Posted by gansie on August 31, 2009
Maternity care is important [Women's eNews]
New trial for pregnancy firing [Times-Republic / Central Iowa]
It has been a rough time for Marriott and women: Woman wins ageism lawsuit [Columbus Dispatch]
Health Fracas Slows Pro-Woman Changes by Obama [Women's eNews]
How greening your company also works as an employee moral booster [Harvard Business]
How to get your blogs noticed [Smart Blog on Social Media]
Posted in Career Advancement, Families, green, Link Love, Social Media, Successful Workplaces, Sustainability | 1 Comment »
Posted by sailorcindy on August 31, 2009
BPW Foundation is teaming up with women veterans on an exciting project we call the “Dear Jane” campaign.
The purpose of Dear Jane is to have a woman veteran write a letter to a soon-to-be veteran to supply practical advice on making the life change from military to civilian life. The letters so far have offered wonderful anecdotal advice to women who are preparing to make the transition into the civilian world. Here are a few excerpts from the letters we have received:
Nothing could have prepared me for the problems that I have encountered with the VA. It has been an on going struggle and I find it appalling that anyone who has sacrificed 20 years of their lives and their family lives to serve their country would be pushed out the door upon retirement.
Coming “home” … was a big shocker to say the least. I felt like Alice dropping into the rabbit hole. My first trip to Wal Mart resulted in a tearful meltdown – we never had choices like that at the PX/BX/Navy Exchange!
In the civilian world, many people look at a woman veteran as if she is an alien from another planet. [...] The civilian world is full of insecure people, especially men, who might be intimidated by you. [...] Keep trying to build a life for yourself. It takes time.
If I were to do it again, I would have started doing a ton of networking before I left active duty.
Posted in BPW, Career Advancement, Lifestyle | Leave a Comment »
Posted by egehl on August 28, 2009
Four years. It’s a symbolic timeframe in many ways. Four years of college and highschool. Four years until the next Summer Olympics. Four years until the next Presidential election.
However for those of us living in New Orleans four years has further significance.
It marks how long it has been since Hurricane Katrina touched on our shores and destroyed nearly 100,000 units of housing, displaced one million residents, killed 1,800 people, caused $1 billion in damage and crippled the Gulf Coast. Four years since Americans were abandoned on their rooftops and left for days without food and water while the world watched in horror and disbelief. Tomorrow, August 29th, marks the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a day anyone who lived through it will never forget. 
This anniversary is a chance to recognize the rebuilding and positive changes that have happened, but also a time to remind the rest of the nation that work in the Gulf Coast is far from done.
A lot has changed in four years but unfortunately much has stayed the same as well. Residents of the Gulf Coast have a keen understanding that the rest of the country has long ago moved on but there are important lessons learned from Katrina that should never be forgotten. New Orleans is arguably ground zero for every major social problem facing this country—poor education, crime, lack of affordable housing, deteriorating infrastructure, and fractured communities due to racial, class and cultural tensions—and the nation should be mindful about what happens here. The storm gave New Orleans a chance to start over in many ways but with that comes a lot of growing pains as the city’s population, neighborhoods, and demographics change.
This anniversary could be the last time that Americans perk up and have a sense of genuine curiosity about what’s happening in New Orleans because the farther we move away from the event the fuzzier our memories become. Therefore it is the responsibility of New Orleans citizens to provide an honest and stark picture of our reality and remind the rest of the country what’s happening here.
For those of you that don’t know, New Orleans has a long way to go. If you drive through the Lower 9th Ward it feels like the storm happened yesterday. New Orleans is very much a tale of two cities—the parts that flooded (which was 80%) and the parts that didn’t. The parts that include the popular tourist areas such as the French Quarter and Tulane are back up and running and have the same charm seeping from them as before the storm. But other parts of the city tell a different story and whenever I have visitors in town I insist that they see New Orleans beyond just the pretty and fully functioning areas.
