The Paley Center in New York City and Los Angeles jointly hosted a jam packed twelve-hour day on December 1, under the banner of TEDxWomen. Pat Mitchell, who had instigated TEDWomen in 2010, spearheaded and hosted this year’s event which was billed as a “cross-disciplinary program” focusing on how women “think, work, communicate, collaborate, learn and lead.” Using the established TED structure, the talks were brief but pithy. The audience was expanded to over 100 linked events around the world (hence the X=independently organized). A live stream of the talks—and a constant flow of Tweets—amplified the conversation.

There were four sessions: Resilience, Relationships, Rebirth, and Reimagine. Strong representation was in evidence for young girls and older women, leaving some questions about if there could have been more content aimed at those in their thirties and forties. However, there was plenty of information, uplifting moments, and food for thought to keep the program vibrant and engaging. With the goal of using the platform to “spread ideas about women,” the mission was successful.

Gayle Tzemach-Lemmon, journalist and author, started the proceedings off with a combined narrative about the courageous women of Afghanistan and the struggles of her mother and grandmother. She said, “Women can make a difference. When we change the way we see ourselves, others will follow.”

The work that Rachel Simmons has been doing with The Girls Leadership Institute was a standout. She discussed how girls are under pressure to please others, striving for perfection and popularity. They grow into young women who don’t assert themselves, get paid less, and fear being seen as aggressive. Sharing the stage with her was Claire Sannini, an 8^th grader.

Pointing to the subliminal messages that are sent to children about who they can and cannot be, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, director of Miss Representation, pondered why there was still an “emphasis on looks for girls and leadership for boys.” She called on those in media and Hollywood to change the way they portrayed women and girls.

On the health front, surprise guest Barbra Streisand was on hand to deliver the fact that since1984, more women have died of heart disease than men. Streisand opined that there was a “boys club in the medical world.” “How can you treat a woman for a life threatening ailment based on male statistics?” she queried. In 2008, Streisand endowed 5 million dollars to Cedars-Sinai for the creation of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Cardiovascular Research and Education Program. Ironically, back in 1991, Dr. Bernadine Healy coined the term The Yentl Syndrome in a paper asserting that women were handled differently than men in the management of coronary heart disease. Streisand introduced Dr. Noel Bairey Merz, who underscored that “heart disease is now a women’s epidemic—with one out of two women being affected. She suggested, “Doing research and getting the word out is helping to bend the curve.”

The introduction to the Rebirth segment featured a performance by Iyeoka Okoawo, a Nigerian-American poet and musician, whose goal is to “move the world one poem at a time.” Jane Fonda led this portion, speaking about the “Longevity Revolution” and pushing back on the “age as pathology” syndrome. For her, the issue at hand was with women living longer, “how do we use this time?”  Referencing “aging as rebirth,” she suggested that part of the task was to review the preceding years to “free yourself from your past and change your relationship to yourself.” She referenced how neural pathways become hardwired in old patterns, but that if you can re-vision relationships—pathways can change and be the new norm.

Dr. Laura Carstensen also addressed the “graying of society,” noting that studies show older people engage with sadness more comfortably and view injustice with compassion, but not despair. Dr. Michelle Warren offered insights that a generation of women was suffering “due to a fear of hormones.” Dr. Mehmet Oz, a crowd favorite, shared a video of the first MRI of a female orgasm. His main takeaway was the importance of physical activity and how bone strength was helped by resistance exercise.

In a dialogue with Salamishah Tillet, Gloria Steinem displayed her usual wit in response to questions. On the issue of aging she joked, “My funeral will probably be a fundraiser!” However, she seriously touched on deep concerns, such as the importance of the role of women of color in the history of feminism. Steinem lamented the fact that “we put movements in silos, when the adversaries are all the same.” Once again, she promoted her belief that there was a need to “attribute an economic value to care giving”—which makes up one-third of the work in this country.

Two of the most intense presentations were delivered by girls. Girl Up, featuring Project Girl Theatre, had Fonda

Girl Up featauring Project Girl Performance Collective

in tears, pronouncing, “They give us hope. That’s the future. Who says there’s no young feminists!” Ivy Navarette and Shayna Welcher shared stories about their experiences as former gang members and how they turned their lives around by becoming involved with the LA Homegirl Café, where they are actively learning skills in the restaurant industry.

In the concluding portion, the “Google girls” were definite stars. All three had placed first in their respective age categories for the Google Science Fair. Listeners were agog with their depth of knowledge, as they explained their “projects.” Journalist Lisa Ling, anchoring the closing portion, suggested that they were the true celebrities of the future—not reality show personalities.

Shamila Kohestani, recounted her struggles in Afghanistan and her life under Taliban rule. Becoming the founder of the first female soccer team in her country had changed her personal landscape. It was chilling to hear her relate, “It was difficult playing soccer in a stadium where women were executed for crimes.” She added, “I want my story to be a source of hope. Please take a moment and think about how valuable your freedom is.”

For those attending who were older, the message was “the mistakes and experiences that we have had, make us who we are today.” For the younger women starting on their road, there were ample role models and the knowledge that they could be powerful in their own right. Tiffany Shlain, artist, filmmaker, and founder of the Webby Awards, emphasized that women will thrive in the new world of communication. She said, “It’s not the World Wide Web, it’s Women Wide Web!” As part of her wrap up she concluded, “If you want this world to be better, you have to believe in humanity.”

Los Angeles bade farewell to New York with the aphorism, “Interdependence. We are connected.” Judging from the atmosphere in the auditorium by late evening, women were feeling that energy.

Photos courtesy of Michael Priest Photography

This article originally appeared on the website VitaminW.

Women Without Borders is an international organization that works to research, advocate, and lobby globally for women. Last month they co-sponsored an evening at The Paley Center for Media, featuring a panel examining the role of women as peacemakers. Specifically addressed was the question, “Can Mothers Stop Terrorism.”  Edit Schlaffer facilitated the discussion.

Schlaffer founded Women Without Borders in 2002, with the mission of evolving a new way to heal grief and suffering on both sides of a conflict. Her belief was that women needed a way “to speak and develop reconciliation.” When initiated, the emphasis was on specific hotspots. However, Schlaffer realized after 9/11 that there was a “worldwide need” to make the whole international community safe. Stating that women hold up the fabric of society, Schlaffer stressed, “We have to recognize women as a key security block.”

Noting that problems extend beyond major recognized disputes, Schlaffer said, “It’s all over the place. We have to find common solutions.” She outlined the Women Without Borders formula: “We go to volatile places and try to create counter-narratives.” Currently involved in on the ground action in Yemen, Schlaffer reported that she was amazed by the vibrancy of their female civil society. Employing a methodology of asking women what they need, and then acting to empower them as change makers, Women Without Borders encourages women to adopt the role of advocates in their communities. This message had been translated into the tagline, “Include, Involve, Invest.”

