Women Misbehavin'

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From Unemployed to Production Assistant

Posted by gansie on August 19, 2010

Business and Professional Women Foundation’s “Moving from Red to Green: Working Women in the Green Economy” initiative connects women to the emerging green economy by providing green job training. With generous support from the Walmart Foundation, BPW Foundation‘s four pilot programs have been awarded $60,000 grants to expand their capacity to train women for green jobs. CLIMB Wyoming is one of the grantees.

Here is how BPW Foundation is supporting women’s involvment in sustainability work.

Adanna is a wonderful representation of the CLIMB Wyoming program, including how the organization is working toward ‘green’ goals.

Thanks to CLIMB, Adanna now works at Pridigicom where she creates electronic proofs for customers (instead of paper-wasting hard copies), utilizes a digital eco-friendly press, recycles and uses green cleaning supplies. She even rides her bike to work. She often spends more than fifty percent of her workday involved in green activities.

Prior to entering the CLIMB program, Adanna was unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. In her new position as production assistant, Adanna makes $12 per hour during a 40-hour work week. Because of her current responsibilities, she is looking forward to the possibility of a future career path in web design for businesses.

Elly Garrett of CLIMB Wyoming’s Teton Area office had this to say about Adanna:
When Adanna first came to our program in January 2010, she identified that recycling was one of her passions.  During our program, she proved to be clever, attentive, and creative team player, one with great attention to detail. These traits have served her well in her job placement with Pridigicom, Inc.
CLIMB helped her overcome barriers and led to her current success in the workplace—- a positive leap toward achieving self-sufficiency and supporting her family.

CLIMB Wyoming is a nationally recognized training model that provides innovative and comprehensive services to economically disadvantaged single mothers and their families.

Working Women in the Green Economy bpwfoundation.org/greenforwomen

Green Success Stories
From Nail Polish to Residential Weatherization
From Jail to Class Leader



Posted in BPW, green, Successful Workplaces, Sustainability | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Helping Women Veterans Succeed in College

Posted by sherrysaunders on August 3, 2010

Women veterans are a growing and important part of the U.S. Labor Force.  According to the Bureau of Labor statistics in 2009, about 1.9 million of the nation’s veterans served during Gulf War era II (September 2001 forward).  About 18 percent of these veterans were women, compared with 3 percent of veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam era combined.

The VA reports that over 150,000 women will transition from the military over next few years. As of the fall of 2009, women made up more than 14 % of active duty military, more than 17% of active reserves and 15% of the National Guard. Women veterans on average are younger than their male counterparts; this indicates that women veterans will probably be spending more time seeking education and training as they develop their civilian careers.  

AM2010_Banner As these women join student bodies of colleges and universities across the country, will they meet with an atmosphere of acceptance and assistance or one that does not recognize some of the unique problems and challenges they face as they transition back into civilian life?   A new issue brief from the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE) addresses some these questions and offers some practical options for institutions of higher learning to help these women veteran students.

Suggestions in the brief, The Female Veteran-Friendly Campus include:

  • Seek out female therapists in the community to work pro bono with returning women veterans.
  • Open a campus child care center, with slots reserved for the children of veterans.
  • Identify a member of the career services staff who knows how to translate military experience for civilian résumés.
  • Make a deliberate effort to encourage women veterans to identify themselves and meet other women veterans.

ACE prepared the issue brief based discussions at meetings in Washington, DC, attended by women veterans, representatives of higher education institutions and other experts including BPW CEO Deborah Frett.  A survey of 125 ACE/OWHE State Network Coordinators was also conducted.  

Women Veterans In TransitionWomen Veterans in Transition, a research project on women veterans conducted by BPW Foundation supports the findings in this new ACE brief. The BPW Foundation research found that the transition from the military into the civilian workforce is a multi-dimensional process. A number of factors need to be considered when  crafting programs and services that fully support women veterans as they move into civilian life be it the workplace or an educational setting.   

It is so important that all institutions are ready to help our veterans as they make that critical transition from military to civilian life.  This brief is an important addition to information needed to support our veterans.

Posted in BPW, Education, Research | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Title IX More Than Fun and Fairness

Posted by sherrysaunders on June 25, 2010

Title IXThere have been lots of statements and tributes on the 38 year anniversary yesterday of Title IX, legislation that broke down barriers for women and girls in sports and education.  Since then, young women have flocked to the fields and courts to hone their athletic abilities, have fun and improve their health.  But the importance of Title IX is more than fun and fairness.  Important new research by Wharton business and public policy professor Betsey Stevenson offers empirical evidence that playing sports leads to more education and better employment opportunities.

