NYFLC 2011 Recap by Marysa Falk

Cross-posted from the Women's Writes Blog on UNRInsight.com. Marysa Falk is from the University of Nevada, Reno, and attended our National Young Feminist Leadership Conference this past weekend.

On March 12^th and 13^th I had the privilege of attending the seventh annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., which is sponsored by the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Best. conference. ever. Photo courtesy of Marysa Falk.

I was fortunate enough to network with young feminists (both men and women) from all over the country who are working hard at their campuses and in their communities to advance equality.

For the first time in my life I was completely surrounded by others who, despite our geographical differences, were just like me. They were just as passionate and aggressive for issues like affordable and accessible birth control, equal pay and pro-choice.

One thing that was thoroughly emphasized throughout the weekend and is also an issue I strongly believe in and advocate for is that we need more women in leadership and political positions.

In order for women to get elected to political positions or promoted to leaders of companies, they need to develop their skills at an early age. It’s critical that we encourage young women in high school and college to run for student government.

During elections there is always one winner and one loser. Women are less likely than men to run again even after they’ve lost. For example, Casey Steitler, President-Elect of ASUN ran last year and lost but he didn’t let that faze him. He kept very active in ASUN and ran again for president and ultimately won.

We need to make sure women don’t feel defeated or worthless and can pick themselves up and try again just like Mr. Stietler.

The conference opened with a panel of pioneers and heroines of the second and third-wave (First: Get the vote Second: Get the choice Third: Modern inequities) feminist movements: Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal, National Organization of Women President Terry O’Neill, the chief of staff to the First Lady and the Director of the Committee on the Status of Women and Girls Tina Tchen.

These women have paved the road for the next generation of feminists to take over the steering wheel. While their fight will never cease to exist, it’s up to our generation of women and men to continue the fight for an equitable society.

Another panel of women who specialize on international women’s rights and health reminded us that it is our generation leading the revolutions in the Middle-East and that women, despite their lack of publicity, are leading the way.

In fact, last year, male Iranians wore scarves in solidarity with Muslim women during Iran’s revolt against their dictator. Middle Eastern women are leading the movement everyday; they’re risking imprisonment and their lives to speak out for freedom.

Closing the conference Sunday evening was Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis speaking to a room with more than 500 feminists. She is the first Latina appointee in a president’s cabinet and works everyday for sex and racial equality in the labor force.

“Women, no matter how highly educated are, are still discriminated against,” Solis warned.

The NYFLC inspired me beyond words. I heard first hand from international and American feminists what they are doing to advance women’s rights.

My favorite line from the conference was during the general assembly by Ellie Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, regarding President Obama. I volunteered on the campaign to elect Barack Obama for nearly eighteen months. I always believed he would be elected and I remain a strong supporter and advocate of the president’s policies and goals.

I sat in the front row, directly in front of Ellie and sensed she was talking directly to me as she proclaimed, “You are the generation that gave America its first African American president. You will be the generation to lead a revolution.”

Truth.

Can't make it to NYFLC this weekend? Catch it LIVE on USTREAM

This weekend, over 500 feminists from over 140 colleges, universities and high schools, will be coming together at The George Washington University in Washington, DC for the 7th Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference.

We understand that not everyone can make it to DC this weekend, but you can still join us on the web. The four general assemblies will be streaming live on USTREAM on Saturday and Sunday.

This year in our general assemblies, we will be covering issues like clinic violence, the importance of grassroots and campus organizing and global women's rights and health. You'll hear from speakers like U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, NOW National President Terry O'Neill, activist Steph Herold, and Iranian women's rights leader Mahnaz Afkhami.

For more information, check out our conference website, which also has info on discounted group rates at hotels located near the conference. If you have any questions, call the DC campus organizers at 703-522-2214 or email nyflc@feminist.org. Hope to see you there!

P.S. Join the conversation on Facebook & Twitter using the hashtag #nyflc2011!

Conference Early Bird Registration Coming Up

It’s that time of year again feminists! The 7th annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference is coming up fast. It’s happening on March 12th-14th at the George Washington University in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. There, hundreds of young feminist activists will come together to learn from influential feminist activists, as well as to meet with other young feminists and discuss important women’s issues such as abortion and birth control access, the environment, LGBT rights, and the economy.

The first two days of the conference will be filled with exciting town hall meetings and workshops, including a regional caucus where groups will meet with others in their region to address issues specific to their area of the country. Then on Monday, March 14th, the conference will host a Congressional Visit Day where students will have the opportunity to put their skills into action by speaking with your representatives about the issues that matter to them the most. It’s an opportunity and experience you don’t want to miss!