A documentary short, Journey Through Darkness directed by Zia Trench, was screened. It profiled three women whose lives had been touched by terrorism. It was an introduction to SAVE—Sisters Against Violent Extremism—a counterterrorism platform founded in 2008 that strives to connect women to build a world “without violent extremism.” Participants are garnered from the ranks of peace and security experts, policy makers, and those who have survived terrorist attacks. Regional SAVE chapters have been established in India, Northern Ireland, Yemen, Pakistan, Israel/Palestine, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom, with plans being made to get addition sites up and running.

In 2008, the first SAVE conference was held in Vienna. As a result, a ten-point set of principles was drawn up, underscoring a call to action based on the premise of non-violence and co-existence. Included were generating “awareness for not stigmatizing the families of extremists/terrorists” and issuing a declaration to support “the younger generation with non-violent alternative in their search for a better life.” These two positions support women who have lived through terrorism. Growing from this premise was the Mothers for Change! research project, which was developed to give women the tools to recognize and challenge extremist ideology within their families and societies.

Schlaffer said, “Sustainability comes from local mothers. However, women may not be aware of their power. They need to learn how to harness that.” She said that if mothers suspect that their children have been solicited for extreme ideology, instead of hiding or ignoring the problem, they “must deal with it—as change comes from the mother.” Hot lines have been set up to call if they need help or have questions.

The work of Women Without Borders is based on case studies and a collection of information. Schlaffer pointed out, “There is no rush to short sighted action. When bringing together women from opposite sides of an issue, the goal is to explore the potential for change in civil society—that can expand to higher levels.” Most importantly Schlaffer added, “The people have to buy into it.”

Present to discuss her experiences was Aicha el-Wafi, the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, imprisoned for life after he was convicted of conspiring with the 9/11 hijackers. She is a woman who evokes strong empathy as she narrates her personal background, which included a forced marriage at age fourteen. El-Wafi stayed with her husband for eleven years, despite being subjected to domestic violence. When she left the relationship, she had the responsibility of caring for four children. Working ten hour days as a seamstress, she simultaneously took courses to perfect her French.” She tried to give everything she never had to her children, because as she said, “Marrying at fourteen destroyed me.”

Speaking through an interpreter, el-Wafi described raising her son in France. When asked if she had seen any signs of him becoming radicalized she responded, “I never saw it. He was a very nice boy. When my son was home, we had friends of all religions.”

El-Wafi referenced other factors that she believed had impacted her son’s psyche and personal path. In addition to the lack of a father’s presence in his life, el-Wafi described the persistent racism her son encountered in his French birth country. Although her son was treated with ethnic discrimination while studying for his baccalauréat, he achieved his degrees. It was Sheik Abdullah el-Faisal that el-Wafi accused of destroying her son—“and other families.”

Schlaffer pointed out, “We need to send a strong message to mothers that they are not alone.” Widening the reference, she underscored creating “a safe space for women to be heard.” As part of the Women Without Borders program, el-Wachi speaks frequently, representing her story to audiences worldwide. She said to those present, “You have to know the other person—or there is fear. We are all human beings. To live together, there has to be tolerance and respect.”

Toward the end of the evening, Schlaffer, summarized the goals of Women Without Borders commenting, “We look for the strong voices of women.”

In Aicha el-Wafi, they have found one.

Keynote and break out sessions pinpointed the agendas of securing Social Security, Medicare, jobs, and tax justice. There was a commitment to be proactive on concerns from the Ohio Referendum to voter suppression, with a vow to run American Dream candidates up and down the ballot—from school boards to the halls of Congress.

When Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, noted to a ballroom filled with attentive listeners, “There is energy in the room,” he wasn’t exaggerating. The atmosphere was a cross between the unveiling of a new gadget at a tech event, and a revival meeting for those thirsting for renewal at the well of progressive waters.

There were teachers and other union members who reacted enthusiastically to missives such as, “Stand up and fight back. When the people rise up on all fronts, that’s when we win.” A Capraesque feeling pervaded the gathering, with a line up of speakers delivering speeches with a can-do spirit—sharing the Jimmy Stewart role. Borosage warmed up the crowd with the observation, “The Tea Party is ersatz populism.” He qualified it as a front for those who are anti-gay, anti-women, and anti-environment, bent on revoking the Great Society. “We are building a populist movement,” he said. “No more accepting unemployment as the new normal.”

There was audible agreement coming back at him from the audience. The message hit home for “Pam” from Ohio, who was part of the Center for Community Change delegation. She told me that she had been a warehouse manager, injured on the job, and was struggling to obtain disability. She said, “The Tea Party feels they had their rights taken from them. The people in the trenches never had them in the first place. We as Americans have gotten away from morality. It’s now a dog eat dog world—and some dogs won’t give up their bones.”

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) followed the thread invoking Franklin D. Roosevelt’s belief that the wealthiest in the country had a responsibility to the poorest.  She told the audience, “We are here to organize. We can’t just talk. There are those out there that would like to see Progressives have a food fight among each other—or with the President.” She took a second before delivering the punch line: “This is not a cafeteria.” Edwards, who follows her own path over the party line, admitted that she hasn’t always been a “happy Democratic camper.” She accentuated the sentence, “We are not going to go away silently while the top 2 percent walks away with the American Dream.”

Delivering the first keynote, Van Jones, co-founder and President of Rebuild the Dream, did not disappoint. Part political pundit, part performance artist, he delivered a rousing call to arms—with dollops of humor. “We have gone from hope to heartbreak,” he said. “I’m not mad at the Tea Party. I’m mad at us for being so quiet. We had the wrong idea of the presidency. It’s not ‘Yes, He Can.’ We’ve been depressed and distressed. Some people say, ‘I’m never going to hope again.’ We went from hopey to mopey. The movement for hope and change wasn’t built by Barack Obama. This is your movement!”

In response to those who lament, “This country is full of stupid people and I’m moving to Canada,” Jones responded, “What makes you think they want you?” Referencing his brief tenure in 2009 as Obama’s green jobs adviser, Jones said, “Y’all know that I worked at the White House for six months. Best time of my life—followed by the worse two weeks of my life.” There was hearty laughter in response. Jones continued, “I’ve studied the Tea Party. There is no Tea Party! You can’t go to Tea Party headquarters. The Tea Party is an open source brand. They make individuals into Tea Party affiliates and they branded a network—building a network tied to principle and passions.”

Before Jones welcomed to the stage the group of people that would be serving as the leadership of the American Dream Movement, he implored, ”Don’t stop being inspirational. We’ve been in tougher times. The only question is are we going to fight together or fight alone?” He stepped back from his vanguard position to join ranks with the individuals he had just introduced.

The afternoon featured Robert Reich, in an address that highlighted a strongly personal note. He covered many of the talking points I had seen him deliver on cable shows: An examination of the struggle between the “regressive” and “progressive” camps in the United States, disputing the argument that “if we shrink government we can create jobs,” and refuting that Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme. He got in some zingers like, “The Supreme Court says corporations deserve First Amendment rights. I’ll believe it when Texas and Alabama start executing corporations.” Yet the strongest element of his talk was when he interwove the national narrative—featuring the strong versus the weak—with his own story of being bullied as a result of his diminutive height. He shared how he had built alliances to protect himself from getting physically assaulted and beaten up. One of his foremost protectors was Michael Schwerner—the civil rights worker killed in Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan. Reich maintained, “Americans will stand up to the nabobs of negativism. They will say, ‘No more bullies.’”

