By: Susan Oser
NFBPWC Advocacy Team LGBTQ+ Lead 

Greetings, 

I, Susan E. Oser, am continuing my role as the LGBTQIA+ Liaison for this great  organization. Because it is the new term, I plan to do things a little bit differently and work  closely with our new V.P. of Advocacy Emily VanVleck. For this new term, I would like  to focus on issues that have an LGBTQ+ slant according to the Advocacy Platform and I  

will be sharing some special dates in LGBTQ+ history, as well as the good things that have happened for the  community. However, I cannot do this alone and would love a person or two to connect with and help me.  Maybe even plan an event or two. If you are that person, you can contact me at the address below this entry. 

LGBTQ+ Dates for September – 

➢ September 16-22 Bisexual Awareness Day - https://www.glaad.org/bisexual 

➢ September 18 – National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day - https://www.hiv.gov/events/awareness-days/aging 

➢ September 23 – Celebrate Bisexuality Day - https://bivisibilityday.com/about/ ➢ September 27 – National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/awarenessdays/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library /awareness/ngmhaad.html

Good LGBTQ+ News for June – 

✓ These moms’ sperm donor sued them to get parental rights. They just won a court victory. - https://tinyurl.com/25jejs2t 

✓ Trans girl appeared in court in soccer uniform, won the right to play & headed straight to practice - https://tinyurl.com/nhjncjek 

✓ China awards visitation rights to gay mom in historic first - https://tinyurl.com/m23kzue2 ✓ Federal judge: Military can no longer prevent people with HIV from enlisting - https://tinyurl.com/5ekh32j9 

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

ERA Team By: Nancy Werner
NFBPWC Advocacy Team ERA Lead (2022-2026) 

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT – Women’s Equality Day – August 24, 2024 from 12:00 to 1:30 Eastern – Hosted by the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Club 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.  

Women’s Equality Day-August 24, 2024 was an extraordinary event for our organization. Kathy Telban, Ohio,  created this event by finding 3 outstanding speakers on the Equal Rights Amendment. With the help of Emily  VanVleck, our Vice President of Advocacy, and NFBPWC President Barbara Bozeman, it was an informative  and inspiring hour and a half. Let me share some of the highlights with you. 

Women’s Equality Day was established in 1973 to commemorate the certification of the 19^th Amendment to  the Constitution that gave women the right to vote. This year will not only celebrate this historic event again, but educate, agitate, and activate you to push for the full equality by demanding publication of the 28^thAmendment to the Constitution-The Equal Rights Amendment.  

From the right to vote in 1920, through the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 2020, to demanding  its publication today, women have persisted for over 200 years through three generations for the simple right  to be being treated equally under the law. Not one more year! (I credit Kathy Telban with these 2 paragraphs.) With a panel of experts to guide us, these women led us through the women’s journey to achieve equality. 

Our first speaker was Tina Cassidy, author of Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait. It was in 2016 that she  learned about Women’s Equality Day. She began to research the stories that brought the women’s movement  for the right to vote. She learned that there were 6 states who gave the women the right to vote prior to 1920.  They were Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and California. These states needed peoplepower as to receiving seats in the US House of Representatives. She shared the work of Alice Paul in trying to keep  the suffrage movement in the national news. The Suffrage Procession was held the day before election day  back in 1917. There was the car with 3 women who drove from California to Washington D.C. or the plane  that her good friend, Lucy Burns, flew a banner across many miles of our country. Alice’s plan to have the  Sentinels stand in front of the White House for months in all kinds of weather was brilliant. But Wilson was  not too fond of them and finally had them sent to prison. There their treatment was force feeding. There was  a period of time when Alice was actually placed in a mental institution.  

Tina Cassidy continued with the slogan used by Woodrow Wilson, “Keeping the World Safe for Democracy.”  The women did not care for this slogan and shared their thoughts in high numbers. Well, Wilson had fulfilled  his 2 terms and was considered a lame duck. He changed his mind, and the public was changing their minds,  too. It was on August 26, 1920, when the right to vote was passed and the 19^th Amendment was added to the  Constitution. 

Our second speaker was Wendy J. Murphy JD, author of Ohio Northern University Law Review Article:  Unequal Protection of the Laws for Women is Constitutional Terrorism, so how come Nobody Knows About  it? 

