Why the demonstration? Because this year the city has plans to demolish the East 91^st Street Garbage Station, which has been closed for years, in order to build a 10-story Garbage Marine Transfer Station (MTS) on the same site.

It’s almost impossible to transverse these communities without seeing posters against the proposed MTS on store windows, or being handed a leaflet while waiting for a Crosstown bus.

“New York City is spending $400 million to pollute the neighborhood, severely impair the quality of life and threaten kids,” said Mack. “The community is very motivated to fight this disastrous project.”

There are plenty of facts being disseminated, from stats and safety concerns to escalating costs. If the deal goes through, the Marine Transfer Station would be the only one in the five boroughs to be located in a residential neighborhood.

The top concern is that the proposed facility entrance ramp would pass through Asphalt Green, the health and sports center that has more than one million visitors per year. One-fifth of that number is comprised of children.

Yorkville and East Harlem have the worst air quality in all of New York City, with the highest asthma rate for residents of East Harlem. The station would be located approximately 250 feet from the Stanley Issacs and Holmes public housing residential complexes—where over 2,000 people live. It is reported that the project would increase the area’s air pollution by at least 16 percent.

I contacted Charlie Platt, Outside Counsel for Residents for Sane Trash Solutions, with a list of questions. He responded by e-mail:

What are the goals of the May 15th Demonstration?

To demonstrate that the proposed MTS is an industrial plant that will be right in the middle of a densely populated residential neighborhood where middle and lower class New Yorkers live. Industrial plants don’t belong in any residential neighborhood for any reason.

What is the exact nature of what will be taking place at the MTS facility being proposed?

The City proposes to build a huge industrial plant that is 10-stories high and two acres wide in the East River at 91st Street. The plant would be capable of processing more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day, 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, and will be accessed by up to 500 garbage trucks a day. The City will build a huge ramp for these trucks right through the middle of Asphalt Green, which is an athletic facility that serves thousands of City kids every day.

Why has the price tag on the MTS skyrocketed from $45 million to $250 million?

Only the City knows why it dramatically underestimated the cost of this project to jam it through the City Council. We think the real cost is more than $400 million, which is absurdly expensive at a time the City is laying off firefighters and cutting children’s programs. The cost will be even higher because all the garbage from this facility will have to go to very expensive landfills.

Where will the solid waste from the facility be dumped?

In landfills that have never been identified, but that will be very expensive and environmentally insensitive.

Why is the city generating bids on construction if the Army Corps of Engineers have not yet granted a permit?

The City’s plan has always been to jam this project through before the public realizes this is not a sane trash solution.

Who is spearheading this placement?

The Mayor’s office and Christine Quinn on the City Council.

 

Photo Courtesy of Residents for Sane Trash Solutions

Another rally is being planned for Saturday, May 19^th, hosted by Rep. Carolyn Maloney. It will take place at Asphalt Green. The time for the gathering is currently 12:30 p.m.

Marcia & Philip

When I became a mother, the holiday still felt like her day.  Maybe it was because I was trying to figure out my new role. After she died, the landscape shifted. There may have been times when feelings of bereavement for my mother had my son questioning, “I’m here. Aren’t I enough?”

This will be my last Mother’s Day before my son leaves for college. Next year, he may not be with me for the second Sunday in May. Regardless, I will be cognizant of the fact that I did the best I could to set him on a good path.

Over the past seventeen years, my views about motherhood have shifted, evolved, and been redefined. Beyond the very singular connectivity I had with my son as he grew and matured, the mommy frame expanded my preexisting empathic point of view.

The homeless person was no longer just homeless. I recognized them as the child of a mother whose aspirations didn’t include a vision of her baby growing up to live on the street. When I read the names of soldiers not returning; about a marching band hazing victim dying needlessly; a bullied Chinese-American private who committed suicide; a black teenager killed on the streets of a gated community—or elsewhere…I feel it beyond the sphere of sympathy. Rather, I experienced it as a compatriot mother, with the knowledge and understanding that their offspring had also been the recipient of an unfathomable love.

Even if diversity is not acknowledged in the “Mom and apple pie” culture that Americans have been raised in—and which predominates—mothers come in all varieties. Lesbian mothers, mothers of color, and women who become mothers in prison (often while being shackled during childbirth) are too often ignored.

The “Mama grizzlies” tag and phenomenon may have been co-opted by women on the right, but there has been a long history of mothers taking responsibility as protectors of the human race. They have self-identified as mothers against war, mothers for peace, and mothers against the bomb.

Whenever mothers allow themselves to be touched by the plight of other mothers’ children, their perspective expands. Mothers are the best force for changing the direction of humankind—even if it is one step at a time. From Liberia to Ireland to the Middle East, mothers have come together to bridge the chasm of differences.

Of course, mothers can also be filled with hate and rage against those who are perceived to threaten their specific community’s status quo. Those snapshots of fury can be seen in photographs documenting the 1960s, when white mothers screamed at and vilified black children entering “their schools.”

I wonder if it would be possible for mothers to transfer the feelings of deep love and concern that they feel for their children to other women’s children—encompassing the world at large.

It could be a first step toward universal healing.

Haddon with an indigenous child from Potete, Bolivia

When I attended and live-blogged the 2012 Women in the World summit, I was surprised to find that Tweets from the handle of @dayleythought belonged to top model of the 1970s and 80s, Dayle Haddon. Ever the curious reporter, I did a quick search to find out what she was up to. I found the story of a personal evolution that is becoming more normative—as women pioneer new ways to self-define and grow.

Haddon was the brunette that broke through the blonde barricades when Cheryl Tiegs reigned as icon of the “All American” look. Hailing from Canada, Haddon’s background in ballet led to modeling and acting. One of her top roles included Nick Nolte’s girlfriend in North Dallas Forty, a look at the underside of professional football.

Becoming a mother in her twenties, Haddon was 38 years old when her husband died unexpectedly. She was left without an economic base or source of income. She went back to the world of fashion and beauty where she had been a star, and was succinctly told that she was “over the hill.” Haddon’s instinctive reaction was, “That’s not true.”

About her experience of that time Haddon told me, “It was climbing up glass walls. My industry didn’t want me, so I worked as a receptionist. I had to take care of my daughter.” She noted that going from cover girl to office worker was “humbling,” but that ”it was a good thing.” She was the “lowest person on the totem pole” and Haddon acknowledged, “No one made any fuss over me.” It was a difficult period, but Haddon suggested that the experience was a “character builder.”

Exasperated that the trade where she had previously made her living was writing off a whole demographic of women, Haddon believed that she could make a difference by encouraging the decision-makers to see otherwise. She pitched Max Factor and Revlon in the 90s on the concept of illustrating how attractiveness evolves. She represented Estée Lauder as the face of their new anti-aging line. When her contract with them expired, she immediately created a relationship with L’Oréal, and has been their spokeswoman for the Age Perfect skin care line for fifteen years.

