By: Nancy Werner
NFBPWC Advocacy Team ERA Lead 

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.  

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. We now have 96,500 supporters who have signed the petition. The most signers are in California, New York and Florida.  

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

May I introduce you again to the Alice Paul Institute, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey? 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. 

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. 

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 

By: Email sent on Wednesday, June 19^th by Daneene Monroe Rusnak,
2^nd Vice President of Advocacy, NFBPWC 2020-2024 

 

Dear NFBPWC members,  

The Advocacy Committee is pleased to provide you with this copy of the proposed 2024 - 2026 Advocacy Platform which will be reviewed and voted on by the membership at the upcoming Biennial Conference. Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with its contents before the conference. Please be aware that modifications to the proposed platform will only be made at the conference in accordance with the standing rules.  

Many thanks to the California and Colorado Federations for putting forth suggestions in an effort to strengthen this document, and another HUGE thank you to the A-Team for their input, insights, and support in helping to prepare it for presentation at the Biennial Conference in July.   

Proposed 2024 - 2026 NFBPWC Advocacy Platform .pdf  

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUBS (NFBPWC) ADVOCACY PLATFORM 2024 - 2026 

NFBPWC will employ several education, advocacy, monitoring, and tracking strategies to meet the following priorities:  

The Alice Paul Equal Rights Amendment shall stand first and foremost above all other items of the advocacy platform until Equal Rights have been guaranteed in the United States Constitution – i.e. “Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”  

Human Rights – recognition that women’s rights are human rights 

• Support   oThe Alice Paul Equal Rights Amendment. oPassage of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). 

• • Equal rights for historically marginalized groups, encompassing, but not restricted to, Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ individuals. 

  • Universal background checks for all firearm purchases. oThe Violence Against Women Act; especially when reauthorization is required. oFair and equal access to education, including sufficient funding for public education ranging from early childhood education to post-secondary / higher education. oPolicies and practices that promote environmental sustainability. oEmpower and enhance the well-being of military-affiliated women. 

  • Equitable treatment of any women who are arrested, detained, or incarcerated. oPrivacy rights of women, especially regarding their health, sexual and relationship history, and personal and digital data. 

• Eradicate Domestic Violence and Electronic and Physical stalking, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and discrimination. 

• Oppose human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and all forms of slavery.    

Economic Equity and Justice  

• Support the elimination of Forced Arbitration as the sole means of dispute resolution.  

• Access to  oEducation, training, and promotional opportunities. oEqual opportunities in the workplace and on corporate boards.  

• • Procurement procedures that facilitate opportunities for women-owned or women-led enterprises. 

  • Quality, affordable dependent care (child, elderly, or disabled). oFunding and capital for entrepreneurial activity. 

  • Affordable and attainable housing. 

Health Equity and Justice  

• Support for reproductive justice.   

• Access to affordable reproductive healthcare; including but not limited to; contraception, assisted reproduction techniques, and abortion care. 

• Support for paid sick, family, and medical leave.  

• Elimination of gender bias in research funding.  

• Health education funding for women’s and girl’s health issues.  

• Prevention of discrimination against pregnancy and infant care in the workplace (e.g. reasonable accommodations for breastfeeding/breast pumping and other pregnancy /maternity conditions.)  

• Ensure workplace safety.  •Expansion of mental health coverage and services.  

 

 

The NFBPWC Executive Committee is proud to announce the inception of a new biennial membership award.  

Introducing the Lena Madesin Phillips Distinguished Member Award 

The Lena Madesin Phillips Distinguished Member Award has been established to be the most prestigious honor bestowed upon members of our organization. This award will recognize an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and impact within the organization and beyond. The recipient of this award is an exemplary role model who has significantly contributed to the advancement of our mission and has made a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of others.  

You now have the opportunity to be a part of history by nominating a memberto be considered for our very first Lena Madisen Phillips Distinguished Member Award; presented at our Biennial Conference. Please use the criteria below when considering your candidate. 