The end of Early Bird registration is quickly approaching. Register by February 1st to get the discounted rates of $20 for individuals and $15 for groups of 5 or more. After Feb 1st, the registration will be $30 for individuals and $25 for groups. We are also offering a special discount rate of $15 for returning conference members, and attendance is free for all GW students.


In addition, we will be offering prizes for the three largest delegations who recruit the most members to attend the conference. Prizes will include feminist goodies such as “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” tote bags, T-shirts, and more!

So RECRUIT your student groups to meet us in Washington, DC for an unforgettable experience!

Hope to see you there!

Help Send NV Feminists to Washington DC!

Guest post from Marysa Falk, member of FMF's affiliate group at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Growing up in rural Nevada, with an encouraging mother and an inspiring brother, I always knew I would graduate high school, go to college and have a successful career. To me, the sky was the limit and nothing could hold me back.

It wasn’t until I made it to college where my social and political beliefs changed drastically. I changed my party affiliation from Republican to Democrat when I realized there was a lot more to the American story than what I saw in my small hometown fueled by the mining industry. The more education I received, the more I realized the injustice that exists in America today.

A few weeks into my Women and Politics course in spring 2010, everything finally clicked. It was at that exact moment I realized I’ve always been a feminist; I just needed to accept the word and say it proudly. My passion for women’s rights extends beyond what words can say but I find myself particularly drawn to the lack of female representation in our government and the gender wage gap.

Today, my feminism is a quality I proudly let define me in every way. My friendships with women have grown stronger and more dedicated. My relationships with men have become more equal; I figured out how to be independent and compassionate.

I stumbled upon a link for the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference several months back. I promptly posted a link to my Facebook page calling it a “pipe dream” to attend. I live in Reno, Nevada and the conference is in Washington D.C., an expensive venture for a soon to be college graduate. Two other women, Jazzmine and Misha, with whom I share classes in the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada and a feminist connection, also felt the desire to attend. Ashley, a local Planned Parenthood volunteer and pre-school teacher also signed up.

We know we have to attend the conference and to make it a reality we have to fundraise. We have planned events on campus, requested money from the student government and solicited funding from local politicians and businesses that share our vision. We also formed this website, to spread our message to our family, friends and network of strangers across the world. We want to tell everyone that attending this conference is an educational, networking, career-inspiring dream come true.

As a group, we define feminism as the belief that women deserve social, political and economic equality. We fight for equal pay, more representation in government and business, reproductive rights, medically accurate and age appropriate sex education in our public schools, gay and lesbian rights, affordable, accessible health care and birth control and much more.

This conference will continue to educate us on how to be effective leaders in our careers and community and give us the necessary tools to progress this movement.

Should you feel the desire to assist in our cause we sincerely appreciate your generous support and donation. Thank you.

The feminists are coming! To DC!

You're on notice - get yourself and your feminist group to FMF's 7th annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference! The conference is the weekend of March 12-14, 2011 at the George Washington University Marvin Center, in heart of the nation's capitol. Early online registration opens Wednesday, December 1 on our website, so get your head counts and funding lined up this month.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

The registration fee includes the weekend conference and Monday Capitol Hill Day

Early Bird Registration begins December 1
$20 for individuals | $15 for groups of 5+

Registration after February 1
$30 for individuals | $25 for groups of 5+

We will post the registration link on feministcampus.org shortly.

The conference is your chance to meet 500 student activists from across the country, most of whom are leading their feminist groups on campus. Network with our speakers, who are feminist members of Congress, nonprofit leaders, doctors, lawyers, bloggers, and students! We'll share the latest developments in feminist political activism around domestic and global women's health, repro rights, voter participation, gender-based violence, and more. And we want you to be ready to share your tips with other activists for creating a hardcore feminist group on campus and beyond.

Workshops will be all day Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th, and this will give you tons of info to bring to your members of Congress at our Capitol Hill visit day Monday the 14th. We are hard at work organizing workshops and inviting speakers, and will let you know as soon as we are able to start releasing the juicy details. But start planning the logistics for registration and getting to DC - look at transportation, lodging, and who your members of Congress are.

Past speakers have included:

• Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation
• Tina Tchen, Exec. Director, White House Council on Women & Girls
  
• Secretary of US Department of Labor Hilda Solis
• Congresswoman Donna Edwards (MD) and Rep. Diane DeGette (CO)
• Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder, United Farm Workers
• Jehmu Greene, President, Women’s Media Center
  
• Megan Evans, National President, Medical Students for Choice
• and many more!
  

