By: Teressa Gehrke
NFBPWC Digital Training Special Committee Chair 

Looking for a few good women! Teressa Gehrke will continue as the Digital Training Chair for the next term. Are you tech savvy? She’s looking for a few good women to join the Digital Training Committee. Email DigitalTraining@nfbpwc.org, if you’re interested.  

The committee will support the chair with ongoing tech news  through monthly blogs, articles, and quarterly events. MFA? It’s not a bad word. The next Digital Training event coincides with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We will meet on Sunday, October 20th at 5pm MT. Teressa will discuss MFA, known as Multifactor Authentication. It is also called 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication or Two-Step Authentication). You can register at: https://nfbpwc.wildapricot.org/event 5843112 

For additional assistance or questions, please email:  

DigitalTraining@nfbpwc.org.

By: Sandy Thompson
NFBPWC Finance Chair 2024-2026 

Voting 

Why is it important to vote? 

1. Elections have consequences. You have the power to decide on the quality of life you want. Voting  is your chance to stand up for the issues you care about. This is your life: take the time to help decide  what’s best. 

2. Not voting is giving up your voice. Elections are decided by people who go out and vote. Take some  time and learn about the measures and the candidates. If you don’t vote, someone else will make the  decision for you. Your power is your vote. 

3. It’s your money. You pay your dues, but do you know how that money is being used? Most people  don’t. Voting is your chance to choose how your dues are spent. 

4. Voting is an opportunity for change. Do you want to make a positive impact? Voting gives you that chance! Support the  candidates and measures that help the organization. Make your voice heard in this election. 

5. The organization depends on you! Make the decision to vote for yourself and those around you.

Make sure your voice is heard – Vote! 

Below is a partial list of elections where a single vote decided the outcome: 

• President Ruthford B. Hayes was elected President of the United States by one Electoral vote 186 to 185 

• A Democratic candidate won New York’s election to its 36th Congressional District in 1910 by garnering  20,685 votes, while his Republican opponent drew 20,684. 

• Maine’s 1982 state House election was won by a candidate who received 1,387 votes to the loser’s 1,386  votes 

• A 1980 state House race in Utah in was won by a victor who garnered 1,931 votes over the loser’s 1,930  votes 

• A 1970 Rhode Island state House race was won by the victor’s 1,760 votes to the loser’s 1,759 votes 

• A Missouri state house race during the same year as Rhode Island’s above-referenced political race was  won by the victor’s 4,819 votes over the loser’s 4,818 votes. 

• And don' forget it was by one vote that women won the right to vote! 

So, as you can clearly see, your vote can make all the difference! 

By: Angie Jackson-Wilson
NFBPWC Bylaws and Resolution Chair 2024-2026 

Varnell Kinnen, Co-Chair 

Once the updates from the Biennial are submitted, working with the clubs on future amendments will be crucial. 

Below is a sample proclamation for National Business Women’s Week:

By: Kathy Telban, NFBPWC Women’s Equality Day Team Lead  

On August 24^th we commemorated Women’s Equality Day by expanding it from just acknowledging the certification of the 19^th Amendment that gave women the right to vote to include the continued effort to get the 28^th Amendment in the Constitution. These two       amendments are the bookends to women’s equality.  

 

When the founders were planning for the United States, they left women out of the Constitution by design. Not long ago, I looked up the 19^th amendment to see the actual text and realized that the 28^th amendment (The ERA) had similar language to the 19^th. 

19th Amendment (Began 1848 - Passed 1920)	28th Amendment (Introduced 1923 - PendingPublication)
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.	Equality of rights under the law  shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

Given all the misinformation about what the ERA would do, once you compare them side-by-side you clearly see that the 19^th only focuses on voting and the 28^th is everything else. The ERA is the foundation that says everyone has equal rights under the law and you cannot treat someone differently based on their sex! 

According to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, “Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it.  It doesn't.”  

Our expert panel educated us on these two amendments and the road that women have traveled on their way to full equality for 4 generations. Tina Cassidy, author of Mr. President, How Long Must We Wait? Alice Paul, Woodrow Wilson and the Fight for the Right to Vote (2019) shared the strategies that women used to get the attention of the President and have the 19^th amendment ratified and published. Wendy Murphy, law professor and pioneer in Title IX work, educated us on the ERA with facts from her recently published law review article titled: Unequal Protection of the Laws for Women is Constitutional Terrorism, so How Come Nobody Knows About It? You can find it here: (https://tinyurl.com/4xmw48sx).

Kamala Lopez a filmmaker and Founder/President of Equal Means Equal shared stories, strategies, and how her documentary Equal Means Equal was used to educate and inspire voters in the last three states of Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia to ratify the ERA. This film is still playing on Prime and a must see. She also encouraged attendees to join her Final Impact project by taking a picture with a phone and uploading it to a site that will produce large posters with many individual pictures of people calling Joe Biden to ask him to call the Archivist to direct her to publish the ERA. Learn more here: https://finalimpact.org

This commemorative event was well attended with 58% (70) of the 122 registrations. Of the total registrations, 70% were not members! Attendees took action at the event by signing petitions, a letter to Jill Biden, and texting both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to get the ERA published. You also can sign these petitions: bit.ly/3I9zvnj sponsored by Shattering Glass; www.sign4era.orga National student led petition; and sign this letter to Jill Biden https://equalmeansequal.org/signjillsletter/sponsored by Equal Means Equal. Also text daily “Publish the ERA Now” to President Biden 302-404-0880 and Vice President Harris 301861-2977 until the ERA is published.

The Women’s Equality Day event was recorded, and a link will be available soon. You can watch and share it with others!  

I want to thank President Barbara Bozeman who came up to me after the Biennial Conference to ask me what I’d like to do for NFBPWC and when I shared this idea, she put me in charge and supported me the whole way. Also, thanks to Emily Van Vleck our VP of Advocacy for helping me plan and prepare for this event. In my experience the only way you can pull off an event like this in a short period of time is to have a professional team that gets the job done!

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.