*Nominations must be received by 11:59pm PT on July 8, 2024*  

Nomination Criteria: 

Candidates for the LMP Distinguished Member Award:  

• must be a current member of NFBPWC for at least 2 years, in good standing;  

• has made recent meaningful contributions to NFBPWC (via programming, advocacy, outreach, and leadership); 

• has exemplified and embodied the attributes consistent with the mission statement of the organization; 

Please refrain from nominating current Executive Committee members or Affiliate, State, or Federation Presidents. 

By: Susan Oser
NFBPWC Advocacy Team LGBTQIA+ Lead 

June started the summer of Pride in the United States. However, just because June has ended does not mean that Pride has ended.  Some communities have their events through July, August, and September.  Please try to visit at least one Pride event in or near your area to connect to the community and learn the LGBTQIA+ is all about. 

Before we get to the information below, I just want to say that it has been an honor being your LGBTQ+ Liaison under the Advocacy Committee umbrella.  I’ve recently had the honor to speak to the wonderful women of NFBPWC/PA Affiliate on Title IX and LGBTQ+ issues as well as through a JDEI webinar when they recently covered the topic of inclusion.  I’ve had many compliments on my articles and how they have been educated on the issues as well as have felt comfortable enough to ask questions or talk about the subject.  That really means a lot to me. 

While I’m not sure what’s going to happen with this column after the General Assembly, I do hope it keeps going and you can be educated further on topics related to LGBTQ+ issues.  If you have any questions or ideas, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

LGBTQ+ Icon of the Month:  Lorraine Hansberry Why highlight?  

Lorraine Hansberry is a playwright, writer, and activist.  She is well-known for the hit Broadway play-turned-film Raisin in the Sun. She was the first black woman to have the honor of her play being performed on Broadway.  She was also very active in the civil rights movement.  While she was married, she secretly had to “hide in the closet” and wrote about these things in unpublished manuscripts as well as in a publication called The Ladder, which is a periodical for the organization The Daughters of Bilities.  Sadly, she passed away young at the age of 34 due to pancreatic cancer in 1965.  Yet her words and her play still lives on. 

Source(s) for more information: 

• The Daughters of Bilitis -https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/before-stonewall/daughters-of-bilitis  

• Queer Portraits: Lorraine Hansberry -https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/hansberry  

• Making Gay History: The Podcast – Lorraine Hansberry - https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/lorraine-hansberry/  Good LGBTQ+ News for July–  

• Good Reasons to Feel Proud around Pride -https://shorturl.at/j8hR2  

• These 20 LGBTQ+ news anchors & journalists are changing our worldviews - https://shorturl.at/3YE9N  

• Trans man wins $4.7 million from school district that didn’t let him use the restroom - https://shorturl.at/013aI  And now for the BAD news: 

• SPLC Designates Genspect, SEGM As Anti-LGBTQ Hate Groups -https://shorturl.at/kU3bl  

• Trans Youth Suicides Covered Up By NHS, Cass After Restrictions, Say Whistleblowers - https://shorturl.at/BENhu  

• Utah lawmakers vote to block federal protections for LGBTQ+ students under Title IX - https://t.ly/mIMVM  

If you have any news or leads on anything related to LGBTQ+ news, issues, and organizations, please contact Sue Oser at soser@nfbpwc.org or if/when a new liaison is selected after General Assembly.

By: Manjul Batra
NFBPWC’s Nominations Chair 

Call for NFBPWC Nominations 

Is NFBPWC Leadership in Your Future? 

The 2024 NFBPWC Biennial Conference, July 18-21, 2024, King of Prussia, PA is fast approaching. One of the most exciting things to happen at the Biennial General Assembly, is the election of National Officers for the 20242026!  Nomination documents for elected offices are due in 30 days on June 15, 2024!An Election Committee will be created and any interested parties not running for an elected office, please contact Nominations Chair, Manul Batra, at nominations@nfbpwc.org. We look forward to welcoming all nominees at our Biennial Conference in July!  