Rep. Barney Frank

In the large-scale presentations, as well as the side room panel discussions, there were plenty of takeaways. Celinda Lake, top pollster, spoke about messaging. She said, “The American Dream, explained correctly, can mobilize people. Folks need a reason to vote.” Lake stressed the importance of reaching out to the total spectrum—from blue-collar workers to those in the college educated ranks. Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor of The Nation, challenged Main Stream Media to provide accurate reporting with the query, “What is the legitimacy of your claim?” Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) drilled down on the importance of working towards military reduction. He wryly observed, “You don’t defeat terrorists with nuclear submarines.” Gloria Totten, the President of The Progressive Majority insisted, “You can’t keep electing the same old kind of Democrats! It’s time to move the ball forward.” She parsed the math that supported the need to elect twenty-five Progressive Democrats to take back the House of Representatives.

State Senator Nina Turner of Ohio got to throw out some red-meat rhetoric via the feisty delivery of her message. After inviting attendees to visit her home turf, she said, “It’s time to elect folks who put service over seats…and they should vote against any bill that takes away workers rights. We are fighting for our collective lives! This is a moral imperative.” She got the crowd roaring when she invoked her Grandmother’s advice, “You need the wrist bone, the jawbone, and the backbone!”

Members of the press were invited to hear six movement leaders speak in a closed-door session.  Each person gave a brief statement before questions were taken.

Borosage said, “Any president who runs in an economy like this, runs into pretty strong headwind.” He indicated, “Last year people were focused on the disappointment with Obama. This year, people aren’t waiting. We’re going to build a demand. The question for us isn’t is this movement yoked to Obama, but can we build our own independent movement?”

Executive Director of MoveOn.org, Justin Ruben, said, “We are at a turning point right now.” Referring to the movement that began with a “spark in Wisconsin,” he discussed the Occupy Wall Street action— tagging the pushback, “The biggest untold story in American politics.” Naming the national demonstrations the “American Autumn,” he said flatly that it was “the end of thirty years of 1 percent running the show.” He asserted, “We will not accept yet another budget agreement that will bring more misery to folks already suffering.

Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director for the Center for Community Change, agreed that, “Attacks on the social contract have created a fire storm.” Arlene Holt Baker, from the AFL-CIO, stated that American wanted to work, and promised a commitment to hold all politicians accountable—regardless of party affiliation. She emphasized, “We will be educating our members to understand who’s really on their side, and it’s going to be clear.” The floating question for Obama was, “Are you going to tap into this movement? Will you lead and get in front?”

Van Jones

The opening remark delivered by Van Jones was, “I don’t see too many TV cameras.” Those present were primarily print or online reporters who were already well attuned to the insights being promulgated. Jones was straightforward in his claim, “This is a big deal. Folks across this country are dismayed and shocked by two years of nonsense here in D.C. They took a wrecking ball and painted it red, white, and blue.” Stressing the fact that people had reached their pain threshold, Jones said, “People are standing up now. You will see the sleeping giant beginning to awake. The Tea Party is a small percentage, yet they took the whole country off track.” Reiterating, “This is a big deal,” Jones gave stats. “We’re going to reach out to one million leaders. 600,000 people have already signed up. We have sitting people in Congress and we are running 2,012 candidates for 2012. We’re tired of this. This country is better than this. We watched the process of hope to heartbreak.” Then, with a brief pause for emphasis and timing, he added, “Save your notes. This is the first draft of history.”

One reporter, who identified herself as a long time activist, had an inquiry that explicitly expressed reservations about the potential for long-term success. Jones responded with humor, which in turn had a riling effect. Switching gears, he acknowledged her doubts, restating his vision and goals.

Doubtless, there will be plenty of skeptics and naysayers. However, The Campaign for America’s Future and its partners have pledged to reach out to disaffected citizens looking to have their voices heard. The euphoria of the gathering may be over, but the work is in full swing. Co-director Roger Hickey just sent out an e-mail with the subject line, “Don’t let Dems Cut Medicare, Social security for the 99%.” The online petition asks Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi: Don’t let the Super Committee cut Social Security and Medicare.

At least someone is asking.

Danah Boyd was back, to reflect on “Networked Privacy.”  Member of the European Parliament, Marietje Schaake, weighed in with the suggestion that the United States couldn’t really address Internet freedom in other parts of the world — if they didn’t have their own house in order.  The “globally connected environment” got plenty of play, as did the acknowledgment that when dictators understand the power of social and mobile — they move toward controlling it down or shutting it down.  There was hearty agreement that access to the Internet should be an “international right.”  Emily Parker indicated that “the mere existence of vibrant networks will not change countries overnight.  Something else must shift.”

The need for transparency was repeatedly invoked.  Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), expressed concern that people were losing faith in government.  She is putting all her earmarks online and working on the Public Online Information Act.  She also remarked that in many rural localities around the country there is no Internet access — a cause she is working to fund.

The roster of speakers talking about the role of technology in Nigeria, Tunisia, and Egypt had charisma and energy.  Alaa Abd El Fattah, known in the west as a top Egyptian blogger and activist, drilled down on “hyper-local networks” and how “tech has normalized the dialogue of politics.”  Rasha Abdulla conversed about social media as a “democratizing agent, which helped to facilitate the flourishing of opinions while simultaneously becoming a “primary tool for political activism.”  Abdulla called for making it “criminal to block the Internet and mobile communications.”  Mona Eltahawy, who has been challenging the stereotypes of Muslim women, related how on May 25^th, women activists and reporters in Egypt were physically attacked and had their clothes and headscarves ripped off — in order to “shame them.”  She also referred to “virginity tests” that were being perpetrated upon young women activists.  All three presenters moved into an afternoon breakout panel entitled “The Revolution in Egypt,” with Nancy Scola moderating.   It was identified that pre-revolution, comments on blogs numbered in the hundreds.  Moving into the post-revolution time frame, comments had risen to the thousands.  Audience questions ranged from, “What’s next?” and “What can we do to support you?” to “Why are you here?”

The men behind the Personal Democracy Forum, Andre Rasiej and Micah L. Sifry, informed the crowd that they had reached 50-50 gender parity, as well as bi-partisan representation.  Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who characterized himself as “a fiscal conservative,” discussed technology making government better for the people.”  While he called for providing data on how billions are being spent, a tweet with the PdF11 hashtag informed folks that he supported making abortion illegal.  However, party lines were put on the back burner when Anthea Watson and Mindy Finn explained “The Power of Open Voting Data.”

