constitution. While most states have laws prohibiting discrimination of any kind based on sex, proponents of the E.R.A. say laws can be reversed or eliminated. Having a Constitutional Amendment would cement those rights.  

When I last wrote, I shared the latest news on the Equal Rights Amendment would be with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand-D New York. She has placed into the Senate bills – S J Res 39 calling for the Archivist to publish the ERA. On March 3, she spoke at a luncheon for the need for the ERA because of its ability to protect reproduction rights.  

So now in April, we read the Equal Means Equal group held a gathering in the city of West Hollywood. They invited the Mayor John Erikson and their Women’s Advisory Board to launch a new initiative- “Make the Call, Joe!” Call the US Archivist and tell her to publish the ERA. Everybody benefits when we put equality first. Let’s make the Equal Rights Amendment a reality and no longer send it to voicemail. 

The Archivist is Collen Joy Shogan and she took office on May 17, 2023. She succeeds Mr. Ferrerio upon his retirement in 2022. Now we know that Article V of the Constitution states an amendment becomes valid upon ratification of the 38^th state. But here is where things become unclear. The archivist merely confirms the completion of the constitutionally mandated ratification process but does not necessarily render the amendment valid.  

Congress is the key to having the ERA submitted as a Constitutional amendment. As I have been researching the process, it is not straightforward or clear. Research has shown different paths to find ratification for each Constitutional Amendment. Not that I like what I am reading, but I will continue my findings and be back. 

SIGN4ERA– May I encourage you AGAIN to take the time RIGHT NOW to sign onto this link. http://www.sign4ERA.org When you visit this site, there is much information given to you from the history to the current work and why it is so important to all of us. 

I just received my correspondence from this group as they share the urgency of telling all our families, neighbors, coworkers to sign on. The signature numbers are still rising to over 91,000 but we need more! Lots more. 

Please keep in touch with your Senators using the NFBPWC “One Click.”  

Lastly, may I introduce you to the Alice Paul Institute, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. A favorite place of mine and yes, we are taking a field trip there during our Biennial Conference. You don’t want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime.  

But they put out a publication that I find to be very important as I cover the ERA. They track so many happenings across the US and share just like I do for you. In fact, I used some of their findings by sharing with you. 

They also keep tabs on who is sponsoring what bill that pertains to the ERA in the House and Senate and who has signed on to support it. It will give you a quick glance of your Congressperson or Senators stand on our ERA. 

But right now they have a section that you can click on that is called - ”What Does the ERA Mean to YOU?” Here you have the opportunity to share your thoughts and provide a photo. Just wanted you to know about it.  https://www.alicepaul.org>programs Take an early visit to the Alice Paul Institute. I know you will enjoy it! 

 

By: Trudy Waldroop, Bylaws & Resolutions Chair, NFBPWC 2022-2024 (Email: ILoveBPW@yahoo.com) Bylaws@NFBPWC.org  

Reminder: 

By: Susan Oser, NFBPWC Advocacy Team LGBTQIA+ Lead 

LGBTQ+ Icon of the Month:  Sally K. Ride

Why highlight? 

Sally K. Ride became the first American woman to travel into space in June 1993.   She was

 also an engineer, physicist (as well as professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the California Space Institute.  Her mission was to get kids engaged in the sciences.  Former President Obama honored Sally with a Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.  She kept her personal life private but after she passed away in 2012, it was revealed that she was in a relationship with a woman for over 27 years, which never mattered until after her death. 

Source(s) for more information: 

• Jacket, In-Flight Suit, Shuttle, Sally Ride, STS-7 -https://tinyurl.com/y59rc9kk 

• These Queer Icons Will Be the First LGBTQ+ People Featured on U.S. Currency - https://www.them.us/story/first-lgbtq-people-featured-us-currency-sally-ride-nina-otero-warren 

• Earth to Ben Shapiro: Lesbians Have Already Been to Space -https://www.them.us/story/benshapiro-lesbians-astronauts 

Good LGBTQ+ News for May –  

• A case for the ERA: Marriage equality - https://eracoalition.org/2023/12/27/a-case-for-the-eramarriage-equality/ 

• How two legendary lesbians inspired a culinary oasis in the California desert - https://tinyurl.com/5n7wf4kp- Alice B. Toklas and Gertrude Stein served as inspiration for Alice B., a new venture by restaurateurs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. 

