Viva la Feminista

I'm happy that my family moved out of my childhood home. Not happy that they all live in North Carolina, but happy that with all the changes in our lives, we are doing it in a new place. That said, the memory of my mom hangs over everything. Obviously she would have loved the kid and the nephew. But I know she would have embraced my youngest sister's step-kids and never referred to them as step-grandchildren. She loved kids. But knowing all of that in the same house I grew up in? I couldn't handle that. Returning once a year to the town where she died is hard enough. Three years wasn't enough time for me to make memories where I can drive around and only smile. The kids make things better. Seeing the kid play with her lil nephew was a highlight. They ran around the yard playing, kicking the ball, and even the kid playing "big sister" a few times. My youngest sister didn't come over for Thanksgiving, but her and her kids met the rest of us at Chuck E. Che

Especially when they Rick Roll us

Happy Thanksgiving all! While there are some historical and racist issues with Thanksgiving, it is a tradition in mi familia. I prefer to focus on the gathering of loved ones to share one kick ass meal. So let's get to the thankfulness: My Chicago family : When my parents & sisters left Chicago in 2000 it was weird not having immediate family so close. The in-laws & the nephew are still nearby, but just a jump-skip-and-a-hop away is our family of BFFs and partners-in-parenting. My work : All of it. The daily interaction with young women with big dreams and the fact that I get to help them chase them. The writing that I do - Not just to share my opinions, but to share knowledge and engage in a conversation. My activist family : I am sooo lucky that I get to work with such amazing women to address issues surrounding reproductive justice, mothers rights, and media on a regular basis. My husband & daughter : They put up with all my crap, late night writing, and meetings o

********************************************** Monday night I made my WGN network debut (well, if you don't count catching glimpses of me at Cubs games) on the WGN News discussing the B word - BITCH. I taped the segment a few weeks ago and it was pretty nerve wracking because the crew was coming to my house (clean up!), on a "vacation" day I had scheduled to watch my daughter & her BFF on one of many CPS teacher service days, I didn't know how the doxie would react with two strange men coming over, AND of course, it was my first on camera in a long time. But thanks to my peeps at the Women's Media Center, I had my talking points all written out. I never got to meet the producer, Pam, but we chatted on the phone quite a bit before and over the past few days. She seems like an awesome woman and I hope we can work together again in the future. Antwan is amazing. He was super nice and seemed genuinely interested in the conversation. The gold star goes to t

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) ********************************************** Latino Politics Blog reports that Linda Sanchez, Congresswoman from California, is pregnant. AND SINGLE! Linda Sanchez is not married but is engaged and planned this pregnancy. Not the ideal way to go about things, especially in a community with a teen pregnancy rate that is twice the national average and a rising out of wedlock birthrate. Sure, at 39, Rep. Sanchez’s biological clock is ticking, and her window of opportunity shrinking. But come on, in a community lacking role models on the national scene, I wouldn’t have suggested that she announce this pregnancy prior to at least having a civil wedding ceremony. There are wedding chapels all over Southern California, and we are in close proximity to Las Vegas…. why not get married now if you plan to do it anyway? Other options would have been to have some of her eggs frozen

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) **************************************************************** I just got the acceptance email and am super psyched! Full details will be forthcoming... Oakton Community College Women’s & Gender Studies Conference – March 2009 “Chicago Feminisms: Past, Present & Future” Roundtable Discussion: “Work & Family: The Final Feminist Frontier?” Mothers have a long history of organizing for better schools, childcare and labor conditions. And, we have been at the forefront of opening the doors and cracking the ceilings that have led to women’s advancement in the workplace. But, despite the tremendous progress we have made, many of us continue to face an uphill battle when it comes to trying to earn a living and pursue a career while caring for our children and families. The roundtable will focus on how societal shifts in recent decades have disproportionately aff

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) **************************************************************** This week at Work it, Mom! I tackle the odd position the New Hampshire Senate finds itself in with respect to women being the majority. I'm headed to North Carolina for dinner at my dad's so I hope to have posts written & scheduled for your holiday reading pleasure! I'm gonna miss the doxie during the travel, but thankfully the neighbors upstairs have a house sitter so I don't have to worry about the house. My latest AWEARNESS posts include: Would Hillary's Promotion to Secretary of State Be Harmful to Women? Free.Will.Power Has the Prop 8 Backlash Gone Too Far? When Mom and Dad Play College Sports I'm super behind in emails, but I'll get to them some day!

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) ********************************************** Last week I wrote about fake clinics aka crisis pregnancy centers and how there is a good chance that with Bush's last minute regulation changes, they would get Title X money. Well now we have something we can do about it. Feminist Majority thru their Feminist Campus program launched a petition: Deceptive Advertising Practices and Federal Funding of Fake Clinics! Join us in demanding an end to false and deceptive advertising practices and federal funding for fake clinics by signing the below petition! Many so-called “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” or “pregnancy resource centers” pose as full-service health clinics and lure women in with promises of “free” pregnancy tests and “options” counseling for unintended pregnancies. Some even advertise under “abortion services” in the yellow pages. Instead, these so-called cente

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) ********************************************** ESTP - The Doers The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time. What's your type?