Without doubt, “The Internet is My Religion,” a riveting talk delivered by Jim Gilliam, had a major narrative impact.  Gilliam spoke about his background — which included being “born again,” home schooling, and church attendance three times a week.  He revealed the story of an awakening of a different sort — “getting on line.”  Then, both he and his mother got cancer.  She died, and he lost faith in God.  When Gilliam’s cancer came back, infecting his blood, he needed a donor to survive.  He made a connection and was “replenished” by “the blood of a stranger.”  After 9/11, he started working with Robert Greenwald on his Iraq film, and together they founded Brave New Films.  Gilliam then discovered that he needed a lung transplant. He started blogging about his quest to find an organ.  Although the insurance company gave him a hard time, he persevered and got on the list.  Eventually, he was the recipient of a lung from a 22-year-old who had died.  Gilliam recounted how he thought about all the people who had helped him, and how he had rediscovered God in the actions of people who were working together on his behalf.  He concluded, “We are all connected.  We serve God best when we do what we do best.  Each one of us is a creator.”  He received a standing ovation.  Sifry thanked him for his insights with the simple acknowledgment, “What a gift.”

Picking up on the theme of individuals making a difference, Ben Rattray from Change.org spoke about dealing with issues “on a granular level.”  His concept is to build from the ground up, focusing on the impact a personal story can have over a large-scale approach. He coined it as “the value of small.”

Jeremy Heimans, co-founder of Avaaz.org, pointed out in “The Untapped Power of Consumer Campaigns” how collective power has other options beyond government.  He underscored that corporations were “porous targets,” worried about their brands.  In response to pressure, he put forth that they would actually change their “supply chain.”

The matter of Net Neutrality was mentioned several times, and when speaking about the “new ecosystem of journalism,” Dan Gillmor specifically urged the audience to stand up for the principle.  Jay Rosen, a PdF regular, had several pithy pronouncements, including “Professional journalism has been optimized for low participation,” and “The story isn’t hidden, it’s uncollected.”

Marko Rakar, who delivered “The Power of Transparency, Croatia-Style,” and was a presenter at PdF Europe, was one of my favorites.  With shades of The Daily Show humor, he explained how in his country, there are more voters than people.  Despite having been arrested, Rakar continues to reside in Croatia, working to make it “a better place to live.”  He left the audience with the line, “May the bridges I burn l light the way.”  Before bringing on the next speaker, Sifry opined, “Our government has to stand for freedom of speech online.”

As a Firefox user, it was engaging to hear from Mitchell Baker of Mozilla. She reflected on the need for more innovation, suggesting that “not every venture is about capital.”  Mozilla is a hybrid organization that thinks about the “individual first,” she said.  During her talk she pointed out that, “The government we get when we do nothing is not the government we want.”

The late afternoon round of talks fell under the umbrella of People and States in a Hype-Connected World.  Anne-Marie Slaughter indicated the way men have driven traditional foreign policy with the straightforward description, “Opaque, separate, no connection.”  She proposed that the viewpoint of gender and generation accounted for a different way of looking at connection than the “old model.”

Her final words of “Build local, go global, change the world,” resonated as a fitting take away from a jam-packed two days.

Courtesy of Blogworld

The BlogWorld and New Media Expo, recently held in New York City, was packed with panels and content based on a series of different “tracks.”  Content creation, publicity, mobile, branding, media, and monetization were just a few of the offerings.  Sharing the huge west side Javits Convention Center with Bookexpo America (their attendees were the people with bags of free books), the location offered too much air conditioning and not enough bandwidth.  The most oft-repeated interaction I heard was, “Are you able to get on the wifi?”

I was able to live tweet several sessions, but despite the fact that I had my computer in tow every day, I eventually gave up and took a lot of notes.  Some presentations were very casual.  Others were chock full of information.  Chris Penn’s “Facebook Analytics” talk fell into the latter.  Phil Hollows energetic “List Building for Bloggers” was a rat-tat-tat explanation of why an e-mail list is your greatest asset.  Michael Margolis captured the room’s attention with his take on how individuals can get their true story out by bypassing the traditional approach.

As in any culture, there are buzzwords, and this “space” has plenty.  Community, conversation, influence, networks, and tribes were repeated with regularity.  There were numerous funny moments and some great one-liners.

In a discussion about trolls and cliques in community management, I heard about how one person had to ban the whole IP for the country of Brazil for a short period.  Jodee Rich related the story of his young son explaining that the typewriter was “what they used in the old days to write e-mails.”  On a more serious note was the pronouncement that “every 25 years, forms of entertainment change.”  Chris Heur stated, “We’re living now between two worlds.”

On Thursday, I sat in on “Speak Up: Empowering Women to Find Their Voices.”  The description addressed the stats reflecting the “dearth of female speakers at business, tech and venture conferences, particularly keynotes.”  Aliza Sherman and Jill Foster started their presentation with the standard clichés that women have internalized.  “Be polite.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  Don’t be so aggressive. Don’t be self-promoting.”  And the ultimate biggie, “You’re not good enough.”  Before getting interactive with the audience, Sherman, with the determination of a drill sergeant, told the women (and a few men), “Banish the negative talk!  It’s not about perfect.  Identify your passion.  Own your power!”  She asked everyone to write down three topics they could speak on currently.  She then told them to “title it, bullet point it,” and determine when they were the one to deliver the goods.  On how to be accepted at a conference, she suggested seeing what kind of presentations were being featured.  She pointed out that they needed to take into consideration two audiences: the organizers of the event and the conference attendees.  Her top advice was, “Don’t hide your powerful accomplishments.”

One session I made a point not to miss was Jeremy Caplan’s talk on “How Journalists Can Overcome Information Overload.”  Thrilled to learn that I wasn’t the only one who could benefit from “36 Tools, Tips and Sites for Digital Efficiency,” Caplan didn’t disappoint.  I was already on target with some of my own strategies, but he broke it down into digestible components.  With many people getting 3,000 e-mails per month, Caplan’s mantra of, “do, delete, defer” made plenty of sense.  The goal of doing a weekly sweep to get “back to zero” resonated. Keeping it simple, emptying your mind (so you don’t have to go over stuff when it is time to go to sleep) and  “taking time to be unplugged” were powerful reminders on how not to be overtaken by technology.

I referred to his handouts repeatedly over the following days, as I tried to navigate through all the correspondence that had accumulated while I was immersed in the conference.

I’m still catching up.

There was an emphasis on making connections between those in the audience and the thirteen organizations that were highlighted as part of the program.  Pledge stations were set up in the lobby, and founding sponsor Hewlett-Packard committed to matching all individual donations.

There were two special events, accompanying the Thursday night dinner and the Friday luncheon.  Brown kick-started the energy level with a one-on-one talk with President Bill Clinton, who was relaxed and full of quotable lines. He said mischievously, “It’s a great thing about not being in office. You can say whatever you want.”  He did.  On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict he related, “Arafat promised me we would get an agreement before he left office.  Like an idiot, I believed him.”

Lesley Stahl handled the Friday conversation with Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice. Both women seemed to be in accord on basic tenants — to such an extent that Stahl commented half-jokingly, “You don’t seem to disagree. What kind of panel am I running here?” Albright suggested, “We both have had the privilege of representing our country.  That responsibility draws us together.”  On a less formal note, in response to a question on Gaddafi, Albright wryly replied, “What you have in Libya, is a place that is run by a nut.”

Zainab Salbi

Alyse Nelson (Vital Voices) and Zainab Salbi (Women for Women International), representing “Solutions Partners” organizations, were two of the women who spoke about their on the ground work.  Nelson told the story of her visit in Burma with Nobel Laureate and dissident Aung San Suu Kyi.  Salbi presented photos and gave accounts of women in Congo, an introduction to the “If You Knew Me, You Would Care” campaign that Women for Women has launched.