Back in the game, she developed Dayle Haddon Concepts, became a contributor to CBS’s The Early Show, and wrote two books on “ageless living for women forty and over.” In them, Haddon addressed physical appearance, health, emotional well-being, relationships, and community—a topic that would prove to be a major interest for her.

Determined to open a conversation on defining beauty differently, Haddon’s question was, “What are the components of beauty?” She emphasized that new elements had to be “brought into the equation.” For Haddon, who had been raised in a family with a strong social consciousness, part of the progression included “giving back” and using her fame quotient to promote human rights issues, particularly as they impacted girls and women.

Social justice and activism are integral to Haddon’s current pursuits. When I spoke with her by telephone, she had just returned from a trip to Haiti as a United States Fund for UNICEF Ambassador. The goal of her trip was to learn about initiatives for children in the realm of education, nutrition, and protection.

Haddon related stories about the extensive traveling she has done on fact-finding missions. Inspired by the reporting of columnist Nicholas Kristof, she lobbied Caryl Stern of UNICEF to assign her to a Darfur visit. A physically difficult journey, Haddon found speaking with women in the IDP camps “heartbreaking but inspiring.” She then visited Angola to observe the actions being taken around HIV/AIDS and cholera. Haddon traveled to Rwanda and Congo on behalf of Raise Hope for the Congo, a project of Enough—which “fights genocide and crimes against humanity.” The article she wrote about a teenage Congolese rape victim for the CNN website received over one million hits.

In conjunction with her efforts on behalf of Artbound and Free the Children in Kenya, Haddon learned about the need for funding girls’ education. She stepped up to pay the tuition for forty-one students, underwriting their four years of high school in Masai Mara. “I like uniting with other women to see how projects can converge and overlap,” Haddon informed me. Wanting to develop a granular approach to larger concerns, Haddon founded WomenOne in 2009. The goal is to work in tandem with on the ground organizations in locales that are affected by violence, poverty, and civil war—specifically with a focus on women and children.

Describing herself as a “logical person,” Haddon is constantly pushing forward. She is not enmeshed in “looking back at what was good.” She advised that if you wrap everything up in your appearance, “you will always be disappointed.” Rather, she suggested, “Your value on yourself changes. When you follow your interests, things balance out.” She stressed the importance of developing an “inner life.” A woman who enjoys “dressing up” but who can “still climb a cliff,” Haddon continues to search for the equilibrium that suits her—between work, family, and social engagement. She said, “That changes all the time.” Expressing bafflement about those preoccupied with their younger years, Haddon asked rhetorically, “Why are we going to struggle to go backwards?”

As a grandmother and the mother of a 41-year-old daughter, Haddon said, “It’s time to give back. It makes me feel young and beautiful.” With WomanOne targeting specific endeavors and helping girls and women “one by one,” Haddon’s goal is to effect change. She reiterated that communicating to other women has always been “a thread” woven through her activities. Beyond helping women to feel good about themselves, Haddon stated that she has consistently tried to find the “value” in things. Now, this includes making sure that those who have a voice are using it to help empower others in extreme circumstances.

Haddon brings renewed meaning to the adage, “Beauty is as beauty does.”

Photo courtesy of Dayle Haddon

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site EmpowHER.

Two women co-founded the grassroots organization. Karen Teegarden (Michigan) and Desiree Jordan (New York) connected online. They were alarmed by the rapid erosion of women’s rights. The distance between their home states did not deter them from a motivation to do something. They created a Facebook page called United Against the War Against Women, with the theory if they built it women would come.

I was able to interview Jordan about the demonstration she had spearheaded. It “began” for her on February 19, 2012,  as she watched the hearings on birth control led by Rep. Darrell Issa. “I was in shock,” Jordan told me. “They decided to drag my uterus onto Capitol Hill without reading me my Miranda Rights. I realized if I don’t do anything, I will be wrapped in a blanket of complicity.”

The day commenced at the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory with approximately 800 in attendance. A walk down Broadway led to Foley Square where politicos, celebrities, and activists addressed, entreated, and revved up listeners from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The conversation covered women’s rights, health concerns, economic security, and the nightmare that would ensue if complacency took precedence. There were placards embracing sentiments such as, “We Will Not Be Marginalized,” “Keep Your Laws Away from My Uterus,” and one held by a man,  “GOP: Get Your Hands Off Our Women.” My personal favorite was, “Probe Banks, Not Women.”

Rep. Carolyln Maloney

I got onsite at around 2:00 p.m., when Rep. Carolyn Maloney (“Where are the women?”), was at the podium. She invoked the names of New York feminist forebearers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Jane Hunt before saying, “We have to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. Why is half the population not in the Constitution?” Adding a mantra that would be oft-repeatedly during the afternoon, Maloney emphasized, “Remember in November!”

Stand-up comic Leighann Lord served as the “mistress” of ceremonies, and provided humorous and rousing transitions between presenters. Next up was actress Martha Plimpton. Emanating intense energy Plimpton began, “I am a United States citizen and I vote.”

Martha Plimpton

She continued, “Women have always been at the forefront of progressive movements. Women can be depended on when you need bodies in the streets for women’s rights and human rights. We’ve been asleep. This hasn’t happened overnight. They want to gaslight us. All we have to do is look at their policies and we know we’re not crazy.” Mentioning the number of bills that have been passed against women’s reproductive health, Plimpton demanded, “Get loud, people!” Before her allotted two minutes were over, Plimpton underscored, “We will be engaged. We will be vigilant.” She ended on the refrain, “Who owns your body? You or the state?”

Representing the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Rev. Matthew Westfox articulated the need for the separation of church and state. He suggested that the loudest groups were using religion to coerce others—rather than respecting “individual conscience.” He stressed, “When people use the name of God to control women, it is blasphemy.”

Colia Clark, who was a Special Assistant to Medgar Evers, communicated emotively about taking the fight back to the streets. “The nice ways have always failed,” she said. “Sisters, let’s put our feet where our voices are. We won’t turn back until America is free.” Clark pointed to the challenges of women of color, asking, “Where do we go from here?” She answered her question with the statement, “Everybody’s got a right to the tree of life.”

Denarii Monroe was wearing a shirt emblazoned with, “The most dangerous place for a black child isn’t in my womb—it’s in the Congress.” She related to me her role in the day’s events. “I’m here as one of the organizers because simply believing isn’t enough. We have to make our voices heard through action.”

Anne Klaeysen, from the New York Society for Ethical Culture, drilled down on the disconnect between America’s international posturing and actions on the domestic front. She said, “Shame on our country for preaching democracy and freedom around the world, but denying equal protection under the law to over half of its population.” Klaeysen also called out “sisters of privilege and complicity who do not join us!”

The last hour featured those who are trying to move the needle through their writing and activism. Gerit Quealy highlighted the importance of women knowing their history and the “women you stand on the shoulders of.” Referencing the subtext of divisions among women, Quealy said, “When you look at women next to you, you can’t be in competition if you are holding hands.”

