Grantee Round-Up: Grantees Making Waves Nationwide

A new week, a new round of information to share about the many ways the Ms. Foundation's grantees are advancing social justice nationwide:

• Grantee ACT for Women and Girls went viral to promote the importance of condom usage and healthy sexuality for all. Luchador vs. HIV is the first video produced by this year's participants in ACT's Female Leadership Academy  -- an initiative that brings a diverse group of young women leaders together to provide them with hands-on advocacy training. Their video dispels myths about HIV transmission and stresses the need for members of all communities to practice safer sex -- reminding us (quite aptly) that "no great fighter would ever go into the ring without their mask." Point taken.
  
  
• The Rebecca Project for Human Rights got a mention in a recent Newsweek article about the increased incidence of sex trafficking around major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Notably, authorities in Dallas (the site of this year's Super Bowl) took the threat seriously, adding as many as two dozen extra staffers to their ranks to monitor the traffic of underage girls around the event. “The involvement of the attorney general and law enforcement is far greater than anything we’ve seen before,” said Malika Saada Saar, executive director of the Rebecca Project. Way to go, Big D.
  
  
• The Minnesota Department of Transportation has plans to increase the number of women and people of color it hires, according to a report on Minnesota Public Radio that featured Ms. Foundation grantee HIRE Minnesota. After more than a decade of failing to meet its goals in hiring women and "minorities," MnDOT has now been convinced by a coalition of community groups -- including HIRE MN -- to get serious about putting women and people of color to work, in part by putting in place a strict deadline by which any contractor bidding for state work must also submit their plan for including women and people of color in their workforce. It remains to be seen just how effective these new measures will be, but they're a bona fide step in the right direction. Good job, HIRE MN!

• The National Women's Law Center is urging everyone to tell your members of Congress to oppose the harmful Smith Bill (H.R.3), newly-introduced legislation that, if passed, would cement current and, put in place dangerous new, prohibitions on the federal funding of abortions. The original draft went as far as to attempt to redefine rape, language that was removed after an outcry from activists. But there's still no doubt that this bill seeks to restrict women's reproductive rights and health and could put the health of millions low- and middle-income women at risk. Don't wait: tell your congressional representatives NOW that they must oppose the Smith Bill and the danger it presents to women's lives.
  
  
• Last week, Adriann Barboa, executive director of Ms. Foundation grantee Young Women United, wrote a stirring piece about the deaths of eleven young women in the desert outside of Albuquerque, NM -- and how her organization was able to transform its city's response to these deaths. We were so moved by her words, we posted her commentary on our blog.
  
  
• In just the first month of this year, grantee Women's Voices for the Earth has made critical inroads in the fight for environmental and reproductive justice. We've highlighted their recent gains -- which include pushing for a ban on the use of triclosan in consumer protects, raising awareness about toxins in nail salons and the plight of nail salon workers, and strengthening environmental regulations for cleaning products -- on the blog. We are thrilled at the progress they're making, alongside other grantees, to improve the reproductive health and overall well-being of women and girls through the lens of environmental justice. Keep up the good work!

Upcoming Opportunities

• Join Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) on Wednesday, February 9 for their first Building Bridges to Economic Security training webinar: How to Advocate Effectively in an Economic Downturn. Participants will hear from national communications and policy experts on what’s coming up in the 112th Congress, and learn messaging strategies around building economic security for workers, families and elders. The webinar will begin at at 1:30 p.m. EST on 2/9; RSVP to kstellrecht@wowonline.org to reserve your spot.
  
  
• Our grantee Sister Song's 3rd annual, Let's Talk About Sex Conference is on the horizon, and they're looking for fabulous workshop proposals to make the event a smash success. This year's conference theme is "Love, Legislation and Leadership" and organizers are looking for workshops that "highlight cutting-edge visions that address issues on sex, sexuality, and sexual pleasure." Submissions are due February 11, 2011; the conference itself is set to take place July 14 - 17 in Miami Beach, FL. Submit your proposals today!
  
  
• On Feb 28, The National Council for Research on Women will host a panel discussion in advance of their annual Making a Difference for Women Awards, which this year honors former Ms. Foundation presidents Sara K. Gould and Marie Wilson. The panel, Building a Pipeline to Women's Leadership, will bring together leaders in the corporate and higher education worlds to “share their vision, insights, strategies, and... action steps for unlocking women's and girls' potential in all fields of study and careers.” The event is free and open to the public, and runs from 3:00pm – 5:15 in Manhattan; RSVP to rsvp@ncrw.org.
  
  
• Choice USA is now accepting applications and nominations for their Western and Southern States Reproductive Justice Leadership Institutes (RJLIs). The RJLI is a weekend-long training for 50 young people between the ages of 15 and 25 who are passionate about reproductive justice and want to learn how to make a difference. Attendees will expand their knowledge of reproductive health, rights and justice; hear from experts in the social justice movement; connect with others who share their passions; and learn how to take action.Western States RJLI applications are due February 18, 2011 and Southern States RJLI applications are due March 11, 2011. For more information contact Mari Schimmer, Choice USA Outreach and Trainings Manager, at 202-719-9443 or email mschimmer@choiceusa.org.

• AIDS Services Austin, home to Ms. Foundation grantee the Women Rising Project, asks for your support for their AIDS Drug Assistance Program Advocacy Day on Tuesday, February 15. “With extraordinary budget cuts looming for Texas, we need your help to preserve the lifesaving AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) in our state budget. Over 13,000 Texans statewide receive support from ADAP, including over 900 people in the Austin area.” Stand with our sisters and brothers in Texas to save funding for HIV/AIDS programs state-wide: register now to join them at the State Capitol on advocacy day!

• Community Voices Heard is accepting applications for their Gail Aska Policy & Research Fellowship: a 10-month, full-time fellowship “designed to support and develop the skills of a woman of color to shape public policy and conduct constituent-driven research on issues affecting low-income communities." The fellowship, which runs from March through December, aims to address the scarcity of women of color in the fields of public policy and research working on social and economic justice issues. Submissions are due by February 18, 2011, but will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about how to apply.

• In partnership with the University of Washington, The BABES Network - YWCA is looking for participants for a study of HIV-related stigma among African Americans. They aim to find out how to best modify a stigma reduction program for African Americans living with HIV. For more information about this opportunity, contact Amelia at BABES: 206-720-5566.