Advocating and Lobbying for Gender Equity and Gender Equity How do you effectively raise awareness of issues facing women and girls, build coalitions, and fundraise to advance gender equality and gender equity? In this training, we will discuss the importance of civic education, the power of successful convenings, how to make people take action, and stay committed to your cause.?
Creating Inclusive Work Environments Panel description: In a post #MeToo world, how do we leverage the powerful rise in gender equality discourse at the workplace and create inclusive work environments? What does inclusivity mean? What inclusion-building strategies should organizations adopt to address the gender biases and systemic challenges that disproportionally affect women and gender non-conforming individuals? In this panel, we will explore strategies on how to create truly inclusive and productive workplaces – the do’s and dont’s – and examine the role of gender norms, effective leadership, equal pay, pay transparency, paid leave, and effective trainings on the creation of inclusivity. We will learn from leaders who are challenging the status quo and helping create more empowering and productive organizations that help lift people up.
Women’s Stories – What’s Missing Panel description: According to the American Press Institute, the purpose of the media is “to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies and their governments.” Nonetheless, media institutions in the U.S. have, by and large, featured white male voices since their inception and upheld a status quo that marginalizes female narratives.This lack of representation hinders well-rounded perspectives on critical issues and diverse role models from becoming mainstream. Moreover, it prevents many members of society from accessing information and narratives that are pertinent to their daily lives. This panel will discuss the need for female voices in our daily media feed and will explore strategies to ensure that they are heard.
The Intersection of Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking & Female Homelessness Panel description: The number of people without a place to call home has reached exorbitant levels in many places across the country. In the past decade, women and girls have become more present than ever on our streets. Compared to men, they share a different story and have different needs. Today, 57% of all unsheltered women report domestic violence as their immediate cause to homelessness. In Los Angeles, 28 percent of the female homeless population has a history of sex trafficking, compared to 6% of unsheltered men. As women and girls are disproportionately affected by domestic violence and human trafficking, it is imperative for cities to provide a comprehensive level of support, specifically access to permanent supportive housing and financial resources. In this panel, we will discuss how these issues intersect and explore policies and strategies that can help women transition to a safe, healthy, and productive life.
Using Technology to Elevate Gender Equality & Gender Equity Panel description: Technology and social media have continued to be of great importance in elevating messages, movements and ideas. We’ve seen this truth through recent elections, political movements and business. How can women take advantage of the rise of social media to get their most important messages across? What are the key elements of technology we all need to know now? What do leaders in the audience need to know to be prepared for the next wave of technology?
How to Run for Elected Office Panel description: The 2018 primary elections, also called the “pink wave,” confirmed a trend that we have been watching all year – the rise of women running for office. Despite the dramatic increase of female candidates, we have a long way to go to reach proportional political representation and true gender equality. To date, women still make up less than a quarter of all likely 2018 congressional candidates. On top of that, gender biases and lack of female empowerment and support continue to influence women’s interest in and ability to run for elected office. How do we mobilize and empower more women to run? What are the key things that you (yes, you!) should consider when running for office?
The California Pay Equity Task Force: A Proactive Approach to Effective Policy Implementation Panel description: The CA Pay Equity Task is unique in that it was created with the intent of providing written guidance for public use on how to proactively address implementation of a new law, the California Fair Pay Act, which to date is the strongest equal pay law in the nation. The work of the Task Force represents a collaborative and consensus drive model to bring about cultural change in the workplace. A case study on the CA Pay Equity Task Force is available on our website at: https://women.ca.gov/california-pay-equity-task-force/.