Jasmine Burnett

Jasmine Burnett, of Raising Women’s Voices, Trust Black Women, and Sister Song NYC, was dynamic—as she picked up Quealy’s thread. “We have a lot to be pissed off about today. Black women. Queer women. I stand before you talking about oppressions inside our own movement. We are in this together. To sustain our movement, we need support. Stories can not be invisibilized. Where is the health equity in black women not getting the health care they need?” Pausing for emphasis, Burnett noted, “This country doesn’t give a shit about a baby once it gets born.”

There was consistent, verbalized incredulity that in the 21st century women were refighting old battles that were supposed to have been won.  Barbara Grufferman said, “I’m almost 56, and I can’t believe I still have to write articles about this. It’s crazy. I‘m here for my daughters. We must make the promise that this doesn’t continue. I have a vote and I’m not afraid to use it.”

Fresh off of an appearance on that morning’s Melissa Harris-Perry Show where she discussed her article, “Why Do They Hate Us?”– Mona Eltahawy addressed the commonality of the repression of women in diverse cultures. She said, “I am Egyptian, I am American, I am a feminist. The Christian brotherhood wants to interfere with my vagina. The Muslim brotherhood wants to interfere with my vagina. I say, ‘Stay out of my vagina, unless I want you in there.’” Eltahawy demanded that representatives “stand up for women’s rights and human rights.” She queried, “Do the people who represent me here really represent me?” She also implored, “Go out and vote in November.”

One of the final speakers was a member of the upcoming generation. Shelby Knox, who is 25, recounted how she had started asking questions at 15. She has since pushed back against those who think that  “young women are apathetic.” She self-identified as a “forth-wave feminist, gender justice activist, and womanist.” Currently the Director of Organizing, Women’s Rights, for Change.org, Knox reiterated several of the issues that too often fall under the radar: the health challenges facing Native American women, incarcerated women who are shackled to beds while giving birth, and the rights of transgender people. “We must fight across the board,” said Knox, “or it is not justice.”

Although the hour was late and the crowd had thinned, Knox acknowledged those who had remained present and steadfast. “You are our warriors,” she said. “We are not the future, we are the now.”

Photos: Marcia G. Yerman

Harnessing the Zeitgeist of the 1970s, when anti-Vietnam activism was at its height, Nelson decided to tap into the energy of the “teach-ins” that were taking place on college campuses across the nation. An advocate for social justice, Nelson took his agenda to the public. He spearheaded the concept of mobilizing a huge grassroots protest on behalf of environmental concerns.

Courtesy of the Goldman Environmental Prize

Nineteen years later, in 1989, the Goldman Environmental Prize was created to bring acknowledgment to the work of “grassroots environmental heroes” from the regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The annual event, which awards a cash prize of $150,000, recognizes individuals whose local endeavors have effected change through community efforts and initiatives. Many winners have faced risks to their personal safety as they have engaged in David and Goliath conflicts—taking on harmful development projects backed by big money corporations that endangered ecosystems and established ways of life.

The Prize endeavors to be an inspiration to average citizens, modeling how they can protect “the natural world.” Past awardees comprise a rich history—from Lois Gibbs, the mother and leader of the Love Canal Movement to Wangari Maathai, who later won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. This year’s recipients come from Kenya, China, Russia, Philippines, United States, and Argentina.

AFRICA
Ikal Angelei
Risking her life, Ikal Angelei is fighting the construction of the massive Gibe 3 Dam that would block access to water for indigenous communities around Lake Turkana. 

ASIA
Ma Jun
Ma Jun is working with corporations to clean up their practices with an online database and digital map that shows Chinese citizens which factories are violating environmental regulations in their country. 

EUROPE
Evgenia Chirikova
Challenging rampant political corruption, Evgenia Chirikova is mobilizing her fellow Russian citizens to demand the rerouting of a highway that would bisect Khimki Forest, Moscow’s “green lungs.

ISLANDS AND ISLAND NATIONS
Edwin Gariguez
A Catholic priest, Father Edwin Gariguez is leading a grassroots movement against a large-scale nickel mine to protect Mindoro Island’s biodiversity and its indigenous people.

NORTH AMERICA
Caroline Cannon
Caroline Cannon is bringing the voice and perspective of her Inupiat community in Point Hope to the battle to keep Arctic waters safe from offshore oil and gas drilling.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA
Sofia Gatica
A mother whose infant died as a result of pesticide poisoning, Sofia Gatica is organizing local women to stop indiscriminate spraying of toxic agrochemicals in neighboring soy fields.

There are two award ceremonies. The first in San Francisco, held at the Opera House, announces the 2012 winners. The second is held at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. To introduce the accomplishments of the winners to the public, a three-minute film segment is presented. Later, the six stories are edited into a 30-minute documentary entitled, The New Environmentalists. Robert Redford narrates, and in the 2011 film he introduces the material with the statement, “Many of us are trying to find new ways to build a sustainable world for future generations. On every continent there are new environmentalists who are committed to change—ordinary people affecting extraordinary change.”

The Mill Valley Film Group has been the creative force behind these documentaries for eight years. Lorrae Rominger, Deputy Director at Goldman Environmental Prize, wrote me by e-mail, “The New Environmentalists is shown nationally on PBS and on the Sundance Channel.  This program is not only to create awareness about the Prize winners’ work, but to inspire others to do the same. [They are] sent to environmental film festivals around the world, have won several prizes, and [have] been featured at conferences at universities. We hope that these films will educate us all about the importance of protecting our environment. [They] are proof that one person does make a difference. I feel we live in a very visual society. Having the Prize winners’ stories on film is an additional venue for people to understand and see what these amazing people are doing to protect our environment. Film speaks loud and clear and is a great way to communicate and easy to understand.”

I reached out to Will Parrinello, one-third of the Mill Valley Film Group team, to learn more about their involvement with The New Environmentalists. When we spoke by telephone, his passion for the subject matter was evidenced in his comment, “We are so lucky we get to do this work.” He shared the backstory on the relationship with the awards, the creative process, and the impact of documentary films in the following interview:

How did The Mill Valley Film Group come to be chosen as the documentary film team for the Goldman Environmental Prize Awards?

In 2004 we were approached by the Goldman Environmental Prize to pitch our creative services as producers of their films. At that point in our careers, we had produced documentary films in remote locations around the world, so we were quite experienced with handling the logistics of international production. We had also worked with many different ethnic and indigenous communities. All of our films had been broadcast on PBS, A&E, The Learning Channel, MTV and other outlets, so we were confident we would get our films about these amazing environmental activists broadcast and distributed.