One area that Alice Paul really followed was being nonpartisan in all her decisions about what women should  be following. Alice wrote the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923 and shared it at Seneca Falls that July. She kept  everything low key. We were watching the states place equality into their state Constitutions. But we also  wanted the ERA in our US Constitution. So, we had 35 states that ratified it, but we needed 3 more. In 2012,  the archivist placed in writing that he would do just that if 3 more states passed it. Well, it happened with  Nevada, Illinois and finally Virginia in 2020. As happy as we were, we saw that it did not happen. Not with  Trump and not even with Biden. 

Our plan for the coming weeks to election-give the White House daily calls and share you will not vote for  Harris unless the ERA is signed. We are 170 million strong and this is our time to act. NO VOTE FOR HARRIS  UNLESS YOU PUBLISH THE ERA NOW. 

302-404-0880 President Biden 

301-861-2977 VP Harris 

202-224-3121 Capital Switchboard 

Our third speaker was Kamala Lopez, President and Director of the film, Equal Means Equal. She shared her  ERA educational project with us and how long it took to create so many educational items for us all to use.  The movie is still available to secure and view. It shares the background stories of here and in England as  women in both countries tried to get the vote.  

But, Kamala also shared her journey going from state to state to get the legislatures to listen to her and her  group. In 2018, they visited Arizona at their polling places. Another stop in 2018 was Illinois where they  partnered with other groups and traveled the state in busloads. Their attempt in Missouri was a frightening  experience as Kamala shared they were practically run out of state. Then in 2019, she traveled to Virginia and was greeted with a State Supreme Court ruling about the gerrymandering that was in Virginia. When that was  addressed, it was wonderful to be in Virginia and see the vote taken. 

It was then that the US Congress started to hold a hearing about the ERA. Kamala and her team were there  sharing their views. We just heard that the US Bar Association has shared that the ERA is passed. 

Kamala is promoting the “Final Impact.” She would like us all to take a photo as we talk on the phone and  send it to the following address. https://finalimpact.org. All the information that you need can be found on this site. 

While we are doing that make sure you place the phone numbers for President Biden, VP Harris and the  Capital Switchboard in your phone, and call them every day.  

It was an incredible 90 minutes of information! But for over 50 members, it was the best webinar! As for taping  it, it was but it will be offered only to the attendees. 

Women’s Equality Day will be or was an incredible day for all of us on August 26. Hope you wore your  yellow. We have work to do every day until Election Day. Let’s get busy and start our phone calls. Already I  have the numbers in my phone. We should all be inspired by our 3 panelists. They were tremendous in  knowledge and motivation. Again, a huge thank you to Kathy Telban, Emily VanVleck and Barbara Boseman  for a job done extremely well. 

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. History of the  current work and why it is so important. We now have 110,000 supporters who have signed the petition. The  number is still climbing. 

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

Celebration of Life 
A tribute to Lynn Brandstater who passed from us on Saturday,   August 24^th. 
By: Anne Marie Johnson, President, California Federation of BPW

“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there”. Lynn and I have been friends for thirty-five years.  

We meet through BPW. We served together as leaders in the former Verdugo Hills club, in both LA Sunset and Valley Sunset Districts, and in the State Federation. Lynn served as the California Federation president from 2020-2022. 

One member used to call us Thelma and Louise. But, I don’t recall us ever doing anything illegal and we certainly never had to run from the police. But, over the years we have had many adventures and not all of them related the BPW.

Lynn liked Paris, turtles, dogs, bracelets, and diet coke. Although she always presented herself as professional,  she was very easygoing, and she did have a silly side. This made her a really fun traveling companion. One of  Lynn’s many qualities was her thoughtfulness. She would send cards and give meaningful gifts. She always  remembered to take a hostess gift and quite often goodie bags. She was always there when you needed her. 

Lynn will be missed by all who knew her.

Nike Sponsor: 

MEMBER: SONDRA NUNEZ 

Mountain Valley Petroleum sponsored transportation for the Alice Paul House Tour. 