When the economic crisis hit last year, Americans began to face what citizens of the Gulf Coast have been dealing with since August, 2005—abandoned and blighted housing, a healthcare system in crisis, increased crime, small businesses closing and infrastructure falling apart.
Housing remains the linchpin issue for the region as many low and moderate income residents are unable to return home because there is not enough quality affordable housing. Most public and affordable housing units were destroyed and very little have come back on line or residents face funding gaps in their Road Home money so they cannot fully rebuild their home. In addition like the rest of the country, New Orleans has suffered from the market and investor crisis so housing projects have been stalled or left incomplete.
It’s important not to solely dwell on the doom and gloom and recognize the disaster’s silver linings. Since the storm, and continuing today, a large influx of amazing, dedicated volunteers and students have descended upon the area to clean up our schools, provide pro-bono services, and rebuild hundreds of homes. Nonprofits have become the backbone of the recovery and risen to the challenge of trying to help those most in need. The nonprofit sector is a stronger, more organized and more cohesive group since the storm and they are a force within the city.
Prior to Katrina, New Orleans was an insular city that according to the 2000 census included a population where 77 percent were considered natives, defined as those born anywhere in Louisiana. New Orleanians have a history of being a prideful bunch, and rightfully so, because our city is one of the most unique cultural treasures of this country. However that pride got in the way of our growth and progress, and outsiders never felt invited into our exclusive circles and traditions. That has changed since Katrina with an influx of new young professionals entering the city because they want to make a difference and be part of the rebuilding process. Their talent has been desperately needed for years and the creativity, motivation, and commitment to civic engagement they bring to the community has brought a renewed energy to the recovery.
Ironically New Orleans has been deemed somewhere to “ride out the recession” because Katrina prevented the city from experiencing the lofty housing bubble crippling the rest of the country and recovery efforts have sustained jobs and prevented major losses.
According to Entrepreneur Magazine, New Orleans has become a mecca for entrepreneurs and a new potential for our region’s rebirth. If you have a good idea, bring it to New Orleans. People are hungry for savvy, outgoing business-minded entrepreneurs that can come up with innovative solutions to our most pressing issues. Our city has produced a burgeoning entrepreneurial culture that is attracting people of all walks of life interested in coming up with new ways to solve long-standing problems.
The recovery of New Orleans for the past four years has been a people centered effort—individuals, small businesses, neighborhoods and nonprofits. However while the tenacity and passionate efforts of the grassroots are worthwhile and significant, it cannot meet the massive needs of a major American city. We needed the government’s support in the immediate aftermath of the storm and the same remains today. However unfortunately we are the poster child for government failure and how limited a recovery can be without effective, transparent, responsible government action.
The fourth anniversary brings up a lot of mixed emotions for New Orleans citizens. While we feel a sense of pride for having survived through the worst natural disaster in our nation’s history and how far we’ve come, we also feel saddened and daunted by what hasn’t been accomplished and what exactly the future holds. Regardless, knowing the citizenry of this great city I have full confidence that we will persevere toward creating the sustainable and prosperous community we all dream of so that we can be a model for the nation.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: affordable housing, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Katrina Four Year Anniversary, New Orleans | 4 Comments »
Posted by espressodog on August 27, 2009
The volume on the health care debate has been turned up dramatically this summer and the din is overwhelming. What is everyone talking about?
The phrase ‘health care reform’ is used broadly to describe any proposal that will change the way medical care is paid for and delivered. While there is a growing consensus that change is necessary, there is not agreement on exactly what that change should be or how it should happen.
Clearly there is a lot at stake – especially for women and small businesses. Women have distinct health care needs and are the primary health care decision makers in most families. Women are more likely than men to report problems getting health care due to cost, regardless of whether they have health insurance or not. The current system is also failing small businesses which are increasingly women-owned. On average, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more than large firms for the same health insurance policy. The status quo is untenable.
If everyone agrees there is a problem why is it taking so long? The answer is one part process, one part legitimate difference of opinion and one part unhelpful noise.