As independent filmmakers we made the point that it was important to distribute the films to a television network that would allow us to maintain the integrity of our protagonists stories and not have to compromise due to story and format constraints. We thought PBS was the natural home for the stories. The Prize agreed with us and we’ve been very successful with getting the films broadcast and seen by millions of viewers on PBS, the Sundance Channel, and foreign television. We’re at a point where the films are often invited to screen at festivals, conferences, and seminars around the world because of the positive reputation we have built for them.

There are six films. Is each member of the team responsible for two films? After the footage is shot, do you all work together on shaping the 
script and footage?

John Antonelli, Tom Dusenbery and I each produce two of the six short films each year. When we begin to research the stories, we each tend to gravitate towards one or two favorites. Early on we agreed that each of us would get one of our top two choices. We each produce our own films on location but come back together in the edit room to weigh in on each other’s stories. We share our feedback on all aspects of each other’s films, from story to narration, to shot selection, pacing, etc.

It’s quite challenging to tell these complex stories in only three or four minutes, particularly when they each could be a 30 or 60-minute film. But after nine years, we’ve honed our short film making skills. I think the proof is in the television ratings and the awards the films have received.

But most importantly, when the films screen at the Goldman Environmental Prize awards ceremony in San Francisco, the warm and emotional response from the audience is overwhelming.

How did Robert Redford come to be part of the project?

Lorrae Rominger approached Robert Redford about narrating when we began to work with her on the films in 2004. He has generously narrated the films ever since. Bob is a well know environmentalist and for many years has used his celebrity and his intelligence to shine a light on issues that are important to him. This isn’t a flavor of the month thing with him. He’s in it for the long haul. He donates his time to the Goldman Environmental Prize as well as to NRDC, where he is a member of the board of trustees. The value Robert Redford brings to the project is immeasurable. His involvement brings positive attention to the films, to the prize, and most importantly to the prizewinners grassroots work.

The Mill Valley Film Group has the tag line “Making films that matter.” How have you seen the 3-minute bios of the awarded activists, and the long-form film that
 is broadcast on PBS, impact the public’s knowledge and perception of global environmental struggles?

When we screen The New Environmentalists at festivals, they always make an impact. Audience members comment on how unique the films are because in a world with seemingly insurmountable environmental problems, these are stories of individuals who against great odds have effected positive change in their communities. As a result, viewers often ask how they can get involved and take action themselves.

Teachers are also drawn to the films and they are used in classrooms as a jumping off point for conversations about activism, environmentalism, conservation, social justice and human rights. The films have been seen by millions of people on PBS and the awareness that is created as a result of these broadcasts is undeniable.

Last year, I asked Ursula Sladek, the prize recipient from Germany who created one of her countries first alternative sustainable power companies, what she’d like audiences to take away from her story. She said, ‘Do whatever you can in your own community. We made a change and so can you. One person can affect another and in turn another and another…and that’s grassroots. Together we can make a difference. Get involved. Don’t say I can’t. Instead say, I can, and then do it!’

Are you doing other work with environmental subject matter?

We are now raising money to produce two independent feature documentaries with environmental subjects. Unfair Game: The Politics of Poaching is in post-production. This film explores what happens when measures to protect wildlife are in conflict with indigenous peoples’ land rights, human rights, and their very survival. Troubled Water looks at the multifaceted conflict surrounding gold mining in El Salvador. The mining companies claim their work will exceed the highest environmental standards and provide needed income to this poor country. Salvadoran farmers claim the mine will destroy their fragile water resources and way of life. The documentary looks at the human drama surrounding issues of environmental justice, food sovereignty, and globalization.

How do you think documentary film can impact social consciousness?

In 1999 we produced the documentary Dreaming of Tibet, a film about the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming hardship. It looks at the plight of three Tibetan refugees and their struggle to maintain their culture in exile. The response to Dreaming of Tibet opened our eyes to the power of film to create awareness about important social and political issues. It was a natural progression from this work to our work with the Goldman Prize.

This article originally appeared on the website cultureID

Three books that fall on this continuum which overlap, while still standing solidly in their own sphere are:

• Naked At Our Age: Talking Out Loud About Senior Sex by Joan Price
• How We Love Now: Sex and the New Intimacy in Second Adulthood by Suzanne Braun Levine
• Prime Time by Jane Fonda

Price drills down on sexuality after sixty, leaving no stone unturned. Solitary sex, nontraditional practices and relationships, moving forward after divorce and breakup, sex after illness, and painful sex are some of the topics covered. Encompassing the concerns of men and women, straight and gay, she informs readers early on that “sex might not feel or look the way it did when our hormone rush propelled us into jet-stream sex, but it can be highly arousing and satisfactory.”

Having communicated via a questionnaire with readers of her books and blog, Price chose the recurrent themes as her subjects. She then interspersed individual stories culled from her correspondence with advice and facts from specialists.

One of Price’s key takeaways is that it’s important to revive desire and to make time for sex. Top on her list is getting over not looking the same as when you were a twenty-something. She points out the health benefits to sexual activity (solo or coupled), and they are numerous:

• Hormones released during sex decreases the rate of breast cancer
• Sex can alleviate chronic pain, including migraines
• Protection against heart attack and stroke
• Immune system bolstered
• Sex can protect against depression
• Sex can reduce stress and increase self-esteem

Price explains the physiological aspects of achieving orgasm as women age stating, “We get less blood flow to the clitoris and vagina, and the vaginal walls get thinner.” For this reason she is a strong proponent of sex toys for women, single or partnered, as they “can mean the difference between orgasm or not.” She clarifies, “Vibrators increase blood flow to [the] genitals quickly and powerfully.” Price is also definitive about taking responsibility for your own sexual health through masturbation, applying the “use it or lose it” philosophy to pleasure and comfort. Inactivity can cause vaginal muscles to weaken over time. Women must have penetration via “fingers or a dildo to keep vaginas healthy.” Price communicates that otherwise tissues will become thin and fragile “leading to lesions and burning sensations.”

Unfortunately, when women look to physicians for answers on pain during intercourse or vulvar pain, it may not be an area the practitioner feels comfortable discussing. Price references the Pelvic and Sexual Health Institute as a resource. As unresolved problems can lead to “relationship conflict,” Price underscores the importance of talking about sex with partners, especially for those who have been leading solo life styles and may be accustomed to a set way of doing things. Although Price advises, “Listen to other’s concerns,” she adds without a beat, “It’s important to ask for what you want.”

Focusing on responsible behavior, Price places the message of safe sex front and center, repeatedly beating the drum that protecting your sexual health is tantamount. Only one in five sexually active adults over 45 reports using a condom with regularity. In 2005, the CDC reported that adults over the age of 50 accounted for 15 percent of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Older women with thinning vaginal lining are at a higher risk. (Price provides the website for the female condom.)