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Torch Sponsor: 

ORGANIZATION: Ironton Telephone/ Global 

Sponsored admission to the Alice Paul Institute 
Ironton Global is the Alice Paul Institute Sponsor 

 

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Wand Sponsor: 

MEMBER: SANDRA THOMPSON 

General sponsorship 

 

 

 

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Ship of Commerce Sponsors: 

MEMBER: NANCY WERNER

Nancy sponsored the Tote Bags event photographer 
Ship of Commerce & 
Scroll Sponsor 

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ORGANIZATION: HEIDEL HOLLOW FARM, INC 

Bags event

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ORGANIZATION: NFBPWC PA 

Kodee Water Bottles

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Alfred Werner (Nancy's Husband) 

NFBPWC Tablets

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Scroll Sponsors:

       

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL WOMEN’S HISTORY ALLIANCE 

Magazines and bookmarks

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ORGANIZATION: SIERRA MAR DISTRICT BPW DISTRICT BPW 

General sponsorship

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MEMBER: CYNTHIA WIEME 

General sponsorship

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ORGANIZATION: CA FEDERATION BPW

General sponsorship

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ORGANIZATION: VALLEY SUNSET 

General sponsorship

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MEMBER: TERESSA GERHKE 

General sponsorship

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MEMBER: MEGAN  SHELLMAN-RICKARDGeneral sponsorship General sponsorship

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MEMBER: JOANNE NAYLOR 

General sponsorship

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MEMBER: MICHELE GUARINO 

General sponsorship

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Honorary Mention to the Photographer:

You can still purchase photos from the convention at:  https://conventionphoto.photostockplus.com/album/4563461/ 

August 26th – 97th Anniversary of Women in the United States Winning the Vote 

August Women’s History Events 

• August 6, 1965 – The Voting Rights Act outlaws the discriminatory literacy tests that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting. Suffrage is finally fully extended to African American women 

• August 8, 1969 – Executive order 11478 issued by President Nixon requires each federal department and agency to establish and maintain an affirmative action program of equal employment opportunity for civilian employees and applicants 

• August 9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (United Nations observed) 

• August 10, 1993 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg is sworn in as the second woman and 107th Justice to serve on the US Supreme Court 

• August 12, 1972 – Wendy Rue founds the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), the largest businesswomen’s organization in the United States 

• August 19 – World Humanitarian Day (United Nations observed) 

• August 21 - International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism (United Nationals observed) 

• August 22 - International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (United Nationals observed) 

• August 26, 1920 – The 19th Amendment of the US Constitution is ratified granting women the right to vote 

• August 26, 1970 – Betty Friedan leads a nationwide protest called the “Women’s Strike for Equality” in New York City on the fiftieth anniversary of women’s suffrage 

• August 26, 1971 – The first Women’s Equality Day, initiated by Representative Bella Abzug, is established by Presidential Proclamation and reaffirmed annually 

• August 28, 1963 – More than 250,000 gather for a march on Washington, DC, and listen to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech 

 

“March Again for Equal Rights” broadside, circa August 1977, Box V:314, National Woman’s Party Records, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress  

(Source: https://blogs.loc.gov/manuscripts/2022/08/from-suffrage-day-towomens-equality-day/)  

Upcoming Dates in Women’s History to Note for September: 

• September is Latina/Chicano Heritage Month. 

• September 2^nd is Labor Day. 

• September 18^th International Equity Pay Day. 

• September 19^th International Day of Peace. 

By: NFBPWC Rapid Response Committee Chair 

NFBPWC is looking for the next Rapid Response Chair.  If you are interested in joining this Committee, please email President Barbara Bozeman at president@nfbpwc.org. 

By: Nancy Werner
NFBPWC Public Relations Chair (2024-2026) 

Dr. Jill Zinckgraf Addresses The Biennial Conference 

At the Biennial Conference, we were most fortunate to have as our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jill Zinckgraf, Interim Director for the National Women’s History Alliance. She is a dedicated advocate and senior executive with a profound commitment to social justice. She has championed causes related to women’s empowerment, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and social equality. Traveling from her home in Morristown, New Jersey, she was welcomed by our NFBPWC members to our 7th Biennial Conference.  

Using our theme, “Equality Has NO Deadline,” her presentation shared the story of the National Women’s History Alliance since 1986 and how it has been built on the actions of women. Over the years, information on women’s achievements in educational materials have been prepared for classrooms and to organizations. The NWHA provides a yearly magazine and newsletters throughout the year. From 1986 when the NWHA was formed, her power point program shared taped snippets of the NWHA from the beginning to the present. During her presentation she used the phrase, “like-minded women” a few times and we readily agreed. 

She really emphasized, ‘What is the plan as we head to the upcoming election?” Again, we agreed. We are all being asked to provide funds for this November election but what are the plans? At the moment we shook our heads. We knew of none. 

