Sara K. Gould Recognized as Nonprofit Leader and Innovator

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Foundation for Women President and CEO Sara K. Gould has been named to the 2008 NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50 List [pdf].

The list recognizes nonprofit leaders for creating innovative strategies to advance the work of their organizations and positively impacting the entire philanthropic sector with their groundbreaking ideas.

Ms. Gould was recognized for her visionary leadership in the area of women’s economic security, in particular for her founding of the Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development, a pioneering grantmaking model which leveraged over $10 million in the field of women’s microenterprise development in the United States.

Ms. Gould shares the honor with a number of well-recognized nonprofit executives, including Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gara LaMarche, President and CEO of the Atlantic Philanthropies, and Sterling Speirn, President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, who are at the forefront of tackling the nation's most pressing concerns.

The Ms. Foundation, under Ms. Gould's leadership, continues to pioneer new strategies to guarantee economic justice and security for women, families and communities. In today’s unraveling economy -- from rising healthcare and childcare costs to the mortgage crisis and record inflation -- women's perspectives are especially crucial. Women of color and low-income women, among those who experience economic insecurity most acutely, are best positioned to understand the urgent priorities of their communities and propose practical, community-based policy solutions to meet their needs. The Ms. Foundation promotes women's full participation at policymaking tables and leads the way in building women’s collective power and creating critical connections across race, class and gender to realize a just and inclusive democracy for all.

Gustav Media Blackout Continues; Underlying Causes Exacerbate Destruction of Houma Communities

The virtual media blackout continues with regard to the disaster wrought by Hurricane Gustav on the Gulf Coast. Brenda Dardar Robichaux, Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation, whose initial blog entries during and after the storm were shared on the Ms. Foundation blog, had this to say:

It [is] obvious that the local and national media do not consider us worth covering. Once again the United Houma Nation and its tribal citizens have been ignored and our People have been left to fend for themselves in the face of this overwhelming catastrophe.

Robichaux continues to share first-hand accounts of her efforts to reach her communities and understand the devastation they face -- not once forgetting the underlying causes:

Friday morning was the first day that I was allowed access to Isle de Jean Charles. A first responder brought me pictures the night before, but I had not yet seen the Island personally. So my husband Mike, my 11 year old daughter Felicite and I, wearing our rubber boots, headed to Isle de Jean Charles, one of the hardest hit communities. Island Road, the highway that leads to the settlement, lay covered with dead trout, drum and red fish. We parked our truck at the beginning of the Island and walked several miles to the end. The pictures did not prepare me for what I was about to see. We witnessed homes off their foundations that had floated on levees and piles of rubble that were once homes. After years of coastal erosion and without a good protection levee this community was very fragile. Hurricane Gustav showed no mercy. I became very angry that something had not been done sooner to protect the barrier islands that would have given my community a fighting chance. I remember stories told to me of how there were acres of land on which children played baseball, and pastures where horses roamed. To see the state of the Island now was overwhelming.

As Robichaux points out, years of coastal erosion have left Indigenous communities along the Gulf extremely vulnerable to storms. Government inaction is largely to blame. The Institute for Southern Studies writes,

While there are a number of public efforts underway to restore degraded coastal lands and thus better protect Louisiana's residents from storms, none of them comes close to the minimum estimate of $14 billion needed for truly sustainable restoration. If the federal government does not take action soon, the problem will only grow much worse -- and Louisiana's wetlands are already disappearing at the fastest clip in the nation, with up to 40 square miles lost each year.