In Suzanne Braun Levine’s book there is plenty of straight talk on sex, but her insights on developing a “new emotional vocabulary” are particularly valuable. Pointing to readjustments and realignments that can occur during a period of “turmoil, self-doubt, and confusion,” she coins the phrase, the Fertile Void, a concept Fonda will embrace. Levine defines the age span of 50 to 75 as a Second Adulthood, when there are opportunities for new intimacies and companionship along with revised parameters. “Loving” as opposed to the traditional concept of “being in love” leads to a redefinition and new models of intimacy.

When Levine served as an editor of Ms. magazine in the 1970s, a popular aphorism was, “If one woman was experiencing something, it was certain that other women were too, only they were not talking about it.” In compiling her narrative, Levine conducted interviews and received input from feedback to questions.

Levine promulgates the theory that when women allow themselves to let go of the fairy tale fantasy of rescue and move toward a goal of self-empowerment and un-neediness, they are able to embrace “interdependence.” For Levine, Second Adulthood is about “revising, reenergizing, and rediscovering intimacy in our lives and finding places we hadn’t looked before.” This can include a “reorienting” of one’s sexuality, age gap relationships, and exploration for married couples to find fresh ways to meet their physical and emotional needs.

Going out of the comfort zone and risk-taking are part and parcel of building new intimacies. The road from dependence to independence to interdependence is part of the journey toward finding a peaceful place of reconciliation between “conflicts of past and present, work and love, who you are and who you thought you should be.”

This thread is examined in Prime Time. Fonda marries her own evolutionary struggles with self-acceptance to advice on sexuality, dating, spirituality, financial planning, and living wills. The preparatory attitudes for the latter concerns don’t feel depressing, merely pragmatic.

Fonda, an early innovator in the fitness space, provides an appendix with exercises, anti-aging research, and healthy eating tips. She is a strong supporter of regular aerobic activity (at least three times per week for twenty minutes), pointing to how workouts release endorphins, minimize stress, and are good for brain health and memory function. Fonda addresses “body awareness,” recounting her struggles with anorexia and bulimia. She writes, “When we are cut off from our bodies, our thinking becomes disembodied.”

As concerned as Fonda is on physicality (including the importance of Kegel exercises—squeezing and releasing vaginal muscles 200 times per day!), she devotes equal time to inner contemplation. She suggests undergoing a “Life Review” to examine the past—in order to use that knowledge moving forward. Fonda shares her own epiphanies on how certain aspects of her life weren’t making sense anymore. Part of that stemmed from ignoring feelings of discord in her relationships—out of fear of being alone.

Price, Levine, and Fonda disseminate practical information with a new way for women to contemplate their futures. Reframing a slice of the life cycle that has previously been viewed through a negative lens, Fonda puts forth the visual imagery of a stairway leading upwards in an ascent toward continued growth.

It’s a good direction to be headed in.

This article originally appeared on the women’s health site EmpowHER.

I recently picked up a book by Peter Alduino called The Citizen Leader. Alduino’s biography describes him as having twenty years of experience in the field of leadership development, personal growth, and executive coaching. The book—which is a mixture of insights, guiding exercises, and work tools—embraces key points about “active leadership.” Alduino’s “core belief” is that we are “co-creators of the world we live in,” thereby contributing to the character of the society around us.

Alduino describes the process of constructing community as being “engaged, participating, and proactive.” The building blocks of this endeavor include principles, personal integrity, and engaging others to create a better social order.

I couldn’t help thinking about the set of environmental activists that I have been connected with for a year at Moms Clean Air Force. They are parents—predominately mothers. “Creating action, through shared values,” as Alduino says, has galvanized this demographic to support and build a safe planet for the next generation.

According to Alduino, personal responsibility can yield change and transformation by behaving and speaking in ways that are concrete. Knowing, caring, acting, and courage are all components that can be used to activate those not currently engaged—by “fueling the hearts of others.”

I saw examples of this concept exemplified by two recent instances. The first was through a group phone call that featured E.P.A. Administrator Lisa Jackson. She spoke of her efforts to protect the health of all Americans, as well as the challenges faced by her two sons with asthma. In addition, a mother openly shared with listeners the tragic death of her teenage daughter from asthma. This month, Chandra Baldwin-Woods wrote about the loss of her 16-year-old son to a fatal asthma attack, expressing her fear that the power of corporate polluters could trump the well-being of children.

Currently, there is a lot of antagonism toward those who are advocating to secure government regulations for clean air, specifically when it comes into conflict with perceived issues of economic security. Yet, as Alduino points out, “acting with conviction, especially in the face of obstacles, can make changes happen.” This has been evidenced by those who were brought up in the coal community, who have broken ranks to speak out against the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining.

I contacted Alduino by phone to discuss his philosophy. Having written his book to demonstrate the importance of personal self-realization and how it leads to an understanding of who you are and who you want to be in the world, he fleshed out how individuals can envision themselves as spokespersons for a cause. He noted that mothers (and fathers) create the foundation of communities through the family structure—establishing mind, body, and spirit values. Alduino believes that for parents wondering what they can do, that there are “a ton of possibilities for taking initiatives.” He illustrated that for a mother who held health as a priority, he would ask, “To what degree are your actions about your children’s everyday health?”

We conversed about public leadership at the highest level, in the context of environmental concerns. Alduino stressed that goals are not about the pursuit of the prize before principles, or making exceptions to the rule. He said, “Obama, to his credit, has been a clarion for alternate energy thinking.” However, Alduino admitted that he was “gut-punched” and “livid when the Obama administration walked back on air standards.” He characterized it as a “capitulation.” Pointing to the larger framework he asked, “When do you draw the line and say no?”

The second part of The Citizen Leader serves as a roadmap for acting on causes. Alduino prompts readers to “think for themselves” to determine the role that want to play. In relationship to the environmental space, he qualified it as, “Do I want to be part of a society that condones dirty air?”

Most importantly, Aludino believes that each human being can make a difference—and that’s where he is placing his faith. The vision of a person extending themselves on behalf of a community, without concern for personal gain, is intrinsic to his point of view. His refrains are, “What do you care about? Why do you care about it? Marry your head to your heart. A person’s values are their signature.”

Using courage as a verb, Alduino spoke about making choices not because they are convenient, but because they are “non-negotiable.” His model to me was, “I courage to fight for clean air.”

The Citizen Leader is an individual who applies their character and conviction to the common good. Quoting Margaret Mead, Alduino said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

This article originally appeared on the website Moms Clean Air Force.

Photo: Pamela Belafonte

On March 1, 2012, Harry Belafonte turned 85 years old. He has been traveling around the country, in tandem with the release of his memoir, My Song, and the feature-length documentary Sing Your Song. In his appearance at 92nd Street Y, where he was interviewed by Charlie Rose, much of his conversation focused on the confluence of art and activism in his life.

He came on stage walking with a cane. His voice was raspy, yet the force of his personality and the candor of his opinions were as forthright as when he articulated for “tearing down racial barriers, wherever he saw them,” in the 1950s. He explained to Rose that it was necessary for him to bare his soul, and relate his personal history with major figures including Paul Robeson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Robert F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela. He wanted to “take care of myths forever and set certain stories straight.”