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama (There are new rules & an extended deadline) **************************************************************** There will be a second year of training progressive women to transform the media landscape! The best part of this call? The entire three class schedule is out. So clear your calendars feministas and apply today! If I can get in, you can get in...so get to it...And good luck. I personally encourage Midwesterners to apply. We need more of us represented. It's all paid for (except the drinking, unless a certain Rachel Maddow-loving staffer brings wine to dinner), so don't complain you're too poor. Of course, child care will be an issue...Alas, I have no easy answer to that one. I never did write up my last thoughts on the training. I don't want to do that now. It wasn't a perfect training, but I hope that some of the pains of being the first year will mean the second year participants will go s

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama **************************************************************** The thing with electing a Senator to the White House is that my home state is now down one Senator. So our Guv aka GRod gets to appoint someone to that position. Most people think that he HAS to appoint another African-American to the position. He actually has a lower approval rating that W. and hasn't said whether or not he's going to try for a 3rd term. So...people are expecting him to pander. It goes without saying that smart money is that he will appoint someone who is already in elected office. That leads me to POTUSe's Chief of Staff...Rahm...my former Congressman. Since he's leaving, his seat is like that last bratwurst at a Super Bowl party...everyone thinks they deserve that seat. The fun thing is that GRod doesn't get to appoint this one, oh no, there's going to be a special election ! Many names have been rumored, but onl

This week's giveaway: The American Journey of Barack Obama **************************************************************** Today's Work it, Mom! post is about the struggles of a working mom, especially in light of Michelle Obama's new role as First Lady. My latest AWEARNESS posts include: Public or Private for WeeMichelles Did Feminism Score its First Win of the Obama Era? Are You a Confused Football Fan? Which Way Will Michelle Obama's Fashion Go? Update on Nebraska's Safe Haven Law Women's Stories on Veterans' Day And lastly ex-lion tamer tagged me with the 5 interesting things meme: I constantly crack my knuckles and I hate it. I seriously can't stop. I can't stick to a diet to save my life...To save the kid's yes, but not my own. Why? It seriously freaks me out that the kid looks like me...I try not to think about it, but my husband likes to remind me. I find it interesting that there are people who have no online presence. Like what

Thanks to my friends at Hachette Book, I am offering a copy of The American Journey of Barack Obama to ONE lucky reader! I have a copy of my own and it's beautiful. There are photos we've all seen and some that we haven't, including one of Obama giving his anti-Iraq War speech in 2002. Oh, if only any of us at Federal Plaza had an inkling what was in store for him then. I guess if anyone did, they would have videotaped it! To enter this drawing you need to: 1) Write an entry on your blog about [ edited to add ] anyone in the Obama family or Inauguration Day. Are you planning on heading to DC? Planning a party? It's on a school day, so are you going to let the kids stay home? 2) In your entry link back to this post. [ edited to add ] If you already posted something, yes, you can just edit in a link to this post to an older post. 3) Comment so I know to look for your post. COMMENT. Just comment and leave your email address. I want to give this fabulous book away, s

According to Politico.com , the uproar that fellow feminists & myself made at the idea of Larry as Sect. of the Treasury has gotten him scratched off the short list. The women’s opposition to a possible Summers’ appointment was the explanation some Democratic sources are hearing for why the Obama transition team has crossed Summers off their list. The Obama team doesn’t want to kick off its administration with a controversy nor go head-to-head with an important constituency when there are other qualified candidates, political operatives speculate. My WMC Commentary was also picked up by the following sites: AlterNet The Colorado Independent Op-Ed News Huffington Post Feministing National Examiner About.com Women's Issues Edited to add: I wrote about this at AWEARNESS as well, but posed the question "Did feminism score its first victory of the Obama era?" Please come over, read, and comment!

When I consult people and orgs on being an online presence, I always give props to NARAL Pro-Choice America for not just embracing online technologies, but using them the way they should be used. That's why I shouldn't had been surprised when I got the press release yesterday that NARAL is launching a new micro-site with videos: A web site, www.MyFreeWillPower.com , will feature these videos as well as other technologybased interactive ways for new activists to get involved with NARAL Pro-Choice America’s work, whether it’s taking action on a choice-related issue, forwarding videos to friends, joining our social-networking groups, or participating in contests to promote the pro-choice message. The revolution will be blogged or broadcast in some format people...get with it.