Years, centuries really, of discrimination and economic injustice, have certainly played a role, too. Last week, after visiting the destruction of Indigenous communities on one end of Isle de Jean Charles, Robichaux visited a camp, or resort, at the other end. She soon realized that its buildings hadn't sustained nearly as much damage as the more humble homes of her fellow Houma:

As we approached the end of Island, we saw a stark contrast as camps owned [by] non residents were often left totally intact, without any visual signs of damage. We met one of the camp owners on his was out who exclaimed that although the hurricane was bad he thought it was going to be a lot worse. He must have repeated those thoughts a half dozen times. I could not believe what he was telling me. NOT THAT BAD…COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE…FOR WHOM? Surely not the residents of the Island! As we continued to walk the next camp owners spoke from the balcony of his perfectly intact camp and expressed with pride how his camp has withstood the last three hurricanes without any damage because it is built with 32,000 wood screws. Our people can’t afford HOMES built with 32,000 wood screws. So we are left with homes totally destroyed and may have to consider relocating, leaving the land we love while non residents with resources can build CAMPS that will sustain hurricanes force winds and coastal erosion. Why hasn’t something been done sooner to protect our community? Is it because the Island is a poor Indian community so it doesn’t matter what happens to us?

Please visit the United Houma Nation website, whose United Houma Nation Relief Fund is a current grantee of the Ms. Foundation's Katrina Women's Response Fund, for additional eyewitness reports and photos.

Photo: Gustav Damage, 9/5/08
Credit: United Houma Nation

Gustav Devastates Native American Communities: A First-Hand Account

The extent of Hurricane Gustav's damage is still largely unknown, in part because the media and officials seem to be downplaying its impact. The messages we're getting from the media--if any--are that state and federal officials finally got it right and the Gulf Coast dodged a Katrina-sized bullet. But while New Orleans may have been generally spared, we're hearing from our grantee partners that rural, low-lying coastal areas in the direct path of the storm were most certainly not.

Brenda Dardar Robichaux, Principal Chief of the United Houma Nation, tells it best in her own words. Founder of the United Houma Nation Relief Fund, a grantee of the Ms. Foundation's Katrina Women's Response Fund, she stayed in her community during Gustav. She has been trying to survey the destruction and the pressing needs of the Houma since it hit. There are more than 17,000 Houma living in different communities throughout Southeastern Louisiana. The highest concentration of Houma live in Terrebone and Lafourche, two of the bayou parishes that were expected to be hardest hit.

Brenda has been posting messages to the Nation's website as frequently as possible, which we share below. Her powerful first-hand experience and analysis of the situation demonstrates how painfully this crisis will exacerbate the already pressing needs of the Houma--many of whom were still struggling to recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, not to mention centuries of entrenched discrimination and inequality.

Today, Brenda told us that many roads are still impassible, water mains are broken, power is out, but that they're still trying their best to prepare for peoples' immediate needs when they start coming back tomorrow.

9/1/08

About 20 of my family and friends has chosen to ride out Hurricane Gustav with us at our home in Raceland. Our home is on a high ridge right across from Bayou Lafourche. Last night was a relatively calm night with little wind and rain. But that soon changed. We lost electricity at 6:05 AM and are using batteries and a generator to stay in touch with what is happening throughout our communities. The wind has picked up considerably here to about 85 MPH. Some of us are sitting on the back porch watching in amazement how huge oak trees can bend and not break while magnolia tree branches fall. Others are glued to the TV listening intently for word of where Gustav is headed and the impact he is having. The latest update is my worst fear for the Houma People as it is learned that he is approaching the bayous in Terrebonne and Lafourche parish. I feel we have done our best to make sure everyone has evacuated safely. The rest is out of our hands.

Hurricane Katrina and Rita left Plaquemine and St. Bernard Parishes with barely a home left standing or livable. It has been a challenge to assist our People in these communities when there is nothing left to start with. Some are still living in FEMA trailers, with family and friends and a few are finally returning to a home. Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes have been on the road to recovery for the past 3 years with lives just getting back to normal. My fear for the past three years has been “What if Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes suffered total devastation as Plaquemine and St. Bernard Parishes? These are the communities with the highest concentration of Houma People. How would we recover knowing the challenges we still face in Plaquemine and St. Bernard?" I am paralyzed in fear that this is what is happening. The great people of the Houma Nation that I am so honored to represent, who have faced many challenges over the years are about to face one of our greatest challenges.

As I sit and write the winds are blowing and Gustav is approaching. I pray for protection, strength and courage to face what lies ahead.