Several panels were particularly strong.  “No Such Thing: Trafficking of Girls in the United States” drilled down on the 100,000 to 300,00 children in American who are sold for sex.  The prevailing age range is 12 to 14.  Malika Saada Saar, Founder of The Rebecca Project for Human Rights and Dr. Sharon Cooper, brought several insights to the conversation.  Saada Saar emphasized, “”The issue is about us [in the United States], as well as about women in other countries. We are criminalizing the girls. We have the laws, we need to use them. But,” she lamented, “there is no political will. We have to name the buying and selling of girls, and stop putting them into the criminal justice system. We need to put girls in safe havens.”  Cooper, who coined the term “pimp culture,” explained how the pimp becomes the “daddy, the husband.” The PTSD that trafficked girls have experienced is greater than the numbers besieging war veterans.   Categorizing the exploiters as “finesse pimps or gorilla pimps,” she outlined how one operated under the guise of love/rescue, while the other abducts.  Dr. Cooper wrote me via e-mail that a Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victim Support Act (S.596) has been introduced and referred to committee, and needs active support from the public.

“Italian Women Fight Back” had the photographic backdrop of demonstrating women carrying a sign that said ¡Ahora Basta! Currently, according to the World Economic Forum, Italy ranks 74^th in status for women, behind Vietnam and Peru. Emma Bonino, Vice Chair of the Italian Senate, had plenty to say.  “At the end of the day, nobody will give us anything for free.  Are we going to wait for men to decide we exist? No!” she declared.

Examining the French ban on the niqab, “The Multiculturalism Debate: Is Europe Stigmatizing the Veil” was led by moderator Andrew Sullivan. He was joined by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Isobel Coleman, and Liesil Gerntholtz. Questions raised included, “Is the veil a way of containing a woman’s sexuality? A choice? A political statement?”  Despite the fact that some women don’t want to veil, for many, the ban in France comes out of a “troubling context.”  Ali called for the conversation to go deeper than the cosmetics of the veil, to include pulling girls out of school at puberty and female genital mutilation.  Sullivan fielded queries from the audience including, “How do you impose a legal framework on a community standard?” and “Does the full face covering of a woman make it impossible for her to be a full participant in society?”  Ali made it clear that there were certain aspects in all religions that she “refuses to accept.”

It was impossible not to be awed by the courage, accomplishments, and perseverance of guest speakers.  Lydia Cacho, journalist, author, and social activist, spoke of being threatened with violence in retaliation for the reporting she had done in her book The Demons of Eden: The Power That Protects Child Pornography.

Dr. Nawal El Saadawi, the 79-year-old Egyptian physician, writer, and activist, was a stand out.  Interviewed by her long time friend, American feminist Robin Morgan, El Saadawi told the rapt crowd proudly, “I was a feminist when I was a child.” Being oppressed by both class and patriarchy, she was “in revolt at age 10.”

For me, the hour on Friday devoted to “a two-part exploration of women and power,” felt like a divergence from the theme of international concerns.  Parsing what was holding women back from “reaching the top echelons of achievement” in various corridors of American power, seemed tangential to the foremost topics at hand. One in three women is a survivor of gender violence; woman and children comprise 75 percent of the fatalities of war; over 80 percent of the world’s 35 million refugees are women and children.

Awareness and engagement are the first steps.  Women In the World: Stories and Solutions continues to lead and lay the groundwork for amplifying concerns that have too long remained out of view — and isolated from the mainstream.

Photo Courtesy of RVR Associates

The conveners took these responses into account when they put together the handsome program booklet titled, “Looking At Women’s Ideas in 2010 is  ___________.”  The adjective was left open.  Getting a jump on the controversy, they asked rhetorically, “How can we be discussing this? How can we be ignoring this?  The real differences between men’s and women’s lives.” With a sense of humor, and a measure of deflection, they suggested on opposite pages: “This is a good start; This is a good way to start a fight.”

Chris Anderson, curator of the TED conferences, and co-hosts Pat Mitchell and June Cohen tackled the topic with a group of attending reporters.  Anderson was emphatic in his declaration, “I couldn’t be more excited about the event.  I think it’s fantastic.  It has all the vibrancy of any TED conference.”  He added that it was his belief that “not too long in the future, the gender lense will go.”  When pressed on whether there would be succeeding TEDwomen events he replied, “This was always planned as a one-off.”  On complaints about the ratio of women speakers at TED he said, “We’re trying to do a better job of integrating women into regular TED programs.” He offered that TEDwomen was “our way of making a quantum leap forward.”  He underscored that in curating any TED, “The goal is always to find the best speakers for a theme.”  His direct comment on, “Why TEDwomen?” was a clear, “Because Pat Mitchell is a force of nature.”

Mitchell described the curation process as beginning with “huge outreach.”  She said, “We were inundated with guest speakers—more than 500 names.”  There were 23 countries represented in the definitive list.  Mitchell said, “The attempt was to represent a broad spectrum and be reflective of women’s stories.”  Cohen compared it to TEDIndia saying, “It’s very much a TED—The rapid-fire exchange of ideas, the transformation of the audience.”  Putting out stats on women speakers at TED events she stated, “Over the past three years we have worked to 30 percent to 45 percent women.”  She reiterated a phrase that I had heard previously about the conference from organizers:  “This is not an either/or; It’s a yes/and.”  She continued, “We’re looking for more diversity.  We wanted the opportunity to take a long look at what’s happening with women.”  She acknowledged that the event, with 700 women in attendance, had brought a huge community of women into the TED fold.

I ran into Dina Kaplan, co-founder of blip-tv early on Tuesday.  She told me, “It was wonderful to be part of the group Pat Mitchell gathered earlier this year, when the idea for a women-focused TED was born.  I don’t see this [conference] as exclusionary.  Women should be a big part of TED, Davos, DLD and other premier events, but it’s okay for us to hole up and speak amongst each other, sharing stories and ideas a few times a year, too. It’s empowering to be surrounded by ambitious, thoughtful women—especially if you’re accustomed to working with men for much of your workday.”

Even Hillary Clinton, a surprise guest speaker, took a shot at the topic during her stint at the podium.  “Why a TEDwomen conference?” she asked.  “To focus on women as agents of change.  Where girls and women flourish, there is success for the world.  It a tenant of our national policy.”

Using the language of music to create the framework and structure for the two days, sessions were broken down into: Overtures, Life’s Symphony, Composers, Duets, Harmony and Discord, and Crescendo.  In an event of this scope, I wasn’t surprised to overhear a comment that raved about a presentation—which moments before someone else had pronounced as “unengaging.”  For me, there were plenty of new faces, equally dynamic as well-known participants Madeleine Albright and Nancy Pelosi.

Journalist Mona Eltahawy grabbed the audience’s attention with her opening line, “I’m Muslim, I’m a feminist, and I’m here to confuse you.  It’s not just about headscarves and hymens.”  Deborah Rhodes, on the medical front, spoke about the work she has been doing with Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI).  Currently FDA approved, the technology is breaking ground in finding small tumors in dense breast tissue.