There's a great article in the current issue of Ms. about fake pregnancy clinics and how college campuses are referring students to them . When Nina Lopez, 19, a student at Santa Monica College in California, learned that her school routinely referred students concerned about possible pregnancies to a “pregnancy resource center,” or “crisis pregnancy center” (CPC), she was concerned... Lopez, a member of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) on her campus, decided to check out herself whether one particular center recommended by her school was actually offering a full range of choices to young women. So she went for a pregnancy test at the center, which promises “informed pregnancy and sexual health choices” in its brochure and which, according to its website, has medically trained staff and offers medical consultation. As someone who works with college students, this is scary. I have noted that there are at least 3 of these fake clinics listed on a resource board on

Normally I'm not one to push Mary Kay products. I still twitch when I hear their name...too much animal rights protesting in high school not to mention Berkley Breathed cartoons. BUT...I know from a very trusted source that Mary Kay did change their ways and are bunny safe. And then this just came thru on my Facebook that I had to pass along to y'all because I love the Chicago Women's Health Center: Mary Kay rep and Chicago Women's Health Center supporter, Marsena Holsopple, has generously offered to give us 50% of her profits from now through December 31! Now you can pamper yourself, do holiday shopping, and support CWHC at the same time--all you have to do is go to www.marykay.com/marsena and type CWHC in the memo line when you check out. In addition to cosmetics, Mary Kay offers soaps, lotions, skin care, sunscreen, lip balms, fragrance, gift certificates, and a variety of luxurious spa products. Marsena will also provide complimentary gift wrapping and delivery

At both my Work it Mom! post and AWEARNESS post on the marriage ban in California, I've had commenters who "aren't homophobic, but applaud the ban." Not to mention my letter to my fellow Latin@s . Here's why the ban is discriminatory. Plain & simple marriage bestows economic & social benefits to the couple. By keeping same sex people out of these benefits, that is discrimination. Marriage itself is both an economic and a romantic partnership. In fact love entered the marriage realm way after marriage was just an economic partnership. Marriage is also a contract with the government and one with your deity. Most of the reactions I have heard and read about same sex marriage involve ones deity. So I propose that you take your god and leave...leave behind the economic benefits that the government gives you. If your marriage in the eyes of your god is so fragile that you can't stand the thought of two women in love, then leave the economic benefits behind

I had been using Work it, Mom! Monday to alert you to my weekly column there as well as anything else. Well it's becoming AND anything else, so we need a new name. I'm thinking Monday morning wake-up. If you have a better idea let me know! So here's your reading list for today: * At Work it, Mom! I give a quick run down on how women fared in the election as well as my two cents on Sarah Palin. Dang, what am I going to write about without her? * My latest posts at AWEARNESS: Update on Prop 8 Dear First Family American Diabetes Month It's NaNoWriMo Time! The Day After * And if you missed it, I had a commentary on Larry Summers published on the Women's Media Center site. I'll expand on it at Girl w/Pen on Wednesday, so keep an eye out! Today's another day off of Chicago public school kids, so I'm at home with the kid and Boy BFF. they are entertaining themselves pretty well while the doxie sniffs around them. I'm hoping to get them out & ab

the work is far from done.

Here's my first commentary published on the Women's Media Center's website: As President-elect Obama moves quickly to assemble his team, women leaders monitoring his choices have put up a red alert about a reported short-list choice as secretary of the Treasury. Veronica Arreola, an educator and advocate for women in the sciences, explains why. Click here to read the full article: WMC Reprint & Credit Requirements: The Women's Media Center grants permission to reprint free-of-charge with the understanding that media outlets credit the author of the piece and the Women's Media Center, as in: "by [author's name] for The Women's Media Center ( www.womensmediacenter.com )." If the format allows it, please note at the end: "The WMC is a non-profit organization founded by Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem, and Robin Morgan, dedicated to making women visible and powerful in the media."

H/T Tiffany Brown Art by Canadian illustrator Marc Johns

Thanks for joining in! To ask questions, please use the MOGLUS thread .

That's what my Facebook status was last night and I still think it is true. The hubby keeps telling me to perk up. Obama's win was a validation of the goodness of people. Same for me, but I know that we have a lot of work still to do (not that he doesn't know that) and I'm focused on that. I just posted my reaction to last night and work we have before us at Work it, Mom ! It comes down to fighting for equality and last night showed us that if we have taken a huge step forward in terms of race in this country, we took a huge step backwards for LGBT rights. And that is so very sad for me, for us. It's even more sad when I read on Pam's blog that the final vote for Prop 8 and who voted for it is looking like "70% of blacks, (with black women at 74%) voted for the amendment. That's about 20 points higher than any other racial group." I expect the break out for Latinos will be similar. That's a lot of work to do. So let's get to it people..

Tell your story (PDF) and help celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v Wade decision. On Jan. 21, 2009, Chicago Foundation for Women and the “Our Voices, Our Choices” coalition are hosting an event to hear the personal stories of women who encountered barriers trying to access abortion information and services—told by the women themselves and by those who have shared the stories. A moderated discussion involving the audience will follow the monologues. The evening event (time to be announced) will be at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. in Chicago. To share your story and possibly be included in the event, respond to the coalition’s Call for Submissions by Fri., Nov. 14 . Download the Call for Submissions (PDF) and please distribute it widely.

That's my post for today...plain & simple, vote . And after you have voted don't forget to join me here for the feminist town forum ! Do you know of any others happening? Let me know! Last week's AWEARNESS posts included: Jana Mackey is Still Lighting the Way Write to Marry Day Is a Female Maverick a Diva? The Co-op is Changing Its Name

I received this from a listserv and thought I'd share.