9/2/08

Hurricane Gustav has come and gone but his impact remains...to what extent is still uncertain. Our home has a minimal amount of damages with lots of down trees. The Old Store which served as the center of our relief services in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita also suffered wind damage. My concern is to be able to repair the damages as soon as possible so that we may begin to provide relief services in the building. We are without electricity and have very limited cell phone services but do have internet and e-mail. There is a TV being run by a generator with rabbit ears wrapped in foil but can only catch one channel.

Although Hurricane Gustav made landfall in Terrebonne Parish, most coverage is about New Orleans again. We are very limited in the amount of accurate information on the damages to our tribal communities which is quite frustrating. We made an attempt to gain access to our communities to access the damages but were turned away by road blocks. Power lines are still down making the highways impassable. We receive calls from tribal citizens who evacuated the area seeking information on when they can return and the extent of the damages. We have nothing to share at this time. The unknown is agonizing.

9/3/08

Although we were turned away by road blocks as we tried to gain access into Terrebonne Parish, waiting and wondering was no longer an option. Determined, eight of us decided to venture "down the bayou" in order to see if we could get through to our communities in Lower Lafourche Parish. We made it through two road blocks by showing my dad Whitney's driver's license providing proof that he lived in the community. Many stops were made along the way assessing the damages to our People's home and property and then calling the homeowner with the news. Power lines and trees are down, but most homes are still in tact with wind damage, no flooding. My dad offered praise and glory to the creator as he realized his fishing boat was spared any damage. Although a fellow tribal citizen and friend's boat didn't do as well and has some cabin damage. Our last stop was the Old Indian Settlement School which serves as the UHN tribal center. It too has roof damage but remains in tact. The little building in the front built by volunteers in which we hope to house our future radio station didn't do so well and has extensive roof damage. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that although there is wind damage, homes are left standing and can be rebuilt.

The next stop on our journey was to try to gain access to Grand Bois. We attempted to travel a wooded highway known as the Houma shortcut. After going approximately 10 miles around trees that lined the highway, one huge tree blocked the entire highway and forced us to turn around. So the damages to this community remains unknown to us.

We then made another attempt to gain access into Terrebonne Parish as we learned that Tier 2 people were being allowed into the parish. We made it through two road blocks and headed "down the bayou" to Dulac. Unfortunately, Hurricane Gustav was not as kind to this community. We traveled down the bayou on Grand Cailou Road and then made an attempt to head back up the bayou on Shrimpers Row but the road was impassable due to flooding, downed power lines and trees. With the smell of marsh water in the air, we traveled through water knee high in order to access the flood damages. Some homes were flooded the extent depending on the elevation of the home with the lower level homes receiving the most damage. The extensive damages to this community were mostly caused by wind. We witnessed everything from minor wind damage to total loss of use, with most homes in need of major repairs.

It is unknown when the People from this community will be allowed back home. The unavailability of re-entry causes a financial burden which has great cause for concern. It can be compared to an unplanned vacation with lodging, gas and eating expenses.

With extensive power lines and trees down, throughout our communities, it will be quite some time before electricity is restored. It's heartbreaking to see the Houma Nation community going through this again just three years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Today, we plan to journey to St. Bernard parish to access Hurricane Gustav's impact on this community.

These images were taken as we assessed the impact of Hurricane Gustav on the Dulac community.

--Brenda Dardar Robichaux, Principal Chief, United Houma Nation

Top photo: Back of Dulac Community Center, 9/3/2008
Credit: Brenda Dardar Robichaux, United Houma Nation

Bottom photo: Brenda Dardar Robichaux, August 2006
Credit: Leslie Parr

Gustav Action Alert: Call on FEMA to Aid Evacuees Upon Return

An urgent call from our colleagues at the Louisiana Justice Institute:

Friends:

Eariler today, the FEMA Director announced the federal government would not be providing financial assistance to Gulf Coast Gustav evacuees, but instead would rely upon NGOs such as the Red Cross to provide food, shelter, and 'comfort.' Folks, the bottom line is that nearly 2 million of our friends, family, and neighbors "voluntarily" evacuated the Gulf Coast region, and they cannot possibly return in one, two, or even three days. Leaving New Orleans for me was a 10.5 hour nightmare and, no doubt, trying to re-occupy cities from Lake Charles through New Orleans, and South Louisiana will take time, and money. 'Comfort' ain't 'Cash' and hotels require dollars, not prayers for payment!