Belafonte ran down the themes he examined in his autobiography, and which were illustrated in Sing Your Song. He began with the humorous aside, “The most important person in my life was my mother, and I knew that before I met Freud.” He noted that his mother was a strong supporter of engaging inequity, and how much of his worldview was seen through her prism. She told him early on, “When you grow up, son, never go to bed at night knowing that there was something you could have done during the day to strike a blow against injustice and you didn’t do it.” In his book, Belafonte writes, “It was my Rosebud—the moment that imprinted itself on me more lastingly, and meaningfully, than any other.”

Exposed to a new way of thinking when he attended a performance at the American Negro Theatre, Belafonte informed Rose, “It was my first real epiphany. It struck me with a force. It was stunning. I knew that was an environment where I wanted to be.” Belafonte continued, “Artists have power, the largest power in the universe. The artist is a supreme being, and art is to define our humanity, to encourage.”

While speaking of the intersection between social activism and the cultural path that would define his existence, Belafonte introduced the pivotal role that Robeson played in his development, referencing him frequently throughout the evening. Belafonte said, “My whole life was an homage to him.” One of Belafonte’s quintessential stories is that of Robeson coming to the Village Vanguard to see his show, and the backstage visit that ensued. Robeson told Belafonte, ”Get them to sing your song, and they’ll want to know who you are.” Along with Eleanor Roosevelt, Robeson would influence and “set his course in life,” giving him an “appetite for the truth.”

Despite the excitement of the theater world, Belafonte was dismayed to realize, “There were no plays for us.” This reality in part paved the road toward his musical journey. Having sung onstage in the role of a troubadour, Belafonte saw an independent opportunity to earn a living. He enlightened Rose, “The idea that I was going to get work took away all doubts that I could sing.”

Feeling disconnected from the jazz and pop standards of the day, Belafonte gravitated to the examples of Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, and Pete Seeger. He went to the Library of Congress to research and study the thousands of folk melodies compiled by Alan Lomax. Seeger had started a movement called People’s Songs, to “force social change” through music. Belafonte, looking for an “authenticity of experience,” saw this type of material as a way to fuse his “passion for politics and art.” He culled tunes of protest and rebellion, harmonies from the plantation and life on the chain gang. They were “anthems of the dispossessed and cries for justice.”

Belafonte expanded his repertoire by adding calypso music, an influence from the years he had spent growing up in Jamaica, where he was sent to live with his grandmother. His 1956 album, Calypso, became the first LP to sell more than a million copies. As Belafonte frequently stated, he “acted” his songs. Film opportunities arose, but he soon learned that Hollywood was “a reflection of the country it entertained.” Disillusioned with his experiences, Belafonte related his realization to Rose, “Trying to change Hollywood was not the game. You had to change America. So my activism became more intense.”

In the spring of 1956, Belafonte’s life took a turn when he received a phone call from Martin Luther King. After spending four hours speaking with King, Belafonte knew “he would be in his service.” King told Belafonte, “I need your help. I have no idea where this movement is going.” Belafonte’s course became set for the next twelve years.

A member of King’s trusted inner circle, Belafonte served as an intermediary with John F. Kennedy—who was looking for support from the black community as he geared up for a presidential run. Belafonte was also at the forefront of developing a relationship with Robert F. Kennedy. King had articulated, “Somewhere in this man sits good. Our task is to find his moral center and win him to our cause.”

By 1958, Belafonte entered into a new phase, where fighting for civil rights “would take precedence over almost all.” Simultaneously, through his relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt, he would be introduced to African leaders from the United Nations and the struggle of African nations from their “inception.”

Belafonte was constantly reminded by the entertainment world that in order “to change the culture, you have to change the country.” His Emmy award-winning television shows ran afoul of sponsors who didn’t want integrated casts. Rather than compromise, he devoted extensive time to “the movement.” This manifested itself not only through a commitment of personal time, but through deep financial support as well. In the 1960s, when the Freedom Riders mission was taken over by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Belafonte helped keep it alive with a $40,000 gift. He was instrumental in getting celebrities and artists on board to participate in the 1963 March on Washington. Decades later, he would play the same role in spearing the We Are the World project, which garnered over $100 million from record sales and merchandise for famine relief in Africa.

After being “in the eye of the hurricane” during the American civil rights struggle, Belafonte became involved in African liberation actions during the 1970s. He served as cultural adviser to the Peace Crops, focusing on African countries. With the South African singer Miriam Makeba, he employed “the power of art as an instrument of rebellion,” releasing the Grammy recognized album An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. It introduced American audiences to both African songs and the aspirations of the continent’s emerging nations.

Belafonte engaged in the sanctions initiatives against South Africa, with the end game of extinguishing apartheid and freeing Nelson Mandela. He assisted the African National Congress in raising money and awareness. In 1977, he founded TransAfrica, the first lobbying group to address African issues. Through setting up a foundation to aid students from Africa and the Caribbean to find higher education opportunities in America, Belafonte hoped to help shape the next generation of leaders.

In 1987, when Belafonte became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, he organized a forum called, “Artists and Intellectuals for Children.” The mission was to bring together an alliance of Africa’s “leading artists and thinkers to focus on children’s issues.” In 1994, when he was part of a fact-finding trip to Rwanda, he was left shaken and unsure—after forty years of activism—“that the world could be a better place.”

Yet undeterred, at 79, Belafonte was still touring—spending almost a third of the year on the road. In 2001, he produced an album that had been gestating for years, The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music, which traced black history through the examination of its music.

During the evening at 92Y—as in his autobiography—Belafonte frankly shared his reflections on President Obama, who he believes has not addressed several key matters. Foremost for Belafonte is concern for the poor, homeland security laws that are still on the books, and the fact that America has “the largest prison populations in the world—primarily people of color.” He observed, “When you’re building more prison cells than classrooms, something’s wrong with the equation.”

Receiving a warm and extended ovation from a full house, Belafonte exemplified a life devoted to art and activism. Near the end of the evening, when asked by Rose about the Occupy Wall Street movement, Belafonte responded emphatically, “Now we’re on the march.”

Backstage at Madison Square Garden with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo: Courtesy of Harry Belafonte

This article originally appeared on the website cultureID.

Regina Yau

Regina Yau is on a mission—and she is using the tools of social media and the power of the Internet to push her agenda forward. As Founder and President of The Pixel Project, Yau is determined to raise global awareness about violence against women and girls, while simultaneously garnering volunteers and funds to implement her vision.

In February 2012, her non-profit launched the “Valentine Against Violence” initiative by selecting the vehicle of music to engage both men and women in combating sexual violence and raising dollars.

The underlying goal was to combine a positive message of love for self, and others, wrapped in the accessibility of music. Peter Hollens, widely known on YouTube for his a cappella performances, collaborated with The Pixel Project to render a performance that he hoped would “bolster the spirits of survivors, raise funds, and inspire people worldwide to take action to stop violence against women.”