The paper titled, “Beyond the Classroom: Using Title IX to Measure the Return to High School Sports,”  compares the variation in outcomes across states for girls who went to school before Title IX and after, and concludes that playing sports paid off. Looks like denying young women the right to play sports actually hurt their employment and financial futures.

So let’s give a cheer for all of those, including BPW members  and Representative Patsy Mink, who worked tirelessly for passage those many years ago.  But in particular I would like to give a call out to former Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana, without whom, women would still be sitting in the stands.  Attention to his role and efforts have been missing in all of the hoopla and coverage of this anniversary.  So thank you Birch Bayh!!!

Representative Patsy Mink

Senator Birch Bayh

Posted in Advocacy, BPW, Career Advancement, Education, girls, sports | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

47 years Later and Still No Pay Equity

Posted by sherrysaunders on June 11, 2010

Yesterday was the 47th anniversary of the signing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963.  Love this picture of the signing as 1962-63 Business and Professional Women’s/USA president Dr. Minnie Miles watches. She also was given the the first pen in recognition of all of the work done by BPW members to ensure passage of the act.  Well I guess we have come a long way as they say but we still haven’t achieved pay equity dispite all of the good work done by those women. 
  
The next step is to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act (S182) has already passed the House and has 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. Women and the families that depend upon them deserve fair pay. Even if you have taken action on this issue before, we need your voice now! Please take a moment to call or write your legislators and ask them to support the Paycheck Fairness Act! You can easily write your Members of Congress using the BPW Foundation Advocacy Center.

In a nationwide poll of registered voters commissioned by the Paycheck Fairness Act Coalition, of which BPW Foundation is a key leader, 84% said they supported “a new law that would provide women more tools to get fair pay in the workplace.”  84%! Participants were told that the “law will also make it harder for employers to justify paying different wages for the same work and ensure that businesses that break the law compensate women fairly” - precisely what the Paycheck Fairness Act would do. 

 So 47 years later there is still work to do to ensure women are paid fairly.  Seems like it is taking a long time.

President John F. Kennedy signs the 1963 Equal Pay Act into law as BPW/USA president Dr. Minnie Miles watches.

Posted in Advocacy, BPW, Feminism, Pay Equity, Woman Misbehavin' | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

We All Need To Be Our Own Best Friends First

Posted by sherrysaunders on June 10, 2010

Becoming Your Own Best Friend, a new book published by Professional Woman Publishing, is a fascinating compilation of expertise and creative knowledge shared by twenty-five amazing women. The topics covered range from the personal to the professional including:  Overcoming Childhood Trauma, Overcoming the Need to be Perfect, Sisterhood: The Importance of Friendship, and In the Still of the Night, the importance of solitude.

Business and Professional Women’s Foundation trustee and Secretary Venita Garvin Valdez, is one of the book’s chapter authors.  Venita’s chapter “When the Vows Break, How to Handle Divorce” is a beautiful mix of personal story and practical steps leading to a “healthy” divorce,” while becoming your own best friend during such a life altering change.  

Venita is the Chief Executive Officer of the Domestic Abuse Shelter (DAS), Inc., which serves

Venita Gavin Valdez

victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West. Garvin Valdez has been with DAS for eleven years. She is also a certified trainer in cultural diversity.  

Check out the book and become your own best friend.

Posted in BPW, Feminism, Friendship, Lifestyle, Mental health, Woman Misbehavin' | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Misbehavin’ Notification: Two Foundations Join Forces for Women Veterans

Posted by sherrysaunders on May 28, 2010

National Summit Will Address the Unique Needs of Women Veterans

Every day, women in the military are willing to lay down their lives for our country.  But when they return home, they often are misunderstood, underutilized and sometimes forgotten. Research reveals that, as a nation, we somehow are missing the mark when it comes to supporting women veterans during a difficult and challenging transition in their lives.

 With support from McCormick Foundation, Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation will host Joining Forces for Women Veterans, a national Summit to raise awareness, create an action plan and launch a fund to help support solutions for women veterans who are challenged in their transition to civilian career, family, and community lives. The Summit will build on existing research as well as best practices of successful programs and policies.

 “Just as women serving in the military have faced unique challenges, the same is true for  returning women veterans,” said David D. Hiller, president and CEO of the McCormick Foundation.“We are proud to join the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation in this effort, giving back to women veterans who have given so much for all of us.”

Women In Military Service for America Memorial

 “BPW Foundation’s premise, as supported by our research, is that women veterans are unique and should be considered separately,” says Roslyn Ridgeway, chair of the BPW Foundation Board of Trustees. “The impact of military service on these women as workers, spouses and family caretakers cannot and should not be underestimated.” 