Please call and write to Senator Landrieu and Senator Vitter, Governor Jindal, and Mayor Nagin and demand (1) they provide an orderly process to for return of all residents to the greater New Orleans area, and the entire Gulf Coast region, and (2) they force FEMA to provide cash compensation to evacuees in order to defray the cost for this extraordinary effort.

Senator Landrieu: 202.224.5824
Senator Vitter: 202.224.4623
Governor Jindal: 225.342.7015
Mayor Nagin: 504.658.4000

Tracie L. Washington, Esq.
Louisiana Justice Institute

See blog posting below and stay tuned for updates about the Ms. Foundation's Katrina Women's Response Fund grantees in the wake of Gustav.

Gulf Coast Emergency: Low-income Women of Color Most Impacted; FEMA Disappoints Again

Since it first seemed that another hurricane was headed towards New Orleans on the third anniversary of Katrina, the Ms. Foundation has been actively in touch with our Katrina Women's Response Fund grantees, many of them community-based organizations located in and around the city. Most of them are now in Birmingham, AL or Austin, TX. Others such as Brenda Dardar Robichaux of the United Houma Nation Relief Fund just outside of New Orleans judged it okay to stay put. Robichaux was particularly worried about Houma tribal members in Lafourche and Terrebonne, in the direct path of the storm. Initial reports show that while great flooding was expected, these communities mostly experienced strong winds. But we may not know for days.

While it is an enormous relief that Gustav ended up causing less damage than anticipated, we remain worried about the impact of yet another displacement on low-income women and women of color and their families. Particularly those for whom even a few days away from a low-wage job with no benefits or paid leave could be devastating, further exacerbating the ongoing paycheck-to-paycheck crisis they found themselves in only last week. Or those who are further victimized by the criminalization of young people of color, especially in the days when curfews and "law and order" reign.

We saw that women, low-income people and people of color were disproportionately impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the three-years-and-counting aftermath. We are sure that they are most affected now--hurricane or tropical storm.

We must continue to hold federal and local agencies accountable and ensure that the rights and needs of women and their families are protected and met. Apparently, FEMA has said it will offer no financial assistance to those who "voluntarily" evacuated, leaving this to the Red Cross and other "do-gooder" organizations. FEMA was quick to boast of its lessons learned and preparedness in anticipation of another and perhaps greater hurricane, but it now appears it will again fall far short.

We will share more information as it becomes available and have provided a list of initial resources and reports below. Most importantly, we'll continue to be in touch with our grantees over the upcoming days and weeks about how best to support them in their right to return to the Gulf Coast and recover from yet another storm.

Thank you so much,

Sangeeta Budhiraja
Program Officer
Katrina Women's Response Fund

Initial resources and reports:


"Evacuation of Gulf Coast Not Good Enough," US Human Rights Network (PDF)
Gulf Coast Human Rights Watch, US Human Rights Network
Katrina Information Network
"Three Years After Katrina, New Orleans Levee System Still Vulnerable," Democracy Now!
"Gustave is Coming," Bill Quigley, Counterpunch

Gustavinfo.org

Image: National Hurricane Center Gustav Graphics Archive.

Comments Invited on HHS Rule on 'Conscience Clause'

The Department of Health and Human Services recently published the final version of a regulation [PDF] that supposedly aims to protect medical personnel’s right to conscience. (Secretary Michael Levitt writes about it in his blog.) Earlier versions of the rules contained a problematically broad, if not inaccurate, definition of abortion that could have easily been interpreted to include oral contraception.