Please click on the link below to fill out the Nominations Document and email it to nominations@nfbpwc.org to be eligible to run for an elected office: 

Nomination Documents GA 2024.docx 

Additional information about Nominations and Elections for National Officers, 2024-2026 

(From NFBPWC Bylaws Aug 2022) 

The election of President, First Vice-President Membership, Second Vice-President Advocacy, Treasurer, Secretary, Young BPW Representative and Nominations Chairperson shall take place at the General Assembly and Biennial Conference.  (Article XI, Section 1) 

Officers shall be elected for a term of two years and will assume office at the close of the General Assembly and Biennial Conference.  (Article XI, Section 2) President shall: 

1. Be the Chief Executive Officer and spokesperson of The National Federation.  

2. Serve on the BPW International Board of Directors. 

3. Preside at the meetings of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, General Membership, and Biennial General Assembly Conference. 

4. Appoint a Parliamentarian, the Standing Committee Chairpersons, Special Committee Chairpersons and Task Forces subject to ratification by the Executive Committee. 

5. Be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominations Committee.  

First Vice-president Membership shall: 

1. Perform the duties of the President in her absence.  

2. Chairs the Membership Standing Committee and liaises with the Nominations Chair, Small Business Chair, and the Mentoring Taskforce.  

3. Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.  

Second Vice-president Advocacy shall: 

1. Chair the Advocacy Standing Committee and liaises with the United Nations Chair, and the Elimination of Sexual Harassment Chair Chairperson(s).  

2. Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.  

Treasurer shall: 

1. Be the Chief Financial Officer of The National Federation.  

2. Collect membership dues from the State Federations and Affiliate Chapter/clubs as indicated in their December 31st report and forward the Regional dues and International dues as required. Similarly, collect and process dues from the Individual Affiliate Members.  

3. Be the custodian of the National Federation funds, maintain bank accounts and disburse payment for approved expenses within 15 days of receipt. 

4. Provide financial reports at the National Federation Board of Directors’ meetings and year-end financial reports to the membership.  

5. Maintain The Federation membership database. 

6. Prepare and file state, federal and other fiduciary reports.  

7. Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee.  

Secretary shall: 

1. Maintain the archives of The National Federation including records, contracts, and original documents of The National Federation.  

2. Record the minutes of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, General Assembly and Biennial Conference and distribute them for approval.  

3. Serve as liaison to the Webmaster and the Bylaws/Resolutions Chair.  

4. Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee (Article XII, Sections 1-5) 

Young BPW: 

A. Engage and work with other Young BPW members and represent their interests while working with the Executive Committee.  (Bylaws not updated to reflect duties of this office.) 

In order to be eligible to run for office a candidate (with the exception of Young BPW) must have served The National Federation in an elected or appointed capacity on a national, state, or affiliate chapter/club level for one year prior to the election. (Article X, Section 7). 

Please send questions to Nominations Chair, Manjul Batra, at nominations@nfbpwc.org.  

Feel free to email any current officer, listed below, to get more information on what they think about their years in service as an NFBPWC Executive Committee member. 

Megan Shellman-Rickard, President   president@nfbpwc.org 

Kathy Kelly, VP Membership  vpmembership@nfbpwc.org 

Daneene Monroe-Rusnak vpadvocacy@nfbpwc.org 

Sondra Nunez, Secretary  secretary@nfbpwc.org 

Emily VanVleck, Young BPW  youngbpw@nfbpwc.org 

Sandra Thompson, Immediate Past President immpastpresident@nfbpwc.org 

By: Sher Singh
NFBPWC’s JDEI Chair, dei@nfbpwc.org  

Dear Fellow BPW Sisters, 

I am writing to all of you to invite you to a fantastic finale the JDEI committee is doing on Thursday, June 4, 2024 - 3PM Pacific and 6PM Eastern ON ZOOM. You can find the flyer below.  Please share so everyone can register soon. 

It is a wonderful opportunity for you to tell us what you have accomplished, created, engaged, vision for the next two years, etc.! As well we would like to share all we JDEI have done. 

This is a true collaboration of work in our advocacy work. An example of diversity at its best. 

The program will be relaxed, fun, sharing of ideas, a little activity, and much more.  The only serious move is for us to have a fun time! I will also share a little treat from me. 

I really hope you can mark your calendars and help me thank these wonderful committee members who dedicated so much consistent time and ideas to this committee. They have done an exceptional job!  

Please share it with all your committee members and encourage them to attend. My goal is to have a large engagement to show success from a vision that President Megan, VP Daneene and I had and brought to fruition over 4 years ago. 

