Dems Prez Convention 2012 - Women Take over the Ball Rooms

At the Women's Caucus in the Convention Center

Nancy Pelosi started with a speech and there was a standing ovation for Gaby Giffords but OMG (oh My Girls!) Donna Brazille brought down the house with her "Shake Your Tailfeathers" speeech.

Fired UP - Ready to GO

___________________________

Cecile Richards is following this up with her own style (Texas, not Louisiana). As she travels throughout the US she keeps seeing signs that say

I can't believe I have to fight this shit
all over again

Cecile says: "But we will...But we Will."

___________________________

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz to speak. It is amazing to see her in person, (this is the third time I have seen her in 1.5 days!) because she is soooooo tiny. She is also quite "fine" as some would say.

"Women are: The Backbone of the Economy.
The Backbone of the Family."

Talking about her breast cancer diagnosis and Obama doing healthcare reform so that she and her daughters, who carry the cancer gene, are able to get treatment as needed, and "being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition."

2012 is Personal. This is Personal.

In Case You Missed It: from DailyKos

Unite Against the War on Women

[...]
New Group Poised to Challenge “War on Women”
• Virginia legislators recently tried to enact an invasive, mandatory “trans-vaginal ultrasound” measure for women seeking abortions.
• In Mississippi, lawmakers took a cue from Virginia and are now pushing the same type of regressive, restrictive legislation.
• Texas Governor, Rick Perry, has decided to deny funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers under the Texas Women’s Health Program.
• Some presidential candidates want to end Medicaid funding and turn it into state-by-state bloc grants.
• Personhood legislation and amendments are being actively pushed through state legislatures in attempts to criminalize contraception and family planning.
• State laws regarding voter registration designed to suppress voter turnout especially among poor women, seniors and minorities are already in place and spreading.

A new and growing movement called Unite Against The War On Women is poised to push back on measures like this, with protest marches and rallies across the country on Saturday, April 28.

Join us - Saturday, April 28th as we say NO WAY/NO HOW to these attempts to dictate our personal decisions, our bodies, our health choices, and our families.

The newly-minted organization has garnered almost 20,000 members nationally in less than two weeks in the wake of of Virginia’s “trans-vaginal ultrasound” bill and other pending legislation.

JOIN US - SHARE - PASS THE WORD - WE WILL NOT BE SILENT

 ~ * ~ * ~ *  ~ * ~ * ~ *  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Questions? send an email to unitewomenconnecticut@gmail.com    or    ctFreeRadicals@gmail.com  
sign up at WeAreWomenMarch.net

Reminder: 20 Million Women!

Teen Talk para Latinos! Vote every day > March 16th

Too many exclamation marks, but a good cause nonetheless!!!

Vote Early, Vote Often!
Contest rules allow you to vote once each day until voting closes March 16th!
 

Vote from your computer, your cell phone, AND your tablet!
Tell your friends!
Please act today to help us win this grant!

Planned Parenthood of Southern New England is a finalist in a video contest sponsored by Health Justice CT.  The winner of the contest will receive a $10,000 grant for work to reduce health disparities among people of color.

Please help us receive these crucial funds to translate our nationally-recognized "Teen Talk" program into Spanish!  Language and culture shouldn't stand in the way of good sex-ed!

Watch the Video and Vote

If you've already voted, thank you!  And, please, vote again! Contest rules allow you to vote once each day until voting closes March 16th!

Our video highlights the injustices in sexuality education that exist across Connecticut. Many Latino youth have limited proficiency in English, and struggle to understand what is being taught in sex education classes. Latinas in Connecticut are eight times as likely to be teen mothers, and six times more likely to be infected with HIV. We propose a solution that transforms our nationally-recognized sexuality education program into a culturally-competent, Spanish-language resource for the Latino community, so that language and culture don't stand in the way of good sex ed.

Please take a moment to help us win this contest and make "Sex Education that Speaks to Me: Teen Talk para Latinos" a reality! Vote now.

(Sorry! Couldn't keep myself from doing this!)

Chris Murphy and Womens Health

On Friday January 6th Congressman Chris Murphy hosted a forum in Hartford, with a panel featuring the following Connecticut leaders concerned with women's health care:

• Dr. Kristen Zarfos - Director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center at St Francis Hospital & Medical Center in Hartford
• Jenny Carrillo - Sr Vice President, External Affairs & Organizational Effectiveness, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England 
• Rresentative Betsy Ritter - House Chair of the Public Health Committee in the State Legislature
• Teresa Younger - Executive Director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
• Christian Miron - Executive Director of NARAL ProChoice Connecticut

It is interesting that Chris Murphy, who I support in his current campaign for US Senate, is such an outspoken advocate for women's health care. His unwavering support for women's rights and the needs of families has distinguished him as someone who fully understands the view from "down on the street".

I also liked State Representative Betsy Ritter noting that there needs to be a focus on Science rather than Rhetoric, where real information discredits untruths.

One hour and 19 minutes, courtesy of CT-N:

Women's Health Forum: in Hartford - FREE

Raising Women's Voices Community Conversation

Location:

The Studio

Cost: 

FREE

Oct. 26: Raising Women’s Voices: Byllye Avery
Join Avery, a noted healthcare activist, along with
Teresa Younger and CT State Healthcare Advocate
Victoria Veltri, in a community conversation: “Health
Reform: What’s in it for You?”; Studio at Billings Forge,
Hartford; 5:30-7 p.m.

Health Reform - What's in it for you?
Women celebrated the historic accomplishment of enacting the new health reform law that can help us gain access to quality, affordable health care.
Join us for a community conversation about what women are getting from health reform with special guest speakers:
Byllye Y. Avery, Raising Women’s Voices & long time health care activist              
Teresa Younger, CT Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
Victoria Veltri, CT State Healthcare Advocate
Sponsored by Raising Women's Voices, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England and the CT Permanent Commission on the Status of Women