How little did we know that the very next day President Biden would refuse the party nomination?  Then a few days later, he shared that Kamala Harris, our Vice President, should be the party nominee. Never in my crystal ball did I see this coming BUT it is a PLAN.  

Dr. Jill’s presentation shared the importance of women working together and finding the path to Equality. We only need to work harder to achieve our equality. Maybe this is our time.  

I do wish to thank Amanda Owen, PA Affiliate Member and our Justice Bell author, a huge thank you. Her making connections with Martha Wheelock, President of the 

NWHA, and then Martha, with me was most welcoming. The connections of our 

networking knows no boundaries and to learn that Dr. Jill lived only a couple of hours away in New Jersey was a sigh of relief. Headquarters for the NWHA is in Santa Rosa, CA. I was thinking fast about how to cover her airfare. 

Also thank you, Sandy Thompson, former NFBPWC Parliamentarian, who also assisted in the zoom communications with Dr. Jill.  I must leave you with a quote from Martha, “women make it happen.” Maybe we should all be saying this mantra every day…. forever. 

Engage with NFBPWC on Social Media

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Organization Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nfbpwc

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By: Sandy Thompson
NFBPWC Finance Chair, finance@nfbpwc.org  

I am very pleased to have been asked by President Barbara Bozeman to serve as Finance Chair for this new term. 

In my previous life (before retirement) my last position was Director of Operations.  What it really meant was that I handled finances and budgets for several departments at Amtrak.  My duties also included overseeing and preparing a million-dollar budget for the National operations department for special projects.  These were items that you didn’t need to do every 

year, but had to be done occasionally.  These were things like new furniture, baggage equipment and painting. 

I also currently serve on the finance committee for my church.  

I have been and will continue to serve on the Legacy committee. 

I believe my background will serve me well in this position. 

I look forward to working with all of you to move our federation forward financially.

By: Larisa B. Miller
NFBPWC International Relations Chair (2024-2026), international@nfbpwc.org  

As we herald a new era for NFBPWC, I am honored to assume the role of International Liaison to drive engagement between NFBPWC with our BPW membership across the globe.  In this time of globalization, digitalization and transformation, we must recognize that working together, across borders, building our knowledge, strengthening our supply 

chains, accessing innovations and sharing our networks will enhance the growth and resiliency of our businesses and provide exponential opportunity for professional growth.  

While we work collectively to strengthen our business and professional relations and opportunities, we still face many challenges as women, socially, economically and through a continual lack of access to systems and resources.  We must come together to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to ensure that we have a voice in shaping global policy that gives us the rights and opportunities that we deserve in 2024 and beyond.  And we need to be the voice for our 400 million voiceless sisters around the world who live in abject poverty.   

Through the next two years, we are committed to taking the lead on bridging our global connectivity, ensuring that it is not us against each other, it is us together for a solution.  

The Power of Global Unity: Building Resilient Businesses for a Sustainable Future 

In an increasingly interconnected world, the importance of collaboration and unity among business and professional women cannot be overstated. The National Federation of Business and Professional Women Clubs (NFBPWC) stands at the forefront of this movement, championing the need for global cooperation to build resilient business models, expand our networks, strengthen supply chains, and enhance economic sustainability. 

The modern business landscape is characterized by rapid technological advancements, fluctuating markets, and ever-changing consumer preferences. In such a dynamic environment, the resilience of our business models is paramount. Resilient businesses are not only capable of withstanding shocks and disruptions but also of thriving in the face of adversity. To achieve this, it is essential for us, as business and professional women, to work together across borders, pooling our resources, knowledge, and expertise. 

One of the key advantages of belonging to NFBPWC is the vast network of like-minded women it offers. By expanding our networks and customer bases through global connections, we can access new markets, diversify our revenue streams, and reduce dependency on any single market. This diversification is crucial for mitigating risks and ensuring long-term sustainability. NFBPWC's global chapters provide a unique platform for members to explore new markets, learn from one another, and forge new business collaborations. 

The power of NFBPWC lies in its ability to unite women from diverse backgrounds and industries. By coming together, we can advocate for policies that enable greater access to opportunities, easier access to capital, and stronger business relations. Advocacy is a critical component of our mission, and by speaking with a unified voice, we can drive meaningful change that benefits all women in business, regardless of geographical location, socio-economic status, ethnicity, level of education, or business pathway. 