The song, Firework, written by Katy Perry, was made available as a single download on iTunes for $1.29. The Deluxe HD version includes an “Anti-Violence Toolkit” designed by The Pixel Project that offered virtual banners, badges, and wallpapers to help amplify visibility. Proceeds from sales of the song went to The Pixel Project’s Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign in aid of the USA’s National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Malaysia’s Women’s Aid Organisation.

Reached by e-mail, Yau wrote about her hopes for “Valentine Against Violence,” which ended on February 29, 2012.  She said, “The “Valentine Against Violence” campaign was specially created by The Pixel Project to celebrate love and positive relationships in honour of Valentine’s Day. We hope as many people as possible will download the song to share it with their loved ones to reinforce the importance of having healthy non-violent relationships based on respect and affection.”

“Valentine Against Violence” was aimed at two different audiences, Yau noted. She specified “women and girls who have experienced any gender-based violence” and “the general audience—including men and young people.” The former group will receive “the empowering message that they matter.” The latter will be encouraged “to think about, value and engage in positive and healthy relationships with women and girls in their families and communities.”

For Yau, music is a tool for “engaging the audience emotionally with the cause without resorting to triggering materials such as horrific imagery.” Using music as a way of getting the public aware of the issue leads to interest in learning more, and how they can help.

Relating that the “Valentine Against Violence” campaign was The Pixel Project’s first campaign to combine social media, music, and YouTube, Yau explained, “As YouTube is the most popular video sharing channel in the world, the music video element of ‘Valentine Against Violence’ has added another dimension and increased momentum for our social media outreach—given that we have previously mostly campaigned through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, Google+ and other text and link-based social media channels.”

A key to the strategy was “getting the attention of people who love music but who might not necessarily have an interest in the cause.”

I asked Yau how The Pixel Project’s Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign fit into the philosophy of getting men and boys activated in what she believes has been “stereotyped as a women’s issue.” She pointed out that many men do not see it as a problem that affects them, leading to a reluctance to get involved.

Yau told me, “When I got the inspiration for the Pixel Reveal campaign back in January 2009, I felt very strongly then–as I do now–that communities, cultures and societies worldwide cannot effectively stop gender-based violence without involving good men in efforts to do so and acknowledging that a vital part of preventing violence against women and girls lies in raising boys to become good non-violent men who respect their female counterparts.”

It’s a good place to start.

This article originally appeared on Women’s News Network.

The conference formula, which employs the tagline “Stories + Solutions,” is to present an amalgam of visibly powerful women, emerging leaders, and courageous activists striving to make a difference. Partnering on the proceedings are organizations doing work to impact women’s lives, including Women for Women, Vital Voices, United Nations Foundation, and Virtue Foundation.

The Women in the World Foundation, which was launched in 2011, has created a network of over 300 nonprofits. In addition, it has launched “Get on the Map,” convened women judges to discuss gender and constitutional law, and put into play Women in the World on Campus.

This year, the event was opened up to the public, with ticket revenue going to the Women in the World Foundation. The choice of venue was influenced by the expected increase in turnout. At Lincoln Center, audience numbers were said to have hit 2,000. The morning when Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton was on-site, the orchestra and balcony rings of the David A. Koch Theater were full. (Yes, that Koch, dryly noted by Gloria Steinem during her panel appearance.)

Leading the proceedings was Tina Brown, Editor in Chief of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and the force behind the Women in the World brand.

Thursday night, which fell on International Women’s Day, showcased the issue of forced marriage for more than 500 British girls each year—promised to spouses in their parents’ countries of origin. Sabatina James, originally from Pakistan, told of telephone help lines that advised girls on flights out of the country to, “Put a spoon in your knickers, literally,” so that airport metal detectors  would cause them to be alone in a room with authorities. Jasvinder Sanghera, founder of Karma Nirvana, related running away from her family to avoid a forced marriage. She was warned, “You are now dead in our eyes.” Sanghera has had no contact with them for thirty years.

Sandra Uwiringiy’imana, a photographer and survivor of the Gatumba genocide, movingly recounted her personal history to Charlie Rose. She told him, “Hatred doesn’t solve a thing. Justice must be fought for and demanded, even from a teen like myself.”

Rose also interviewed former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright about the “The Price of War” for women. She is currently authoring a new book on the importance of standing up to totalitarian regimes. A “child of World War II,” Albright got out of Czechoslovakia at the age of two. She used the word “grateful” to describe herself, and reflected upon how she was shaped by her family’s experiences. While tracing her background, Albright learned that her parents were converts to Catholicism and that her grandparents had died in Nazi concentration camps. “They were,” she said, “killed not for what they had done, but for who they were.” A “responsibility to protect” has become foremost for Albright. She believes that women try harder to avoid conflict and build consensus, but that there are not enough women in decision making positions. When asked by Rose why there were still so few women in power, she responded with the terse, but humorous response, “Men.”  In answer to the suggestion that there weren’t enough qualified women who could serve in office, Albright proffered a colorful one-word response that was received with hearty applause.

The evening culminated with a “Testimony” reading of the words of Dr. Hawa Abdi, delivered by Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, Angelina Jolie.

Friday featured Leymah Gbowee, a co-host of Women In the World. One of the three women to be awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, Gbowee was instrumental in bringing peace to Liberia and has since founded Gbowee Peace Foundation. With her dynamic personality and insistence on speaking truth to power, she is a riveting presence. Interviewed by Brown she stated, “It’s time for women to stop being politely angry. No more kneeling down in front of men asking for peace—or anything else.” She offered her description of a victim as someone who “waits for a knight in shining armor.”

“Changing the Minds of Men,” anchored by Christiane Amanpour, examined the fate of Afghan women and girls as United States forces prepare to pull out. The focus was on the role men would play in facilitating a mindset transformation. Although 25 percent of the country’s elected representatives are mandated to be women, the picture didn’t feel encouraging. Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women, imparted that at a meeting with Hamid Karzi, he told her that women would have to compromise on “mobility and dress.”  Present on the panel was Bibi Hokmina, an elected member of the Provincial Council for Eastern Afghanistan. She was clothed as a Pashtun man. (During the Soviet war, to insure her safety, her father dressed her as a boy.) Hokmina’s response to the potential integration of the Taliban into the government was, “They don’t want women in the process.” She called on the United States, which “has the power to make a difference,” to protect women’s rights. Undeterred, she said, “We must stand on our own two feet. Who are the Taliban? We will fight for our country.”