The legislative system developed by the Founding Fathers is designed to slow things down. The President can suggest legislation, but he cannot write it or pass it. He can use his considerable soap box to champion proposals, but he can’t make Congress pass legislation. The person who can make Congress do something is you – the constituent and voter. Health care reform is particularly complicated because jurisdiction for the issue falls in five different committees in the House and Senate. The good news is we are farther along in the process than we have ever been – 4 of those committees have completed their work and the House is scheduled to vote on a combined bill in September. The remaining committee, Senate Finance, is still working and their negotiations are the focus of a lot of angst.
There has been a lot of misinformation about what is in the health care reform proposals. It is important to get the facts straight. Check out www.realitycheck.gov and the links below for more information.
President Obama has not yet specifically endorsed any of the bills working their way through Congress, but he has outlined eight principles for health reform, seeking to address not only the 45 million people who lack health insurance, but also rising health care costs and lack of quality.
This is an historic debate and it is important that we understand what we are talking about.
More Stuff to Read on Health Care Reform
Roadblocks to Healthcare: Why the Current System Does Not Work for Women (White House)
Reform Matters Toolkit (National Women’s Law Center)
10 Reasons to Support Reform (Families USA)
What Is In the Bills (Politifact)
Understanding Health Care Reform (TIME Magazine)
Side by Side Comparison of Major Health Care Proposals (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Posted in Health, Politics, Uncategorized | 15 Comments »
Posted by egehl on August 27, 2009
Last night I stumbled upon a Lifetime original movie called “Acceptance” with Joan Cusack (who I love), and it quickly sucked me in for the duration. The premise was about the pressures teenagers feel when it comes to getting into the “right” college. The protagonist was a young girl in her senior year whose stressed out mom wants her to get into an Ivy League school by acting like the perfect student. Throughout the movie the teenagers and parents must come to terms with each others strengths and weaknesses, and adjust their expectations with what defines success. 
The show got me thinking about the increased pressures girls feel today to be the best and nothing else. There are ridiculous expectations that every girl must get into the best school, achieve straight A’s, get a stellar SAT score, and engage in every extracurricular activity to show off their well-roundedness. The pressure to succeed has always been around, but it seems more pronounced than ever.
It’s Ivy League or bust, and a one size fits all model that defines success. You must be intelligent, outgoing, popular, athletic, a leader and engage in enough community service to practically save the world.
As a result of these societal expectations and cultural trends teen girls are more at risk of a whole host of clinical problems and challenges. At first glance, the stress may seem like run-of-the-mill teenage angst worried about homework, parents, and getting into college but if you dig a little deeper the statistics start to tell another story.
Up to 20 percent of girls aged 10-19 experience episodes of major depression. Over the past 50 years or more, the average onset of female depression has fallen from the mid-30s to the mid-20s, with a significant portion of young women becoming depressed by their early to mid-teens. In addition to depression, one-tenth of all teenage girls try to commit suicide, self-mutilation is on the rise, and some form of eating disorder inflicts close to 5% of all teenage girls. All of this adds up to a staggering sum that ¼ of all girls are suffering in great pain.
Unfortunately the girls without a clinical label are hardly without their challenges. Virtually all of today’s teenagers are struggling with challenges that threaten to overwhelm them. Too many girls are battling with self-hatred, dieting, sexual confusion, and the overall feeling that they will never act, look, or feel good enough. Adults are putting too much strain on them and if they don’t set reasonable expectations girls will constantly feel a sense of failure for not achieving unrealistic goals. Girls are supposed to know what they are doing with the rest of their lives at 17 and that’s a heavy burden to carry on such young shoulders.
Like everything in life, there has to be a healthy balance—motivate our young people to reach their potential and goals yet nurture their talents and accept their individuality even if it’s not what society deems as the “perfect” outcome. We must give expectations that girls can meet because they are capable of working hard, but will suffer if they feel like they are doomed to fail.
To be a successful adult, a young girl just needs to try her best, follow her heart and continue to explore what makes her happy. Success can be defined in so many ways and having a certain alma mater on your resume does not guarantee professional and personal happiness.