Globalization is not just a buzzword; it is a mindset that we must embrace. NFBPWC's commitment to globalization is reflected in our efforts to connect members worldwide, facilitating the exchange of ideas and best practices. By joining NFBPWC chapters across the globe, we can immerse ourselves in new business cultures, learn from different perspectives, and position NFBPWC as the leading organization for business and professional women.  Our greatest strength lies in our commitment to support, mentor, and collaborate with one another. The NFBPWC network is a treasure trove of thought leadership and subject matter expertise, and by leveraging this collective wisdom, we can elevate each other's businesses and careers. 

About Larisa B. Miller 

Larisa B. Miller is a distinguished leader in global business and strategic development, serving as the CEO of Phoenix Global Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Miami, Florida, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Phoenix Global Holdings stands as a beacon of innovation and strategic growth, encompassing specialized verticals such as Phoenix Global, LLC (USA); Phoenix Global Consulting (UAE); Phoenix Global Media & Technology Group, and Phoenix Grove, a global defense, security and cybersecurity firm. 

Larisa brings a wealth of experience and an expansive network of connections to Phoenix Global, particularly in the UAE, where she has served as the head of business and investment for members of the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi. She works extensively with governments and on development projects in strategic African nations, highlighting Phoenix Global's prioritization of African development and business expansion. Her leadership focuses on pivotal sectors including Transportation Infrastructure, Agriculture/Agritech, International Municipal and Governmental Consulting, ESG/Sustainability, and Technology. 

Additionally, Larisa is an accomplished author, columnist and speaker, addressing audiences around the world on a myriad of topics including business model transformation, technology and the integration of disruptive technologies, ESG and sustainability, leadership, youth and women's empowerment, globalization, and global business expansion. 

Larisa speaks to BPW chapters around the world prioritizing leadership development and opportunity-building for business and professional women.

By: Teressa Gehrke
NFBPWC Digital Training Special Committee Chair

Passwords & Password Management

 

It’s Time to Upgrade Your Passwords 

Have you ever wondered if your personal details are on the dark web? How 

quickly can a bad hacker crack the code of your password? On June 23, 2024, Teressa Gehrke, NFBPWC Digital Training Chair presented 

“The Importance of Passwords & Password Management” to members. She discussed the basics of passwords and how to manage them using a Password Manager. In her presentation, she showed the

 following Password Table provided by Hive Systems. Hive Systems puts out a table every year indicating the time it takes a hacker to brute force your password.  

Brute Force is a means of an attacker excessively attempting to use commonly used passwords or passphrases to crack someone’s password in an attempt to gain access to a user’s personal and confidential information.  

Based on the table you can see the duration of how long it takes to crack a password. Each year, it gets faster. This is why using strong passwords that are at a minimum 12 characters long, and preferably 16 characters, using numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and symbols is preferred. In addition, using a Password Manager is highly recommended because one simply cannot remember hundreds of passwords alone. It’s also recommended that each password for each account is unique. If one password is breached and it is used across multiple platforms, there is a higher likelihood that you will be compromised elsewhere. What if it's an Amazon account or your retirement fund account? You may never recover those funds.  

During the presentation, members visited the site Have I Been Pwned. (Yes, it’s spelled correctly.) www.haveibeenpwned.com. Members could type in their email or phone number and see if their personal information had been compromised in a security incident.   

Now what?  

If you see your information has been breached, go back to your account and reset your password and begin using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), sometimes called Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). It adds a second layer of security to your username and password. There’s a link to the presentation and the webinar recording below. For additional assistance or questions, please email: digitaltraining@nfbpwc.org.  

Presentation: The Importance of Passwords & Password Management PDF 

Webinar Recording: Importance of Passwords and Password Management 

About Teressa Gehrke 

Teressa Gehrke is the Founder & CEO of PopCykol, a cybersecurity awareness company designed for families and kids. PopCykol stands for Protecting Our Precious Curious Kids Online. PopCykol teaches cybersecurity concepts in a fun, easy, and interactive style. 

She has worked in cybersecurity since 2014 as a technical writer, user experience manager, and project manager. She has taught cybersecurity at local colleges. Teressa has a B.A. in Art History and Anthropology. She earned a Master’s in Genetic Anthropology and International Development from Colorado State University and advanced her education studying Network Security at Arapahoe Community College. She is the President of Business & Professional Women of Colorado - Denver chapter, and Digital Training Chair for the National Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, stand up paddleboarding, painting, singing, songwriting, and drumming.