As William Saletan points out, the latest version lacks that incendiary language, but it does not resolve the key problem: that pharmacists and medical providers may still refuse to provide basic oral contraception on the same grounds.

As an aside, according to the latest study on contraceptive usage by the Guttmacher Institute, a full 30 percent of American women regularly rely on oral contraceptives for family planning.

Unfortunately, the proposed regulations could open the door to pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for typical courses of oral contraception and/or denying emergency contraception to women across America.

Proponents argue that a "conscience clause" simply protects individuals from being forced to provide services that contradict their beliefs and that women can just as easily receive the medicine or care they need elsewhere.

Put aside the fact that this argument accepts that some women will be repaid with shame and inconvenience simply for taking responsibility for family planning. For vast numbers of women, it is not a question of going to a different pharmacy, it is a question of getting the care they need or not. The "other provider" argument applies only to areas where medical providers and pharmacies are numerous, and to women who have the means to reach them. For women and families in rural environments, or with limited means of transportation, one pharmacist's act of conscience can translate into another lengthy bus ride, or another $30 spent on gas to reach a pharmacy miles away.

Leavitt has dodged a number of pointed requests, from journalists and advocates, to clarify, once and for all, if the conscience provision outlined in the proposed regulation applies only to "abortion" as it is generally understood or if providers can invoke the provision to deny oral contraceptives to women as well.

The rule is open to public comment until Sept. 20th: let Secretary Leavitt know what you think about his vague terms and their potential impact on women and communities at consciencecomment@hhs.gov or at post online at regulations.gov.

The public deserves better than bureaucratic ambiguity on the matter, especially when the only thing that is clear is that many women will be denied the medical care they need if the rule is adopted as is.

Sara Gould Checks in From Denver on 'The Memo'

On Wednesday I went to a session sponsored by the Women's Media Center and Women's eNews, two non-partisan organizations using the occasion of the Democratic National Convention for a discussion with elected women. Women's eNews has prepared The Memo, a Special Report on the Status of U.S. Women and delivered it to all Members of Congress. The Memo [PDF] covers six central concerns: wages, barriers to employment, poverty, reproductive freedom, violence, and homophobia. I was delighted that six U.S. Congresswomen participated in this session, expounding on their views of the lack of progress that women have made in recent years in relation to these issues, and shining a spotlight on some current legislative efforts to make change.

Let's start with equal pay, apparently the impossible dream for women. Representative Rosa L. DeLauro [CT, 3rd] focused on the pay gap, now at 77 cents on the dollar earned by men. For women of color, of course, the pay gap is much larger. DeLauro reported on the Paycheck Fairness Act that was passed by the House of Representatives on July 31st and is now up for consideration in the U.S. Senate.

Moving to violence against women, Representative Loretta Sanchez [CA, 47th] told us about the horrific violence against women soldiers in Iraq being perpetrated by their "fellow" soldiers. About 19% of the soldiers serving in Iraq are women, and to date some 900 rape cases have been filed by military women against military men.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore [WI, 4th] was eloquent on issues related to women and poverty, focusing particularly on non-payment of child support.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky [IL, 9th] reinforced the need for all of us to remain vigilant on issues of reproductive justice. Did you know that there is a "conscience clause" under consideration that would allow pharmacists who disagree with a woman's right to contraception not to fill a prescription?

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney [NY, 14th] showcased her book "Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated" to illustrate all of the ways that women's rights have been rolled back in recent years and remain under attack.

And finally, Congresswoman Lois Capps [CA, 23rd] co-chair of the bi-partisan caucus for women's issues, spoke about LGBT issues. She also reported that the caucus, at 75 members, is the largest caucus in the Congress.

Each of our elected representatives was asked for their view of the role that the media plays in reporting on women's issues. To a woman, they stressed the need for the media to develop a taste for reporting on solutions and not only on problems. Women's advocates at every level are proposing viable solutions to many issues faced by women and their families, but the media seems to look only for stories that focus on the problems.

Sara K. Gould
President and CEO
Ms. Foundation for Women