Posted in Families, Lifestyle | Tagged: acceptance, girls | 1 Comment »
Posted by YWM on August 26, 2009
An advocate for women’s equality in pay and in health care, Senator Kennedy’s career supported women and families’ ability and right to a better life.
Kennedy played a key role in the following pieces of legislation which have impacted the health and lives of American women and families.
Posted in Advocacy, BPW, Economy, Families, Feminism, Health, Pay Equity, Politics, Successful Workplaces, Worklife Balance | Tagged: Economy, equality, Pay Equity, Politics, race, women, women's health, work-life, workplace | 1 Comment »
Posted by egehl on August 21, 2009
With Bill brewing in the Atlantic, he is a stark reminder for those of us living in areas of the country susceptible to storms, that we are in the thick of hurricane season.
September is national disaster preparation month, and as much as we would like to click our heels and wish the next six weeks away, we all have to be vigilant about preparing for a hurricane, or any disaster.
Everyone knows that they need to prepare for an emergency, but the reality is no one really takes the time and effort to do it.
Perhaps we have a flashlight and radio in our house—but do we have plans in case there’s a mandatory evacuation or enough money in the bank to pay for that evacuation?
When someone asked me the other day what I would do in case a hurricane hit the Gulf Coast, my answer was, “I don’t know.” Perhaps jump on a plane, drive in crazy traffic far, far away or hunker down and hope for the best (probably not the best option).
It’s human nature to wait until the last minute, however it’s never too late to get started. Regardless of whether you live in the eye of the storm, everyone should take a moment to think about what they would do in the event of an emergency. Emergency preparedness is no longer the sole concern of those living in areas prone to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. For Americans, preparedness must now account for man-made or terrorist disasters, as well as natural ones.
It’s easy to underestimate the size and scope of a disaster and the impact it could have on your home, family and belongings. Those of us living in New Orleans know this all too well and hopefully our lessons learned can be passed on to prevent anything like Katrina from happening again.
With that, I wanted to offer some tips to think about how to prepare your family in the event of an emergency, big or small.
1. Put together an emergency kit. This could include a variety of items but most importantly it should have the following things. 
Water (one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation); Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food); Battery-powered or hand crank radio; Flashlight and extra batteries; First aid kit; Moist towelettes and garbage bags; Can opener; Cell phone with chargers; Local maps; Infant formula and diapers; Pet food; Important family documents such as a copy of your mortgage, pictures, insurance information, etc; Change of clothing for at least a few days.
2. Make a plan even if it’s broad. Gain a general idea of what you would do in the event of an emergency.
3. Stay informed before and during an emergency.
Posted in Families | Tagged: disaster preparation, emergency, hurricane | 1 Comment »
Posted by joyinhome on August 20, 2009
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing The Color Purple broadway show, featuring Fantasia Barrino as Celie. I attended the event with four generations of women in my family: my grandmother, my mother, two aunts and my 12 year-old daughter and her cousin who is the same age.
If you know the story of Celie, it is a heartbreaker from the beginning. During her lifetime, she is a victim of incestual rape, domestic violence, verbal abuse and she is estranged from her sister and children. However, she trimuphs.
I may be poor, I may be black and I may be ugly, but I’m here!
Somewhere during the run of this production, Fantasia and Celie became 
one. The parallels of their lives surely helped Fantasia get into character and understand her “motivation.” She made you cry and shout for Celie. Faces were wet – male and female- before the curtain closed. And Celie- she found her piece of happiness and ran with it!
Of course Fantasia’s singing stirred your soul, but her acting was on par with the rest of this broadway-seasoned cast. With that said, I want to highlight some of the other women cast members.
As a black woman, I cheered as they overcame so many obstacles, at a time when women and especially Black women were less than nothing. There are themes brought out in this show that are still present in 2009 for all women but heightened for women of color.
I swear, if this show does not receive the acclaim it deserves, I will spit! I had enough when the movie was passed over- I’m sure Speilberg shared my sentiments.