 The Summit will be held in fall 2010 in Washington, DC. It is scheduled as a full day meeting with approximately 40 to 50 participants, including women veterans, government, community and corporate representatives. The topic areas are employment and careers; family and community re-integration; and homelessness. Public policy will be integrated throughout the program. As a result of the Summit, an ongoing fund will be established to support programs and services for women veterans.

 “During the past 10 years, we have learned that their scope of responsibility in the service, along with the skills and talents that make these women great soldiers, has strengthened their value as employees and leaders,” says BPW Foundation CEO, Deborah Frett.

 “However, the transition back to civilian life can be difficult and involves challenges that are unique to them as women,” Frett continued.

 In addition to assistance from McCormick Foundation, BPW Foundation also will leverage its support base which includes Congressional committee members, Administration officials, coalition partners and key agency officials.

 BPW Foundation believes in the power of a united stakeholder voice to recognize and create the systems and programs that focus on women veteran’s success. This Summit is the launch of a multi-year initiative to leverage public and private support to implement solutions.

 Today there are more than 1.8 million women veterans in the United States and that number is growing exponentially. These ‘sheroes’ are four times as likely as non-veteran women to be homeless, suffer a more than 7.1 percent rate of unemployment and a divorce rate that is sometimes higher than the national average and leave these women with primary responsibility for caring for children.

 “These women return to lead roles within their families, communities and the U.S. workforce. BPW Foundation believes it is our duty to support them,” Ridgeway added.

 BPW Foundation is seeking public and private partners to supplement the McCormick Foundation investment and help launch this initiative. To get involved, contact BPW Foundation at womenvetsummit@bpwfoundation.org.

 Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation partners to create successful workplaces that practice and embrace diversity, equity and work-life balance. BPW Foundation is a 501(c)(3) research and education organization. Through our groundbreaking research and unique role as a convener of employers and employees, BPW Foundation leads the way in developing and advocating for polices and programs that “work” for both women and businesses. www.bpwfoundation.org

 The McCormick Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening our free, democratic society by investing in our children, communities and country. It was established as a charitable trust in 1955, upon the death of Col. Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, who believed that philanthropy and service to others strengthens the civic health of our communities. The Foundation is one of the nation’s largest charities, with more than $1 billion in assets. To learn more about the McCormick Foundation visit www.McCormickFoundation.org.

Posted in BPW, Misbehavin' Notification | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Women’s Empowerment

Posted by ywmguest on May 20, 2010

We love our network of…girls, that’s right girls. YWM encourages young girls to misbehave and we must encourage them to do so. Today’s guest blogger is eighth-grader, Nadiyah Peacock.

Women’s empowerment to me is to uplift and encourage the strength and intelligence of women. In order for one woman to empower the next, I believe that  several programs such as Peer Mediation for Girls, Women’s Training and Women’s History should be implemented in both our schools and surrounding communities. 
A Peer Mediation for Girls Program should be implemented which would allow young ladies to discuss various issues that are affecting them, to get and give advice to their friends and peers. They may feel comfortable and willing to talk to people their age about their problems, teachers, counselors, parents and other adults.

We should have a Women’s History Program to show the achievements that women have made in history. This program would allow women to not only build confidence in themselves, but they would also be educated on the history of women. I believe that this is important because most people fail to acknowledge the history of women especially those of the African American culture.

A Women’s Training Program would teach and enforce class and etiquette among our young ladies and teach them how to carry themselves.  I  believe that Women’s Training would be beneficial because it would teach us how to grow into ourselves and become more comfortable with who we are.

Nadiyah will be competing with a version of this speech in a contest sponsored by African American Women’s Resource Center.

Posted in BPW, Feminism, girls, Uncategorized, YWM | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Misbehavin’ Notification: Successful Workplaces Foundation Hires Applied Research Director

Posted by sherrysaunders on May 18, 2010

BPW Foundation Seeks Evidence-Based Solutions to Workforce Issues

Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation has hired Kara Nichols Barrett as the director of applied research. BPW Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) research and education organization recognized for its evidence-based solutions to workplace and workforce issues. BPW Foundation partners to create successful workplaces for working women, their families and employers.  

 “Ms. Nichols Barrett brings a broad background in research and project management on gender issues that will greatly enhance BPW Foundation’s research and programmatic capabilities,” said Roslyn Ridgeway, chair of the Board of Trustees. “This is a key position for our organization. The ability to apply research to the workplace to address the needs of today’s workforce is critical to our nation’s success.”

 Most recently, Nichols Barrett has been working as a research consultant to BPW Foundation on its Young Careerist Research Project, to determine the views of Generation Y women about the workplace in order to support their success and that of their current and prospective employers.