Tony Porter’s persona and delivery was dynamic. He spoke about his “call to men” to break out of the “man-box.” He related the story of his own path of awakening, from a teenager assuming the macho pose expected of him—to his evolving awareness as a parent.  Pointing out that men’s violence against women is at an all-time high, he exclaimed, “My liberation as a man is tied to your liberation as a woman.”

Penelope J. Chaffer & Tyrone Hayes

Documentary filmmaker Penelope Jagessar Chaffer and biologist Tyrone Hayes teamed up to inform the audience about the chemicals affecting our planet and its impact on humans, particularly children.  Hayes, very humorous about some not very funny issues, discussed how we were losing species from the earth as a result of toxic elements in the environment.  His studies with frogs, and what it tells scientists about how humans may be affected when exposed to the pesticide Atrazine, was downright scary.

Naomi Klein also dealt with the relationship to the environment in her talk, “On Precaution.”  Monitoring the BP oil disaster in the Gulf, she spent a week on a research vessel with a scientific team from the University of South Florida. Their investigation found that water with even trace amounts of oil and dispersants could be highly toxic to the microorganism phytoplankton—essential to the marine food web.  Klein assailed a mind-set she named the “techno-fix”—the concept

Naomi Klein

that technology will save us.  She raised the red flag on how we get ourselves into untenable situations.  “Why are we using cost/analysis as a yardstick?” she asked.  Why are we putting our foot on the accelerator when we should be putting it on the brakes?”  For Klein, the reasons are based on a false sense of security.  She also noted that those on the right had recast these concerns as “a culture issue and a threat to our way of life.”  Speaking later with reporters she said, “This isn’t a fight about the science.  Yes, climate change forces us to accept limits, [like] giving up SUVs and and redistributing the wealth.”  Discussing the effects of our consumption on the planet, Klein underscored, “This [BP oil spill] was a transformative moment.  What has this disaster changed?  People in their own communities are ready to push back and use the precautionary concept.”

During Tuesday night’s welcome dinner, there was a “bonus session” with a lineup that included Madame Callista Mutharika and Sia Nyama Koroma, the first ladies of Malawi and Sierra Leone, respectively.  They outlined the work they are doing to improve the lives of women in their countries.  Clean water, education, healthcare, and maternal mortality are top concerns.  In Malawi, one in eight women die in childbirth.

Malaya Pinas

For me, the most powerful voice of the evening was Malaya Pinas from the Philippines, an on-the-ground writer getting her work out through the World Pulse “Voices of our Future “ program.  Her message to the gathering about the women of her country was, “We are not servants of the world.  We are not your domestic workers or your mail-order brides.  We are not little brown fucking machines to be used by United States serviceman. We are servants of peace and freedom.  When our whispers become a trumpet, we will become a power for change.”

The following day showcased those making statements in the cultural arena.  Palestinian-American poet, playwright, and political activist, Suheir Hammad read one of her works, “What I Will.”  Shirin Neshat, the Iranian-born artist who works in photography, video, and film, spoke about her directorial debut, Women Without Men, which she described as a film “balanced between the political and the feminist.”

In the closing session, Johanna Blakley persuasively articulated about social media as the “end of assumptions about gender.”  She posited that women were driving the social media revolution, declaring, “They dominate the space.”  Blakely offered that social media “allows us to escape our demographics.”  She explained, “When you look online at the way people aggregate and organize, it’s not around age.  It’s around interests.”

Listening to diplomat and humanitarian Stephen Lewis speak  was an eye-opener.  He gave his talk with a no-nonsense attitude and a brutal frankness about the United Nations’ dismal record on gender parity.  His take-no-prisoners manner highlighted that women were second-class citizens in that world body.

Eve Ensler

Pat Mitchell introduced the closer with the line, “Who would want to be the final speaker? Someone very, very, brave.”  That person was Eve Ensler.  She wrapped up the two days with passion and energy.  Not surprising.  The playwright/activist and founder of V-Day, which has raised $75 million to end violence against women and girls, is a vibrant orator. She verbalized how her disconnect from her body was due to violence in her background. When she connected with her vagina, she was driven.  In coming to terms with her uterine cancer (she is now nine months cancer free), she saw it as, “The cancer that is everywhere from the carelessness.”  Through what came to be her realizations, she was able to draw analogies between her body and the earth. She said, “I know that everything is connected.”

There were numerous personal stories interwoven through the talks that dealt with overcoming obstacles and fighting tirelessly for social change.  The most visceral image that will stay with me as a metaphor for determination came from a video excerpt presented by the conservationists and filmmaking team of Beverly and Dereck Joubert. They presented a difficult to watch clip of an elephant being attacked by a pack of lions.  The footage showed the elephant’s hide being torn as one lion attacked its flank and another jumped onto its back, sinking in its teeth and claws.  The elephant went down, unable to fight back.  It appeared defeated.  Yet as definitively as it capitulated to the force of the lions, it then miraculously rallied to stand up and shake itself loose from the predators.

It was a reminder that as difficult and overwhelming challenges can be, either personal or global, there is always the possibility for triumph and hope.

Photos: James Duncan Davidson/TED

©2010 Justin Hackworth for BlogHer

The Hilton Hotel in New York City was packed on August 6^th and 7^th with 2400 attendees who had come for the 6^th Annual BlogHer Conference.  The last time I had been in the Grand Ballroom was to see Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama onstage, for a post-convention unity event.  Ironically, it was the divisive politics of the 2008 election that pushed greater numbers of women into the blogosphere, as they clamored to make their opinions heard.

That same year, the New York Times covered the San Francisco BlogHer conference with a story—on their fashion page—that had a tinge of snark.  Now, in 2010, no one doubts the influence or economic muscle of women online.  Anyone who remains unconvinced needed only to navigate the exhibition hall lined with 100 sponsors (a 50 percent increase over last year). Natural and green items, kids products, and an array of services all shared the floor.  From the smaller supporting sponsors like thredUp (a children’s clothing exchange) to the ranks of the top “Diamond” brands such as Pepsico and Procter and Gamble, the message was clear.  Women have clout to be reckoned with. As consumers—they are able to drive purchasing dollars.

When I asked a number of the corporate reps why they had chosen to be present at BlogHer, their answers all echoed the same mantra.  Amy Goodman, Fashion Trend Director at Timex said, “We’re working to make more connections in the blogosphere and to provide content opportunities.” Their booth was devoted to the company’s Fall line of watches.  Anne Westbrook, handling External Relations for Procter and Gamble, told me that P&G was back at BlogHer for its second year.  “We’re here because women bloggers are major influences.  We want to talk with them on their terms and bring them opportunities and relevant content.” In their large, house-styled booth was a full range of brands from CoverGirl to Bounty. I gravitated to the demonstration of their project, “Clean Water Blogivation.” The social media campaign was designed to “showcase the power of female bloggers to improve the lives of people in need of clean drinking water,” and to enable “women bloggers to be part of the clean water solution.”

