Patricia Sands

Author

Social issues

Spring has sprung! And other good things …

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Really? It’s Tuesday again? Already? I was hoping Daylight Saving Time would fool me into thinking I had more time for everything. Just. Not. Happening.

Never mind! It’s the first day of spring and that’s always good news.

Before I introduce today’s guest, website founder Kathy Scott, (already known by many of you, I’m sure) here are two important quick bits of info.

First, Calgary author Steena Holmes’ gripping novel Finding Emma has just been released on Amazon. Hurry on over to order your copy! Proceeds are being donated to the Missing Children’s Society of Canada.

Second, the guest speaker at our monthly Writers & Editors Network meeting on Saturday was Ian Hamilton, author of the hot new Ava Lee thriller series. This looks like the next big thing in the mystery/detective genre and Hamilton’s personal story is a good one so click on the link and check out his website.

OMG! I just noticed my good friend Bridgette Booth has invited me to her blog for a fab brunch today. I thought it was tomorrow! See what I mean? WAY too much going on here … but it’s all good, good, good! So when you finish up here, please pop on over to Bridgette’s blog and join us. If the party is with Bridgette, you are guaranteed it’s going to be fun, delicious, and full of surprises – whatever it is! See you there!

And now … heeeeeeeeeere’s Kathy!

Kathy Scott is the award-winning creator of Me and My 1000 Girlfriends, That’s Who! and the Women’s Party of America. She has published more than 100 articles in various business magazines and newspapers. Her focus on women’s issues has earned her accolades from many organizations and she is currently working with Moms Clean Air Force, advocating limits on poisonous chemicals released by coal and power plants.

Kathy has spent the past two decades working in public relations and marketing and, as well as maintaining her very active website, presently serves as head of public relations and social media strategist for a B2B media company. She is a member of the Atlanta Press Club and has served on the boards of several local charities.

Kathy, welcome! Would you tell our readers how the idea developed for this website? I think it’s a great story and demonstrates how you found an innovative solution to a problem which in turn became a site that is helpful for everyone.

I was on the board of a local botanical garden, which at the time had 5 members, and was asked to head up their fundraising and membership efforts. As I began building membership levels and crafting fundraising programs, the man that oversaw the gardens would get irate and send me emails like, “Adhere to the chain of command.” He was a bully and he had the ear and support of the local city councilman that oversaw the property (which was owned by the city).

I started an email campaign and noticed that my sorority sisters and girlfriends were always willing to send emails and post info. I thought about the concept and created a Facebook page where women could post issues of concern, stories, petitions, etc.

The year we started, teachers in Florida were under fire and a movement by government wanted to tie their salaries to children’s grades, which would have hurt the kids. We got involved and provided information. The governor later vetoed the bill. One GIRLFRIEND posted, ‘we need to tie the politician’s salaries to performance of their district.’ I loved that.

I recall you telling me that the “bully” at one point challenged you asking “You and who else?” when you said you would continue to defend your position and that’s how the name of your website came to be. I love that story!

The number of followers of the website is growing rapidly. What has been the most difficult aspect of building such a powerful voice for women?

Not all women want a voice. Even with the recent issue of Rush Limbaugh’s comments, some women were posting praise for him. Other times, women really go after vocal women like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachman. I don’t agree with either of their politics, but when Bachman won the Iowa straw poll, that was a big deal for women. In fact, one of my favorite quotes by Maureen Reagan is, “I will feel equality has arrived when we can elect to office women who are as incompetent as some of the men who are already there.”

Also, women who are powerful politically follow the party line. For the Women’s Party of America, our motto is: Women First. Party Second.

What are your goals for the future of this site?

I would like to add more interaction to the website and get more involved with other organizations.

I am also working on starting a non-profit called ‘1-3 Just for Me.’ The idea is to try to get girls to spend the first 13 years working on themselves. So many have boyfriends in elementary school! I have a daughter and I see how so many judge themselves by the boys who like them.I have encouraged her girl friendships.

My mother was from County Cork, Ireland and my grandmother was French Canadian and German. I come from a long line of strong women who speak their mind. You can’t control your children, but you can let them know where you stand, and I think that’s important for them. I know it was for me.

Thanks for dropping by Kathy, and continued good luck! I always look forward to seeing what issues your website is highlighting. Keep up the great work.

Who has your back? Have you ever mobilized a group of people to fight for a specific issue? How did it go? Take a minute to tell us about it in the comment section below.

A more important message

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If it’s Friday, it must be France will be back next week. I’m up to my ears in my manuscript … and on a roll … gotta keep at it! So forgive me for slacking off blog-wise today.

In the meantime I want to share this very important message from my friend Natalie Hartford’s blog. When Natalie isn’t writing fall-on-the-floor hilarious posts, she is the most authentic and effective advocate against drinking and driving that I know and with good reason, as you will see.