I look forward to seeing you! Let us bring joy to getting together with laughter and hope for all we do for womankind!  

 

By: Sandra Thompson,

NFBPWC’s International Chair, international@nfbpwc.org 

 

The time for the BPW International Congress is fast approaching.   It will be held November 17 to 21 in St. Kitts.  Go to https://stkittscongress.bpwinternational.org/registrationfor more information. 

Below is a summary of what is included and the cost for registration. 

 

5 Days - Delegate / Member 

Opening Ceremony, Regional Conferences, General Assembly, Panels, Workshops, Breakfast, Lunch & Coffee Breaks, at the Marriott. 

NOTE: Gala Dinner and Farewell Dinner are not included in this ticket. 17 - 21 Nov 2024 

Ticket Prices 

Early Bird (until 15 July 2024) 

Standard (until 15 Sept 2024) Late (until 15 Oct 2024) 

Credit Card or Bank Transfer 

900 EUR - Early Bird 

1'100 EUR - Standard 

1'250 EUR – Late 

Gala Dinner $145 US 

Farewell Dinner $150 US 

We hope to see a lot of you there to enjoy a time to connect with you BPW sisters from around the world.

By: Suzette Cotto 

NFBPWC Public Relations Chair

Engage with NFBPWC on Social Media

Organization Page:   https://www.facebook.com/NatlFedBPWC/

Group Page: https://www.facebook.com/NatlFedBPWC/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2l_ciIxLyvbu1dbBOsV9Tg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nfbpwc_usa/

By: Susan E. Oser

NFBPWC Rapid Response Committee Chair 

Issues that will need your attention and need to be addressed. – Reproductive 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.   

This month, it’s about Reproductive Rights. 

Since the repeal of Roe vs. Wade, many states have put laws into place ranging from outright abortion bans to bans on IVF.  Below are some stories to give you an example: 

• Why do we need EMTALA (the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act)? - https://tinyurl.com/43cxnf2y 

• Zombie Comstock Law Threatens Abortion...and Much More -https://tinyurl.com/yc5v7d75 

• More than half of Black women ages 15-49 live with little to no abortion access - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/57-percent-black-women-abortion-bans-restictionsrcna151972 

As these example articles show, women need support and protection more than ever.  It’s not just about having a baby, but what is best for a woman to do what she needs to with her body.  If you have a story, please tell it.  

The more you tell your story and share your experience the better. 

So, what can you do to make sure reproductive rights can be protected for all?? 

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

2. Volunteer for organizations that educate about reproductive 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. 

Three Lifelong Leadership & Learning Webinars 

FREE ~ Open to All  Registration Open! 

Zoom: April 23, May 28, June 25 

7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time (register for each event) 

Presented by Kathy Kelly, NFBPWC Vice President and Nancy Werner, NFBPWC Facilitator 

These facilitator-led education and training webinars build relevant personal and professional leadership skills to keep you current in the workplace, community, and the world.  Funded and sponsored by BPW/MD, these courses are updated versions of the Individual Development Program (IDP) that was offered to BPW members years ago.  NFBPWC's Lifelong Leadership & Learning (L3) Committee has worked hard to bring us these current modules. 

Tuesday, June 25: Being an Effective Negotiator - Learn how to negotiate in every human interaction including dealing with difficult situations and people.  Negotiation theory, elements, techniques, and practice scenarios.  Negotiate your position, your salary, and your future with confidence.  Register at:  https://nfbpwc.wildapricot.org/event-5708553 

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

The Bylaws/Resolutions Committee is winding up their “project”.  

For the past 6 months we have been very busy comparing the National Federation’s Bylaws with the Policies and Procedures Manual to see if the two are congruent.  In several incidents they are not.  Therefore, there will be several proposed Bylaws and Policies and Procedures Manual amendments to be presented at the General Assembly in July.  We also found many editorial changes/corrections:  which are mandatory but are not voted upon. 

Look for the proposals in the July e-magazine issue and/or your personal e-mail box. 

This chair is very proud of the hard-working and committed Bylaws/Resolutions Committee:  NF Parliamentarian Sandy Thompson and Virtual Club President, who wears many other hats, Barbara Bozeman.  It is truly a joy to work with them.