PepsiCo chose the BlogHer conference to roll out their new women’s platform, “Women, the 5G Network.” A “Sofa Summit” breakfast early on Saturday featured top female brass from the PepsiCo team in dialogue with Campbell Brown. I contacted Jamie Stein, Director of Communications for Tropicana and the point person on PepsiCo’s online women’s initiatives, for a comment on their interest in the women’s blogging sector.  She replied via e-mail, “Women are, and have always been, incredibly influential on social issues, in business and at home with their friends and families. Now, with connectivity, women are wielding even greater power. As a company, we want to help enable the change women see, through innovative platforms like our 5G Network online channel and interactive experiences at events like BlogHer.”

On the lookout for socially conscious business tie-ins, I learned that Liberty Mutual was onsite to familiarize women with their mission, “The Responsibility Project—exploring what it means to do the right thing.”  Paul Alexander, the Senior VP of Communications, walked me through the company’s profile and its commitment to the “culture and values of integrity, dignity, and respect.”

Whether in the exhibition hall or over lunch, I saw a lot of action. Connections were being made. Women had come to learn, build their brands, and be energized.  Eyeballing the crowd, I saw moms with babies in strollers or on their backs (yes, there was a place to breastfeed) and a wide range of ages.  Elisa Camahort Page, BlogHer’s co-founder and COO, explained to me in an e-mail that one of the hallmarks of their events is diversity.  Regarding the speaker roster she wrote, “One third of our speakers were women of color, a slight improvement over last year.  We also ensure that we bring both liberal and conservative voices, LGBT voices, mom and non-mom voices to the microphone.”

The keynotes and panels delivered.  With forty-two sessions divided into seven verticals (change agents; passion; personal; professional; geek lab; writing lab; job lab), participants could be heard lamenting the difficulty of having to choose among topics.

“The FTC Guidelines: After a Year, Has Anything Changed,” had a room full of people trying to get a handle on the Endorsement Guidelines that were put in place to insure that “no deception in advertising” occurred on blogs. Top advice included being transparent, explaining connections to advertisers, and keeping disclosures in close proximity to the content.  One fundamental boiled down to, “When you get a product or cash, you must disclose; when you are not compensated, you don’t.”  Stacey Ferguson, Senior Attorney in the FTC’s Division of Advertising Practices, suggested the safest approach—“When in doubt, disclose.”

At “Creating Tangible Social Change: How to Move People to Action,” led by Women and Hollywood’s Melissa

©2010 Trevor Christensen for BlogHer

Silverstein, each panelist described how they were impacting specific communities.  Beth Terry, writing at Fake Plastic Fish, blogs about “living life with less plastic.” Terry discussed how her writing had helped to revise the plastic filter recycling policies of Britta in the United States.  Stephanie Himel-Nelson, the Director of New Media at Blue Star Families, outlined how the organization’s blog—dedicated to supporting and empowering military families—was becoming a go-to resource.  The biggest laugh lines went to Gina McCauley. The founder of two blogs, What About Our Daughters and Michelle Obama Watch, she is also the organizer of the Blogging While Brown conference, the first conference for bloggers of color.  Answering a question on how she handles personal attacks and negative feedback, McCauley responded, “I’ve built up a lot of scar tissue and taken a lot of body blows.”  On dealing with trolls she advised, “Don’t engage with people on platforms you don’t control.” She added, “She who pays the hosting fees makes the rules!”  All the speakers emphasized that an “authentic voice” was more potent than stats on page views or the number of Twitter followers.  McCauley pointed to one of her most valuable realizations from the blogging experience saying, “It brought out the reality that my ideas matter.”

Saturday’s morning keynote featured the International Activist Blogger Recipients. They were Esra’a Al Shafei, the founder of Mideast Youth; Dushiyanthini Pillai, the force behind Humanity Ashore; Marie Trigona, who publishes Latin American Activism; Freshta Basij-Rasikh, who contributes to the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. It was a dynamic and moving presentation. The focal points of their respective blogs included bringing together young people in the Mideast region, human rights, war and landmine victims, the 30,000 who disappeared in Argentina during the 70s and 80s, and developing a platform for Afghan women to tell their stories.  Underscoring the importance of global issues widened the perspective of the conference. It also made it impossible to ignore the risks being taken by these bloggers, a contrast to the secure setting of the BlogHer event.

Immediately afterwards, I attended “Radical Blogging Moms: Don’t Even Think of Not Taking These Moms Seriously.”  Joanne Bamberger (PunditMom) moderated.  Stephanie Roberts spoke about her photographic and digital documentary work.  Annie Urban discussed how her anger had pushed her to become politicized.  At her blog, PhDinParenting, Urban has been an outspoken critic of the Nestlē Corporation for “unethical business practices.”  Urban uses stories to explain a situation, rather than “prescribing or instructing.” She shared an interesting anecdote about how the legal firm employed by Nestlē had been scrutinizing her blog.

A number of women in attendance entered the blogosphere in response to family concerns, personal challenges, or the need to reach out and build a support system.  I met and spoke with Ellen Seidman, a magazine editor who writes “Love That Max—A blog about kids with special needs (and the parents who adore them).”  There was a panel on “Blogging Autism: Shattering Myths, Opening Eyes and Finding Your Tribe” and one entitled “Grief, Loss, Tragedy and Community on the Internet.”

The closing keynote was “How to Use Your Voice, Your Platform and Your Power.”  Alison Stewart helmed the dialogue with The White House Project founder and president Marie Wilson, author and activist Gloria Feldt, and journalist P. Simran Sethi. The participants parsed the question of power. Earlier, the audience had been reminded

©2010 Justin Hackworth for BlogHer

that in 2009, BlogHer placed #4 on Katie Couric’s list of the “seven most powerful people in media”.  The prevalent question was how to best leverage the power of women in the blogosphere—which was characterized as “the great equalizer.”  With the democratization of the media, Simran Sethi asked, “How do you want to use your voice?”  Wilson stressed the importance of women running for office and becoming part of government.  Feldt, who has a book coming out on “how women can change the way they think about power,” insisted that women have more of it than they realize.  She noted that corporate sponsors were “finally getting the picture,” but questioned if women understood the full import of what that entailed.  When I contacted her for additional thoughts on this concern she wrote me, “The two floors full of exhibitors aren’t here just because they love us. They’re here because they know the power of women’s collective purse.  So we need to use that power intentionally and collectively to shape the consumer market, to get what we want—whether it’s healthy snacks for our kids, green products, or shoes that are comfortable rather than hobbling us—and not allow ourselves to be bought.”

Before taking questions from those sitting at tables in the ballroom, Stewart asked each woman to speak about their own most difficult moments.  A roar of laughter greeted Wilson’s comment, “Behind every success is years of crap.”  Listening to women from the audience, it was clear that a sense of validation was achieved from their blogging contributions. One woman reveled in the realization that online, she was understood. “Wow,” she exclaimed, “You get me!”  Another participant thanked the speakers and the conference planners for “lighting candles in the darkness.”

Whether a woman was reaching out to build a community of mothers, dish on beauty and style, reflect a political agenda, or explore a lifestyle choice, it was clear that the BlogHer’10 demographic had a wide range of interests.