Women Investing in Women Panel description: There are 11.3 million women-owned businesses in U.S, generating over 7.8 million jobs, and adding $11.3 trillion to the country’s economy. On top of that, women (half the population!) are the central consumers, responsible for 70-80% of a household’s purchases. Now, think of those numbers together and the economic and social power that lie within them. In this panel, we will explore the impact of women investing in women. [What does it look like in an economy that favors men?] As female funders access to capital and loans continues to be non-existent compared to that of their male counterparts, we will discuss effective ways to create a paradigm shift that does away with current barriers, which go far beyond funding. As part of this discussion, we will touch upon the gender investment gap, i.e., women paying more than men for debt while investing less. How can we reverse the trend of women retiring with only two-thirds of the money of men while living longer? How do we encourage more women to start flexing their purchasing muscle to secure their future by investing in women-owned businesses? [As studies show, a stellar investment strategy]
Play Equity Leading up to the LA 2028 Olympics & Paralympics Panel Description: Los Angeles is the proud host of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and by harnessing the excitement for the Games, the City is determined to play its role in closing the play equity gap. Together with its partners [including the LA84 foundation, WISE LA, the Sparks Foundation], the City is working hard to ensure that the dreams, opportunities, and health of children are not determined by their gender, zip code and family’s income but that every child is given a chance to play. In addition to giving more young people the chance to play, the City is also progressing in its goal to advance the number female coaches, executives, and representatives across all sports so that there is greater representation and everyone who wants the chance to succeed in careers in sports has the opportunity. As one of the largest sports industries in the U.S., Los Angeles is dedicated to taking the lead on play equity. Join us for this panel to learn how we will achieve this goal.
Women Veterans Navigating from Military Life to Civilian Careers Panel description: The needs of women veterans are often overshadowed by the needs of their male peers although many women veterans come out of the military questioning their identity and have trouble transitioning into the civilian world. What steps should we take to better support women veterans to ensure their personal and professional success? In this panel, we will discuss the numerous challenges facing women veterans [including, post-traumatic stress, military sexual trauma, readjustment to civilian life], the need for mentors and a supportive community.
The Intersection of Women's Health, Domestic Violence, & Infant Mortality Hosted by the LA County’s Women & Girls Initiative Panel Description: The Los Angeles County Women & Girls Initiative with the County’s Department of Public Health will host a panel on health and wellbeing of women. Featuring Abbe Land, Executive Director of the LA County Women and Girls Initiative, Susie Baldwin, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Office of Women’s Health and Ellen Eidem, Executive Director of the Office of Women’s Health, the panel will specifically focus on the issues of infant mortality and domestic violence. You will learn how Los Angeles County is addressing these important issues and what you can do in your city or town.
NACW Voices of American Women There is a lot of talking going on about women’s progress and future opportunities. NACW is launching a network-wide initiative to conduct a facilitated listening project across the country. NACW is asking every member commission to participate in the NACW national survey and hold public forums or facilitate focused conversations with women in their communities to hear what they think are the most pressing issues. These listening sessions will provide commissions an opportunity to host guided dialogues with women at the local level to determine critical issues, prioritize challenges, and offer potential solutions for real change. The results of this initiative will be published in a national report in 2020. During this session, NACW leaders will present information about how to participate in this national initiative and provide resources of everything a commission needs to conduct them successfully. Come to the session to learn and ask questions about how you can participate!
From Global to Local: How to Apply a Gender Lens to Policies, Programs & Budgets Panel description: Thirty-eight years after the Convention on the “Elimination of All Form of Discrimination Against Women” (CEDAW) was adopted by the United Nations, gender equality is in retreat globally. Although the adoption of CEDAW was momentous, it was merely a means to an end. To achieve gender equality, we must make CEDAW applicable locally and integrate its tenets into all aspects of society through conscious actions and measurable efforts. In this panel, we will discuss how to make gender equality a central mission and value for organizations and institutions across society, as well as how to use gender equality as a working method by integrate it into policies, programs, and budgets.
Tour of Downtown Women’s Center Tour Meet outside of the main entrance of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel at 11:25 am to walk .8 miles through the Skid Row Community of Los Angeles and into the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC). Learn how DWC ends women’s homelessness in Los Angeles through housing, wellness, and advocacy through an interactive tour of their health and housing programs and discussion about intersectionality and homelessness. Cutting through intersections of poverty, structural racism, violence, LGBTQIA experiences, and age related dynamics, this tour and discussion will share ideas in order to build stronger response systems to meet the unique needs of women experiencing homelessness. Presenter: Amy Turk, LCSW: As Chief Innovation Officer at Downtown Women’s Center, Amy Turk provides strategic leadership in the development and implementation of new organizational projects and fosters vital relationships with community partners in efforts to end women’s homelessness in greater Los Angeles. Amy has worked in the homeless services and mental health field since 2001, including for five years as DWC’s Chief Program Officer, where she administered five programs serving over 3,000 adult women experiencing homelessness and led 80 staff members with oversight of a $6 million budget. Prior to joining DWC, she was the Director of Daybreak, a project of The People Concern in Santa Monica, California, serving women experiencing homelessness through shelter, housing, and supportive day programming.