The vision is to build successful and profitable workplaces for employers and employees. Understanding and addressing the needs of Generation Y women is and will be critical to employers in order to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

 “In this new capacity, Ms. Nichols Barrett will be responsible for the development, evaluation, and oversight of all mission-focused new and existing applied research including research design, budget management, development support, partnership development and research implementation. She will be in charge of translating the organization’s goals into specific applied research, education, tools, outreaches and events,” explains Deborah Frett, CEO for BPW Foundation. Nichols Barrett will work in conjunction with BPW Foundation’s research and education committee which provides a mixture of business, workforce development, academic and research expertise. 

 “With Kara’s wide experience in the gender issues both in this country and abroad as well as her extensive writing in the field, she is uniquely qualified for this challenging position,” Frett said.

 Previously Nichols Barrett was the research and program manager for the Greater Access to Trade Expansion (GATE) Project. Her work involved strengthening the capacity of USAID/Washington and its Missions to integrate gender-equitable practices in economic growth and trade activities. 

 Other work experiences include serving as the gender integration specialist for the USAID Jordan Economic Development Program and conducting research at the National Center for Fathering in Cairo, Egypt on the impact of father-daughter relationships in Egypt.

 Nichols Barrett has written and co-authored more than a dozen articles on gender equity issues, encompassing economics, gender training programs for integrating women into a variety of fields, and trade issues. 

 She has a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Taylor University in Indiana and a master’s degree in Public Anthropology from American University in Washington, DC.

Posted in BPW, Gen Yner, Misbehavin' Notification, Successful Workplaces | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Misbehavin’ Notification: Green Online Resource for Women

Posted by YWM on April 22, 2010

Green Website for Women Launched on Earth Day
BPW Foundation Connects Women to Green Jobs

[Washington, DC] – In celebration of Earth Day, Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation is launching Working Women in the Green Economy (www.bpwfoundation.org/greenforwomen), a new microsite tailored specifically for women seeking information and career assistance for sustainable jobs of the future. 

“This new site, funded by the Walmart Foundation, is part of BPW Foundation’s Moving from Red to Green: Working Women in the Green Economy (Red to Green) initiative that connects women to the emerging green economy by providing green job training and resources,” said BPW Foundation Chair Roslyn Ridgeway.  

“Women have historically been under-represented in non-traditional industries. Our Red to Green pilot project will help women better understand and identify the sustainable jobs of the future while aligning their skills with those particular jobs,” Ridgeway continued. “We encourage women to seek out jobs that they may not have previously considered.”

The microsite will aggregate tools for green training providers, researchers, employers, entrepreneurs and jobseekers. It features a green jobs feed, newly released research, news articles and social media for green topics. “BPW Foundation wants to ensure that women have access to green and greener job options as well as the skills, information and support they need to succeed,” explained Deborah Frett, CEO for BPW Foundation.  

“While resources for finding and identifying green jobs are increasingly available, our site is unique because of its focus on women in the green economy,” said Frett.

BPW Foundation will analyze and organize information with the site serving as a portal for a variety of vital green resources.  Access to BPW Foundation’s research and resources on working women and successful workplaces will also be available via www.bpwfoundation.org/greenforwomen.    

“Our goal is for the greening of the workplace to include a new range of opportunities for women, as well as other under-represented populations, to compete and contribute. As a result, an inclusive workforce will support a stronger economy and success for businesses, as recent research on diverse workplaces has revealed.” Frett concluded. 

The ‘Red to Green’ pilot project funds four training programs to expand organization’s capacity to train women for green jobs.  The sites are Vermont Works for Women, VT; CLIMB Wyoming, WY; Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center, PA and Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles, CA.

BPW Foundation supports workforce development programs and workplace policies that recognize the diverse needs of working women, communities and businesses. BPW Foundation is a 501 ©(3) research and education organization. To learn more, visit www.bpwfoundation.org.

Posted in BPW, Career Advancement, Diversity, Economy, Families, girls, Global, green, Misbehavin' Notification, Research, Successful Workplaces, Sustainability | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Presidential Proclamation: Equal Pay Day

Posted by joyinhome on April 21, 2010

Like I said, POTUS Maximus…

We are all responsible for ensuring every American is treated equally. From reshaping attitudes to developing more comprehensive community-wide efforts, we are taking steps to eliminate the barriers women face in the workforce. Today, let us reaffirm our pledge to erase this injustice, bring our Nation closer to the liberty promised by our founding documents, and give our daughters and granddaughters the gift of true equality.

-Barack Obama

More…

Posted in Advocacy, BPW, Career Advancement, Diversity, Economy, Families, girls, Global, Pay Equity, Successful Workplaces | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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