Posted in Diversity, Families, Feminism | Tagged: domestic violence, equality, gender roles, history, race, women | Leave a Comment »
Posted by egehl on August 19, 2009
I underestimate our culture’s celebrity obsession and critical eye that is constantly watching every move a famous person makes and clothing item they wear. Normally you can laugh it off and think it’s just us being ridiculous and infatuated, but when I heard this morning on the Today Show about an “uproar” over Mrs. Obama’s shorts, it stopped me dead in my tracks.
Did I hear that right? Her what? Her shorts?
Turns out our First Lady wore shorts to the Grand Canyon this week. Well, what in the world was she supposed to wear? I don’t know about you but hiking in the hot, windy, rocky and treacherous Grand Canyon doesn’t call for a skirt, dress or even pants. 
Hours upon hours have been spent talking about what a First Lady should or should not wear. First, it was whether or not she had the right to “bare arms,” and now, pictures of Michelle wearing “short” shorts while on holiday with her family are sparking a similar debate.
It’s 2009 people, and in case you hadn’t noticed we live in a country where women get to show their legs and arms. Perhaps if she had come out with some “daisy dukes” we might have gasped, but she has better judgment than that and her shorts were tasteful. It should be fine if our First Lady wants to dress relaxed like the rest of us and show that she’s casual and comfortable with her body. I think the days of offering a polished reserved example at all times is being challenged and it’s good to shake things up.
Scrutinizing and commenting on Mrs. Obama’s clothing has taken on a life of its own. I just learned about “Mrs. O”, a website that is dedicated to following the fashion of the First Lady. The front page has updated pictures of her various outfits with captions at the bottom denoting the writer’s reactions to her various choices and who are the fashion designers of the clothing. The site’s goal is to be an evolving resource to chronicle our First Lady’s look, while providing fashion commentary and information. It even encourages visitors to contribute tips, photos and commentary, and share enthusiasm for what they believe is a budding style icon.
Our country has not seen a First Lady as a fashion icon in a long time so it’s understandable that our curiosity wants to know and comment on her every move and clothing choice. But sometimes it just goes too far and seems petty and unnecessary. Lighten up folks! How about we get back to that healthcare system we still need to fix.
Posted in Feminism, Lifestyle | Tagged: fashion icon, first lady, michelle obama, shorts, women's health | 4 Comments »
Posted by gansie on August 19, 2009
As someone who bleeds green, I take great pride the in the Philadelphia Eagles.
I was heartbroken when the soul of the team, Brian Dawkins, left for the west coast. But every fall, I have faith that we’ll come <this close> to a Super Bowl win.
When Michael Vick, former quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons and now, former prison mate, joined the franchise everyone went CRAZY.
I was shocked (we have a quarterback!) but then pumped. He’s a tremendous athlete, and sure, he might be rusty, but I think this will bring some energy to the Linc.
But I’m pretty sure my sentiments were uncommon. Vick was sent to prison for competitive dog fighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines.
Animal cruelty is despicable.
But as I stated on my Facebook status:
America is the land of opportunity.America is the land of second chances.Philadelphia is the city of brotherly love.
E-A-G-L-E-S.
All I had to do was Google “NFL rape” and dozens of stories appeared:
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall
Detroit Lions safety Ron Rice and quarterback Charlie Batch, the former Lions defensive back Tyree Talton and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Dedric Ward
former NFL running back David Meggett…
Now, let me be clear, these men haven’t all been tried and convicted. And I don’t want to just throw around the issue of domestic violence, nor shame people that are not guilty. But the fact that all of these results popped up from a quick search says something.
I ask that we put the Vick case into perspective. He treated animals poorly. He served time. He is extremely apologetic.
Let’s focus on the other–and what I would deem, more important atrocities–the lack of attention paid to the atrocities happening to women.
Posted in Feminism, Lifestyle | Tagged: animal cruelty, domestic violence, football, Michael Vick, philadelphia eagles, sports | 6 Comments »