Perhaps the most emotional wrenching conversation outlined the extreme violence being perpetrated against women in “Murder and Machismo: Women in Peril in Latin America.” It began with a woman seated with her back to the audience, to protect her identity. She recounted  how she had been recruited by a trusted person for a well paying job while she was a student. Instead, she was trafficked into the commercial sex trade and forced to service thirty men a day. As a sexual slave, she was sold to drug cartels and transported to different locations for five years. She escaped during a police raid. She said that the other women enslaved with her were from diverse backgrounds—from as far away as Eastern Europe. There was an inappropriate misstep by the moderator, apparently unaware of the basics of human trafficking. He asked, “Have you ever thought of going back into prostitution?”

One of the key words used during the session was the term “impunity.” Sylvia Gereda, Founder and Editor in Chief of Informe Especial, Guatemala’s first investigative journalism show on television, spoke in graphic terms about the femicide in her country. In addition to murder, women have been raped and tortured. The violence and aggression have roots in the thirty-year civil war where brutal methods were used against the indigenous Mayan female population. Currently, 7,000 women have been killed and ten people have gone to jail. Gereda commented on the Guatemalan “culture of silence.” To maintain a deliberate atmosphere of fear, the decapitated heads of women have been sent to government officials and representatives seeking to stop the violence. Despite potential harm to her personal safety, Gereda was stalwartly resolute. She reflected, “Being a journalist and having a voice is a gift. As Gandhi said, ‘If not me, who?’”

“Women in Combat: Fighting on Two Fronts” tackled the important role of women in the military on the ground in Afghanistan—juxtaposed with the dangers they face from within their own ranks. Switching gears from learning how servicewomen have made inroads with the Afghan population, winning hearts and minds while gathering “actionable intel,” were the staggering stats of how many women have been attacked by their fellow soldiers (500,000). The numbers are unreliable because so many incidents go unreported, as women are revictimized if they do inform military authorities. Rep. Jackie Speier, who has been actively working on the matter, offered that by “sweeping [the problem] under the rug,” Congress has been complicit in the non-action.

There was a confluence of themes in both the interview with Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Opposition Leader, and a panelist from “The Arab Spring: Have Women Lost?” As the latter observed, “The problem is with those claiming to speak with the voice of God—whatever the religion.”  Livni responded to questions about the Orthodox fundamentalists in Israel who are trying to make women second-class citizens. She asserted her firm belief in the supremacy of secular law over the mandates of rabbinical authorities. Dalia Ziada, the Egyptian director of the American Islamic Congress, who was  in Tahir Square and now finds herself being marginalized, said emphatically, “There is no spring without flowers. There is no revolution without women.”

Saturday’s gathering packed a ton of content into a half-day. Andrea Mitchell helmed “A New Dawn for World Leaders.” The president of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, was present. She is now a member of The Council of Women World Leaders. Margot Wallström, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, discussed how being a woman in a war zone was more dangerous than being a soldier due to the use of rape as a tool of war. Kah Walla, President of the Cameroon People’s Party, elaborated on the tradition of women in leadership in her country’s culture—and how some of that had been lost through “colonization.” However, she affirmed, “Strong women prevail.” Walla pointed to her belief that women in world leadership had not reached critical mass. She emphasized that globally, women must be elected. She suggested that women in Egypt had not been formally organized and therefore had been pushed out of the picture.

On the national level, Mitchell commented on the “old boys club of Congress,” with Jane Harman adding sharply that the glass ceiling was really “a thick wall of men.”

Back to update her work to end female genital cutting in Senegal, Molly Melching, Founder of Tostan, talked about engaging the whole community through “the cooperation of men” to fight FGC, child marriage, and domestic violence. She was joined by Iman Demba Diawara, a Village Chief and grassroots leader in Senegal. His turning point occurred after he sought out the opinions of religious men—and discovered that there was nothing in Islam that called for FGC. Diawara’s efforts have led to over 5,000 communities in East and West Africa relinquishing FGC, and he believes that the practice could be ended by 2015.

After the break, a full ninety minutes was devoted to “Girls in the World.” Leading off was the impressive 17-year-old Talia Leman, the founder of RandomKid.org. She has raised millions of dollars for Katrina relief and is now mobilizing young people who want to be agents of change. Her advice, valuable for any generation, was, “You don’t have to become someone. You already are someone!”

Chelsea Clinton moderated “The Digital Lives of Girls,” which showed how the online space is being used proactively. Noorjahan Akbar, Co-Founder of Young Women for Change, has opened an Internet Café in Afghanistan, to expand Internet access and bring a voice to Afghan girls and young women. Emily-Anne Rigal, founded WeStophate.org, Shelby Knox is the Director of Women’s Rights Organizing for Change.org, and Julie Zeilinger is the Founder of The FBomb. Zeilinger was spurred to action when, as a freshman in college, she found herself constantly explaining feminism to others. Crystal Ogar, activist, feminist, womanist, and blogger for Spark Summit, was vocal about the “over-sexualization of young girls—even in cartoons.” Pushing back against the negative feedback that is part and parcel of operating online, Kabar said, “For every hateful voice, there is a positive voice.”

The closing session was devoted to “Burma: A Door Opens.” Melanne Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, and Zin Mar Aung, a recipient of the 2012 International Women of Courage Award, assessed the future of democracy in Burma. Mar Aung was imprisoned for eleven years for handing out leaflets in support of Aung San Suu Kyi. Most of that time was spent in solitary confinement. She told the crowd, “Somebody can imprison your body, but not your mind.”

There was palpable excitement in the house leading up to the final half hour, which featured Hillary Clinton, preceded by an introductory tribute from Meryl Streep. Brandishing her Academy Award, Streep said of the Secretary of State, “I’m an actress. She’s the real deal.” Streep underscored how Clinton’s stewardship of the State Department had created a “big shift in thinking.” She illustrated the point with the fact that Clinton had implemented the need for data on concerns such as the fertility rate in nations, with the objective of monitoring if children would be adequately fed. “Never give up. That’s what Hillary Clinton embodies,” Streep said to rousing applause.

Clinton received a standing ovation. With a relaxed demeanor, she made a few jokes before she drilled down on the work that still had to be done. “Tina Brown has allowed people to see what I see all the time—meeting women and girls who are taking a stand and assuming risks.” On the activists present she said, “They are watering the seeds of democracy. There is much we can do together. You can look around the world today and see the difference women are making.” Acknowledging her admiration for the conference participants, she said, “It’s not just who they are, but what they do. They roll up their sleeves.”

Clinton referenced the women in Egypt and Tunisia, and then tied it back to the current domestic landscape. “Women must make their own decisions,” she intoned. Then after a dramatic pause she wondered, “Why extremists always focus on women is a mystery to me.”

Urging the women in the audience to “take action a step further and bring it into their lives,” Clinton challenged those present to be part of the solution. She reiterated, “At the State Department, I have made women a cornerstone of our policy.” Clinton concluded her comments with a call to mobilize. “So let’s go forth and make it happen!” As speakers joined Clinton on stage, the Aretha Franklin anthem “Respect” filled the theater.

An energized group of women made ready to depart, with the mission of sharing and incorporating what they had learned.

Photo: Mark Bryan-Brown