This St. Patty’s day weekend, celebrate the luck of the Irish and be sure to plan ahead!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rew4L4mF80k?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent]

Two years ago, my beautiful mother-in-law’s life was cut tragically short by an impaired driver. In honor of Donna Jean Kennie, please don’t drink and drive. Impaired driving is 100% preventable. Think about it.

Support MADD Canada and follow them on Facebook, Twitter (@maddcanada), YouTube, and on the Web.

OneChild – what one young person can do

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Whew! I’m still on a whirl from all the incredible activity around International Women’s Day last week! Wasn’t it a fabulous time, bringing focus to so many issues that affect all of us?

We celebrate women every day but that one official recognition day offered some great opportunities to get connected in ways we might not otherwise. And that’s a good thing!

Last Tuesday I attended a breakfast meeting at Verity in Toronto, where the speaker was a young woman with an incredible story to share. She tells it very well. Cheryl Perera is someone you need to know about and then tell as many other people as possible. Seriously.

In her mid-twenties, Cheryl is already an established children’s rights activist and the leader of her youth-based charity ONECHILD, a registered, non-profit organization since July 2005. In her teens she was recognized as one of Canada’s “Top Twenty Under Twenty” and a fine example of a growing throng of social-minded young charity crusaders who heed the call for change. Rather than turning to established foundations, they’re starting their own.

Cheryl has mobilized youth all around the world and particularly in Canada to join this campaign and set up chapters in their schools. Results of their efforts can be seen on the website. Powerful.

As the ONECHILD website states: Knowledge is power. By increasing the knowledge of young people about the reality of child sexual slavery, by dispelling preconceived ideas, and by challenging them to think critically, OneChild motivates those same young people to spread the word in their schools, their communities, and the world.

Cheryl first became aware of the shocking child sexual slavery trade that exists around the world when she was working on a high school project at the age of 16. She traveled to her family’s homeland of Sri Lanka to learn more. Bringing attention to children’s rights has been her focus ever since and her accomplishments are jaw-dropping. Please take a minute to visit the ONECHILD website by clicking here.

As we know, there are other international organizations also focused on this issue and working together, mobilizing people of all ages, progress is being made. However the uphill battle is steep. Let’s all do what we can.

I’ll be writing more about Cheryl and her organization in the future but I wanted to introduce her mission to you now. Please share this information and perhaps, in our own blogging voices, we can contribute to spreading this vital message. Every child deserves to be safe.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
–Margaret Mead, Cultural Anthropologist

Are there young people in your community who are dedicating themselves to social change? Let’s hear about them! Let’s support them! They are the future. 

Int’l Women’s Day – the beat goes on

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If it’s Friday, it must be France

Bonjour! Before we talk France I want to let you know I’m at the energizing hive of activity, Girlfriendology.com, today. We’re continuing the blogtalk about … what else (?!?) … women, connections and inspiring girls. If you’re taking a break around 1:30 EST, Debba and I would love to have you join us on her blogtalk radio. Just click on this link to take you there.

And now back to France to see what was going on there this week.

Did you know the word “mademoiselle” (the French equivalent of “miss”) will now be removed from all government forms? (The New York Times had reported the word was now “banned”, which is not quite accurate.) Two powerful French feminist groups have mounted a strong advocacy campaign for some time for this move and someone has finally listened.

The issue is that “mademoiselle” clearly denotes the marital status of a woman, as opposed to “madame”, but men are always referred to as “monsieur” whether single or married. Women are either mademoiselles or madames for official and business purposes depending on their marital situation.

This distinction no longer exists in a number of Western countries. Germany banned the word Fraulein from official use in 1972. For many decades English-speaking countries have offered women the option of the neutral Ms, although Miss does still appear in many instances. No such alternative was offered in France, quite possibly because many young French people widely shun marriage these days and simply don’t consider it an issue.

A little history – mademoiselle comes from demoiselle, which used to be a title of nobility in pre-revolutionary France. The  link to marital status occurred during the Napoleonic era.

In another good step, France has given final approval to legislation requiring corporations to reserve at least 40% of the board positions for women. Read more here.

For all of the celebrating and recognition of the great strides towards equality achieved by women through the past 101 years since the first IWD, there is still a long way to go. This article from the Guardian gives an overview of struggles around the world, including La Belle France, faced by women today.

Copyright Petar Pismestrovic HDK

Here’s a thought for today that fits right in. Can you translate? If not, tune in next Friday. Bon weekend, tout le monde!

Did you do anything special to mark International Women’s Day this week? I had coffee with a friend yesterday who was going to a potluck dinner in support of a women’s charity in Guatemala. Each guest was requested to bring a story, photo or poem about a woman in their community they wished to celebrate. Love it! Women do “get it”.