Response to SJ Merc article

By Angelica Ramos

This letter is in response to an article by the San Jose Mercury News titled “San Jose mayor and council race money pouring in — what did everyone raise?

Dear Editor: What About the Women?

I was disappointed that Mr. Rosenberg’s article on San José campaign finance (Feb. 2) failed to discuss the significant fundraising totals of the only female candidates in two City Council races. In a city of almost one million people, where women make up half the electorate, residents deserve a chance to learn about all viable and qualified candidates. An article heralding the achievements of mostly male candidates is dismissive of female ones who raised impressive amounts of money – in fact, more money than other candidates – while loaning little or nothing to their campaigns. Big congratulations to Kathy Sutherland in District 3 and Susan Marsland in District 1 for doing this, respectively, in the first fundraising period.  Considering the obstacles grassroots female candidates are known to face, these accomplishments should be celebrated – without apology.


The Women’s Media Center says it best, “[w]e’re counting on the media to remain a public trust, watchdog, and accurate and fair arbiter in the age of spin…And the females that make up 51 percent of the U.S. population want their voices heard and to be portrayed accurately and without stereotype.”  The media has a responsibility to provide complete and accurate information so that voters can make educated decisions; in the future, I sincerely hope the San Jose Mercury News/Bay Area News Group will report journalistic content through a gender educated lens.

Angelica Ramos, President
National Women’s Political Caucus of Silicon Valley
PO Box 6953
San Jose, CA 95150
408.597.4946

SVYD-Women’s Leadership Committee November Meeting Minutes

SVYD-Women’s Leadership Committee

November Meeting

Wednesday, November 6th at 7pm

at the Fairmont in San Jose

Download PDF

 

  1. Recap-‘Voices from the Trenches’

    1. What Can Change:

      1. Next time we should try not to conflict with other events.

      2. Suggested for 2014 (Election Year): March & August to avoid conflicts.

    2. What Went Well:

      1. Great speakers

      2. Timely, on track questions

  2. ‘Thank You’ Committee Outing

    1. The Tech After Hours

      1. Thursday, December 5th @7pm

      2. Emily has offered to provide the tickets and will create a google form to keep track of who is interested in attending.

  3. What’s Next?

    1. Another Panel?

    2. Suggestion: ‘Women Behind the Technology’ focusing on women who work for NGP, Nation Builder, Organizer, etc.

    3. Potential Venue:

      1. Emily will ask the Tech if we can submit a request to host the panel there.

      2. Samantha will contact the SBWC to see if we can host. But will also have to ask for 20-30 free tickets for organizing the panel since they usually charge for entry.

    4. Event in March=Collaboration

      1. Who Can We Collaborate with/Reach Out To?

        1. DAWN: Samantha will contact Darcie

        2. NWPC-SV: Emily will ask Angelica

        3. LC-SV: ?

  4. Upcoming Events

    1. Boards & Commissions Training II

    2. When: Wednesday, November 13th from 5:30-8pm

    3. Where: Mountain View City Hall Council Chambers, 500 Castro St. Mountain View

Women in Non Profits

By Melanie Berringer

Women are not seen as leaders in our society. After all women still make up only twenty percent of Congress and three percent of management in Fortune 500 companies. One sector where the management issue is especially stark is in non-profits.  Women make up seventy percent of the workforce in non-profits, but they only make up forty percent of the management.  This is a problem.  In a female dominated work force, men are still being chosen to lead, leaving women underrepresented.  This is symptomatic of a larger issue in our society; women are not seen as leaders.

It is often said that women are much more empowered than we used to be.  We now have the vote, freedom over our bodies, and are equally represented in higher education.  These facts are said in order to prove how far we have come.

 

It is true, great strides have been made in women’s equality, and for that we should feel grateful, but it’s important to remember that we still have a ways to go.  We need to promote female leaders; in elected office, in education, and in management.  It’s not enough that we have more women in Congress than ever before, we have to keep pushing until it’s equal.

 

We have some amazing female leaders right now.  Women like Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton have all been inspiring role models and we need to continue to support them, but we also need to strive to find and support female leaders all around us.  We also need to support male leaders who are sensitive to issues of equality.  Most importantly we all need to remember that while we are making great strides in gender equality, we must continue to push for more, until women are seen as equal to men as leaders as well.

Women are Fighters

By Alex Wara

For the past decades women have always been told that they were not allowed to do something in society. We were told that we were not equal, so women marched at Seneca Falls. We were told that we were not allowed to make choices about our own bodies, so we took our case to the Supreme Court. We were told that a woman could never dream of holding prominent positions in government, so we ran for office.

 

Every time women have been told that they couldn’t do something, we have proven naysayers wrong and done something about it.

 

However, the sad reality is that even today when women are running for President, holding positions at multi-million dollar companies and becoming role models in their communities, there are still stereotypes and sexism that lingers in society.

 

We cannot ignore the fact that women still make seventy-seven cents on the dollar. Or that we still have to listen to our country argue about whether a woman should be able to make a decision about her own body and how we are still not clear on the definition of rape, when issues such as immigration, gun violence and the deficit take a back seat.

 

Here is something that many know but some have yet to find out: Women are fighters.

 

Just take a look back at the women’s history movement. There have been women that knew very well that they would be threatened, mistreated and tried to be stopped, but they kept fighting through all of the obstacles because they knew that there would be a better tomorrow for themselves and for those in front of them.

 

Even women today have to carry on the fight that women were fighting years ago.

 

It is up to every single woman and man to keep on fighting for equal rights for everyone, no matter their ethnicity, pay scale or sex.

 

As individuals we have to think about what we are doing to eliminate sexism in the work place and in our schools. When a woman is passed up for a job because of the sole fact that she is female, we shouldn’t call ourselves an equal world. When a little girl who is 5 years old already knows that she is not equal to her classmate, we still have work to do. When a high school student is too ashamed of the way she looks, we still have a long path ahead of us. Also, when someone doesn’t vote for a qualified candidate because she is a woman we cannot call ourselves a politically open minded country.

 

That is why it’s important to continue on the conversation about equality in our homes and communities. Think about the last time you mentored a young woman or volunteered at an organization that helps women and children in your community. Did you make your voice heard at the ballot box? Or did you stand back and let others guide the direction of your rights.

 

We cannot move forward unless we continue the fights that have been started for us and fight the new ones that have arisen.

 

Many people locally and nationally have started to bridge the gap of inequality but it seems that we have a long road ahead of us.

 

Not all of the issues will be fixed overnight but the sooner we get started the sooner we can build on the changes that those behind us started.

 

Let’s continue the fights that women have been fighting for decades.