HOTEL INFORMATION

We have 2 conference room blocks:

Holiday Inn Rosslyn
5 minute train ride from GWU
www.HIRosslyn.com

$99 for Fri & Sat | $119 for Sun for 2 double beds, up to 5 occupants

Call [703] 807-2000 and mention the Feminist Majority Foundation group. Parking and wi-fi in the rooms are free, and free roll-away cots are available on a first come first served basis, which you can request when you call to reserve your rooms. If you join the free HI priority club, up to 2 guests per room receive free breakfast coupons.

Doubletree Guest Suites Washington DC
4 blocks from GWU Marvin Center

$149/night Friday through Monday nights for a suite with 2 double beds plus full sofa bed, up to 6 occupants

Call 202-785-2000 and mention the Feminist Majority Foundation block. There is a $20/person charge for 5th and 6th guests in a suite, and roll-away cots are available first come first serve basis so you can mention that when you call to reserve rooms. Parking and wi-fi are not included in the rate.

Email campusteam@feminist.org or call our DC office at 703-522-2214 if you have any questions. See you there!

This post is part of the November 2010 ezine. To subscribe to the monthly ezine, click here.

SAVE THE DATE: National Young Feminist Leadership Conference

Mark your calendars now! The Feminist Majority Foundation is pleased to announce the 7th Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference will be held March 12-14, 2011 at The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Save the Date!

Who: Young feminists, national leaders, and elected officials from across the country!

What: An opportunity to share in open dialogue and organize around the world's feminist issues, including:

* domestic and global reproductive rights
* civic engagement
* clinic violence
* the environment
* violence against women
* and much more!

When: March 12-14, 2011

Where: The George Washington University, Washington, DC

Following two days of skills building and leadership training attendees will deliver their message to Members of Congress on Capitol Hill for our Congressional Visit Day.

More information will be on the way soon - keep checking online for updates and registration information! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Campus Organizers at 1-866-444-3652 (East Coast) and 1-866-471-3652 (West Coast). We hope to see you there!

This is what 422 FEMINISTS look like!

The Feminist Majority Foundation's Sixth Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference, March 20-22 in Washington, DC, brought together over 400 hundred young feminist activists from 101 schools and over 30 states plus the District of Columbia and Canada to discuss and strategize current domestic and global feminist issues. Members of Congress, national leaders, and student organizers from across the country inspired young leaders to organize their communities and take action.

Students learned about the dangers of fake clinics, how to support their comprehensive clinics against anti-abortion harassment, the critical need to increase international family planning money, the importance of ratifying CEDAW and much more. Over a hundred students pledged to take action on these issues when they return to campus with our first ever Feminist Activism Pledge. Groups pledged to host a die-in to raise awareness about maternal mortality, students plan to run for office with their Student Government, and many committed to joining the largest pro-choice network in the country by starting a feminist group on their campus or affiliating with FMF's Choices Campus Leadership Program!

After two days of informational and organizing sessions young feminists braved the rain to visit Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials. Attendees heard from an incredible line up of inspiring speakers, including Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland, and learned about the importance of educating their elected officials and the opportunities to impact policy on their campus and in their state.

With opportunities comes work. Lots of work. Already students have returned to campus to take action on many of the issues discussed at the conference. Groups are staying connected with each other from across the country to share organizing strategies and ideas for creative activism on their campus. The FMF Campus Team is working with groups across the country to strengthen their activism through our resources and support.

With over 100 groups at this year's conference and a laundry list of opportunities we're excited to see what new ideas and new faces we'll discover next year! Mark your calendars for next March and be sure to include the NYFLC in your group's budget. Contact your campus organizer today or email the Campus Team at campusteam@feminist.org to connect your group to the largest pro-choice network or learn how to launch a feminist group and show your campus just what a feminist looks like!

This article was featured in our April 2010 monthly Choices eZine. Sign up for our alerts to stay up-to-date with the latest feminist news and to receive the monthly eZine!

Last Day to Register Online for the NYFLC!

By now you've probably heard a little something about a conference we're hosting this weekend in Washington, DC. Over 400 student activists have already signed up from over 30 states and 122 schools.

Are you on the guest list?

Today is the last day to register online for the Feminist Majority Foundation's 6th Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference, March 20-22, in Washington, DC. Register online today or call the Campus Team at 703-522-2214 to register your group!

On site registration will be accepted at the University of the District of Columbia. We can't wait to see you all in DC! :)