• Beastie Boys paid for trans woman’s gender-affirming surgery -https://tinyurl.com/97p66d84- She kickstarted their career. They helped her start a new life. 

• Dawn Staley just won another title — and still had time to stand up for trans athletes - https://tinyurl.com/2w56nun6- South Carolina's Dawn Staley took her place among other legends of women’s sports who support trans inclusion in women’s sports. 

And now for the BAD news: 

• Trans folks are peeing in bottles & avoiding water to dodge harassment under Florida’s bathroom law -https://tinyurl.com/43xw8r3a- Residents have taken it upon themselves to police restrooms, traumatizing trans folks and often incorrectly enforcing the law. 

• Vatican blasts gender-affirming surgery, surrogacy and gender theory as violations of human dignity -https://tinyurl.com/y8t5prxf- The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication. 

If you have any news or leads on anything related to LGBTQ+ news, issues, and organizations, please contact Sue Oser at soser@nfbpwc.org  

By: Sandra Thompson, NFBPWC’s International Chair, international@nfbpwc.org  

A huge thank you to our Canadian BPW 

Sisters for allowing me to be a part of their delegation to the United Nations for the Commission on the Status of Women.  It was certainly a busy and exciting week. 

I had the privilege to attend several Parallel and Side events.   The side events were held 

inside the United Nations and parallel events in various venues outside the UN.    I also, attend virtually a Town Hall meeting with the Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.  He is from Portugal. 

I attended our Parallel Event on 

Global Collaboration to Tackle Period Poverty which was co-sponsored with our Canadian BPW Sisters.  

We had a wonderful turnout.  Emily VanVleck did an outstanding job in introducing the subject and guiding the panel.  Hopefully you were able to attend.   It will be available on our website soon. 

I also attended an event put on by the International BPW Young BPWs.   The title of their event was The Role of Entrepreneurs/Professional in Addressing Poverty and Empowering Women. 

One of the speakers was our own Djenabou Bah who has started her own Travel Agency. 

Besides these two I attended several others which were most informative.  I encourage you all to attend either in person or virtually next year.  There are two weeks of many wonderful events.  All of the online events are free.  It is a great experience. 

April Highlights in US Women’s History 

• April 2, 1931 – 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell, the second woman to play baseball in the all-male minor leagues, pitches an exhibition game against the N.Y. Yankees and strikes out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The next day, the Baseball Commissioner voided her contract, claiming baseball was too strenuous for women. The ban was not overturned until 1992 

• April 5, 1911 – 100,000 to 500,000 people march in New York City to attend the funeral of seven unidentified victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in late March 

• April 7, 1805 – Sacagawea begins helping the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an interpreter 

• April 7, 1987 – Opening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., the first museum devoted to women artists 

• April 9, 1939 – Marian Anderson sings an Easter Sunday concert for more than 75,000 at Lincoln Memorial 

• April 13, 1933 – Ruth Bryan Owen is the first woman to represent the U.S. as a foreign minister when she is appointed as envoy to Denmark 

• April 16, 1912 – Harriet Quimby becomes the first woman to fly an airplane across the English Channel 

• April 19, 1977 – Fifteen women in the House of Representatives J^ACKIE M^ITCHELLform the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues 

• April 22 – Earth Day, honor Rachel Carson today, a woman who changed America and greatly influenced the environmental movement with her revolutionary book, Silent Spring 

• April 23 – Barbara Johns Day in Virginia. Barbara Johns as a high school  led a walk out to of Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, to protest unequal conditions. Hers was one of the cases that led to the 1954 Brown v.  Board of Education Supreme Court decision that called for integration of public schools.  

• April 26, 1777 – American Revolution heroine Sybil Ludington, 16 years old, rides 40 miles on horseback in the middle of the night to warn the American militia that the British were invading 

• April 28, 1993 – First “Take Our Daughters to Work” Day, sponsored by the Ms. Foundation, in 2003 it became “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work” Day 

(Source:  https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/april/)

By: Suzette Cotto 

NFBPWC Public Relations Chair

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