The general consensus was that once you were out there, pushback would be inevitable.  The response to that fact was the same…at every session across the board:  “Stand your ground and keep writing.”

One out of every three women will be touched by violence during her lifetime.  In the age range spanning 15-44, women are affected in greater numbers than they are by illness and traffic accidents.  Annually, more than 4.5 million violent crimes against women occur worldwide. In the United States, those who are the victims of domestic assaults lose 8 million days of paid work per year.

Violence against women diminishes the economic development of nations. Currently, 70% of the “global poor” is comprised of women.  Building security for women creates a foundation of building blocks that yields strong civil societies—both in developing nations and those countries that are struggling to recover from the ravages of conflict and war.

It has been shown that investing in women and creating opportunities for them to generate income produces positive results.  Globally, the default rate on loans to women is extremely low.  Women spend their earned funds judiciously on food, fuel, education, and health.  Their resulting activities are community driven, and they advancer peer-led models of engagement.  If a woman gets involved in creating income, she brings her friends—who have witnessed her success—into the process.  It generates a ripple effect, and women become stakeholders in the economy.

There has been analysis showing that women in emerging countries have been crowded into low paying sectors such as serving, food, and beauty, as well as artisan projects.  Regarding the latter, this is often the result of an intervention that takes place late in the game, when skills have not been previously put into place.  The question remains, “How do you scale up from weaving baskets?”  One of the new systems being implemented is the channeling of money into communities through loans for education and healthcare.

In order for women to be active in the workforce, they must be protected by laws and have access to health care and education. Governments need to understand how women are held back by cultural strictures.  One example is the issue of women and land rights.  While constituting the largest sector of agricultural workers, women make up less than 1 percent of landowners. Whether her husband loses the land she has been working on through default, or she is passed over because she does not qualify for inheritance rights—a woman separated from the land she has cultivated is left without a source of income and no safety net.

Change must take place at two levels.  First, it must be put into play by governments, their legal systems, and the global adaptation of the International Violence Against Women Act.  Second, NGOs need to implement transformation through a grassroots, on the ground approach.

In a session devoted to the “intersection of socio-economic status and violence against women and girls,” it was pointed out that access to education for girls is an essential component to the economic piece—as well as a “mitigating factor.”  Wendy Baldwin, of Population Council, spoke about how “education is transformative for girls.”  Building on girls’s assets between ages 12-14 offsets a “negative life trajectory, including protection from violence.”  Baldwin explained, “If you are not in school at age 13, you are likely to be at risk for child marriage at a time you should be developing a vision for your life.”  Lynne Paterson, co-found and director of Pro Mujer, agreed that “starting younger is better.”  Her organization is working with the mothers of the next generation “to make the women change agents in their own lives.”

In the United States, the picture is not dissimilar for girls of color and those from low-income homes who do not get access to health care, education, and skills training.  They, as well, lack the requisite footing they need to move forward in life.

When a woman earns her own income, it makes it possible for her to kick out an alcoholic husband.  However, a rupture in the dynamics of a household partnership, particularly where the man is unemployed, has shown a spike in domestic violence incidents.

In order for women to reach higher paying jobs, there has to be gender parity. In the area of job creation and developing fields, such as the green sector, a place at the table has to be set for women.

Women’s financial empowerment is a key to national stability and growth.  Using only half of a country’s potential human resources is inefficient and wasteful. Additionally, reports from around the world show that violent behavior against women creates an enormous fiscal burden.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney told the audience that economists believe that 30 percent of a nation’s legislature must be women in order to reach a critical mass. At that point, change can be effected.

In tackling these problems, women can no longer be half the population, yet only qualify as a “special interest group.” They need to have power over the money they earn and must slip the bonds of being a “side issue.”  Another elemental step would be to get women into leadership positions—globally.  As Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International pointed out in an anecdote, it’s hard to give advice to developing nations on equality…when the Western diplomatic force has less than 50 percent women.

This article originally appeared on the website WomenMakeNews.

Photo Credit:  Courtesy of David Zamdmer © 2010

Andrew Rasiej, Founder and Executive Producer and Micah L. Sifry, Editor and Curator, led the first day of conversations and panels through the high points and rough spots – with equal amounts or humor and taste.  Rasiej, the epitome of good manners, did his best to smooth over the tech issues that beleaguered the Skype talks. For the one featuring Newt Gingrich, he gently admonished the largely progressive crowd, reminding them that PDF was an event that reached out to all constituencies.

Gingrich’s segment had been part of a series of short talks on the topic, “Can The Internet Fix Politics.”  The other eleven speakers included Eli Pariser, Executive Director of MoveOn.org, Anil Dash, Jane Hamsher, and Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meet Up.  In one of the most retweeted comments of the morning session, Heiferman proposed, “Use the Internet to get off the Internet!”  His suggestion to deal directly with people was applauded, despite the furious blackberry scrolling in the midst of the proceedings.

Daniel Ellsberg, of the Pentagon Papers fame, and Julian Assange, Founder of WikiLeaks, compared notes on “Whistleblowing, Then and Now.”  I attended two press conferences.  At the first,  The Sunlight Foundation rolled out TransparencyData.com, which lets “anyone keep track of campaign donations, lobbying, and contracts at the federal and state level.”  The foundation has consistently worked to facilitate how the public receives information about the government through sites like ReadTheBill.org and FedSpending.org. New Media Ventures gave a thirty-minute talk on the launch of their “National Network of Progressive Angel Investors,” which will focus on creating progressive political change.

The structure of the afternoon presented attendees with the dilemma of choosing only one out of eight potential sessions.  Some people could be seen leap-frogging around, but as I was live blogging via Twitter, I followed the panels from start to finish.  “Truth, Factchecking, and Online Media” was a robust dialogue that included speaker presentations.  Jay Rosen began his with a reflection upon the legacy of Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

An integral part of a PDF get together is the exchange of innovative ideas with the people who are driving them.  I had several engaging conversations.

Simon Dermer, the Managing Director of Essential Accessibility, told me about how his company was providing “software-based service that makes online environments fully accessible to individuals with physical disabilities.”  Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, the President and CEO of Overseas Vote Foundation, was in from Munich.  Born in the United States, she has created tools and services that help overseas and military voters participate in federal elections.

There were innumerable nuggets of insight and sound bites throughout the day.  Below are some of my favorites:

Hashtags are the bumper stickers of the 21^st Century

More data was created in 2009 than since the beginning of time.

Clay Johnson:    ”There’s more to an online strategy than an online campaign.” “Let’s solve problems with technology and stop counting our list.”

Deanna Zandt:    “Tools are trees in the forest.”

Jane Hamsher:    ”We are pouring concrete into our problems.”

Scott Heiferman: “A movement is when people self-identify. Have your  followers connect with each other and watch leaders emerge.”

John Perry Barlow: “The Internet is the greatest thing since the advent of fire.”

Cheryl Contee:      25% of people on Twitter are African-Americans.

Looking forward to Day 2.  The theme is “Rethinking…”  Follow the “real-time” conversation on Twitter stream with #PDF10.  I’ll be on the ground @mgyerman.