Call For Papers on "Social Justice Feminism"

Anika Rahman, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, will be the keynote speaker at the University of Cincinnati College of Law's upcoming 2012 conference, “Social Justice Feminism.” 

The conference is not until October, but abstracts and panel proposals are due on April 1st. So start your brainstorming, and make sure your voice is heard on this incredibly important topic. 

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Call for Papers

“Social Justice Feminism”

University of Cincinnati College of Law

October 26-27, 2012

Keynote Speakers

Patricia Hill Collins, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland; Charles Phelps Taft Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Cincinnati

Anika Rahman, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women

The University of Cincinnati College of Law’s Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice seeks submissions for its upcoming 2012 conference “Social Justice Feminism.” For more information about the conference, please click here.

What is Social Justice Feminism? It is the type of work feminist activists on the ground say that they want to do. This desire for “social justice feminism” (SJF) emerged from a three-years’ long conversation among women leaders from national groups, grassroots organizations, academia, and beyond (the New Women’s Movement Initiative) who gathered to address dissonance in the women’s movement, particularly dissatisfaction with the movement’s emphasis on women privileged on account of their race, class, or sexuality. In 2010, Kristin Kalsem and Verna L. Williams of the University of Cincinnati College of Law published an article, “Social Justice Feminism,” that takes initial steps at broadly defining SJF as that which is productive, constructive, and healing. Moving from practice to theory, it suggests a new way of articulating and understanding the feminist work that is being done in this current stage of feminist jurisprudence, after the path-breaking interventions of anti-essentialism and intersectionality. The article also sets forth methodological tools for “doing social justice feminism.” 

“Social Justice Feminism” was written to advance the conversation that has already begun, both in the world of practice as evidenced by the work of the New Women’s Movement Initiative, as well as the world of feminist legal theory. To download a copy of the article click here. The upcoming conference is intended to continue and expand the conversation. We are seeking papers from academics who are interested in practice and activists who are interested in theory. Possible panels include: 

• A social justice feminist approach to women and prison 
• Critical Race Feminism and SJF
• The intersections of SJF and environmental justice
• History and reproductive justice
• New approaches to domestic violence activism
• SJF and criminal justice 

Deadline: April 1, 2012. We invite submissions of abstracts for individual papers, as well as complete panels. Send paper abstracts of no more that 500 words and a short biographical statement to lawsonmn@ucmail.uc.edu. In the subject or “re” line of your submission, please type: SJF conference submission. Include your full contact information, including an email, phone number, and mailing address where you can be reached. We will notify presenters of selected papers by June 1, 2012.

We look forward to your submissions. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Kristin Kalsem at kristin.kalsem@uc.edu

Anika Rahman honored by the South Asian community

We are so pleased to announce that this week Ms. Foundation President and CEO Anika Rahman will be honored by two different organizations representing New York's South Asian community.

Tonight Anika will be honored at the fifth annual South Asian Bar Association of New York's Leadership Gala (SABANY), where she will receive the Legal Trailblazer Award. SABANY is an organization dedicated to representing the legal rights of New York's South Asian community, while also offering mentorship, leadership and training opportunities for South Asian individuals in the legal professions.

Anika will be honored alongside some fantastic professionals -- including Gitanjali Gutierrez, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights, Indrani Franchini Chief Compliance Counsel, Vice President & Assistant General Counsel, Global Pharmaceuticals Pfizer Inc., and Jayant W. Tambe, Partner and Practice Leader Financial Institutions Litigation and Regulation, Jones Day -- who have taken their skills and knowledge of the law into diverse and exciting fields.

Tomorrow night Anika will honored by South Asian Youth Action (SAYA) -- a social justice organization committed to helping South Asian youth realize their fullest potential -- at their annual gala "Celebrating 15 Years of Transforming Lives." Here again she will stand beside two amazing honorees, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan His Excellency Shaukat Aziz, and President of the Cooper Union Dr. Jamshed Bharucha.

Anika's South Asian cultural heritage and background has uniquely informed her life, career and beliefs. The understanding that inequities don't just face women in the global world but are viscerally present for many women right here in the United States, has led Anika to the Ms. Foundation for Women and redoubled her commitment "to advancing the solutions of women in the United States – especially those from the most marginalized communities – to problems that they – and our country – face."

Anika is so pleased to be recognized by both SABANY and SAYA and is happy to accept these gracious tributes on behalf of women across the U.S. of South Asian descent; on behalf of immigrant women, women of color and low-income women across the nation; and on behalf of all women throughout the world struggling to live lives free from inequity and discrimination.

Marking a Time for Reflection and Renewal

As Jews in America observe the beginning of a new year with reflection and renewal, we mark the occasion with best wishes to all communities that form the fabric of the United States.

The Ms. Foundation is also taking stock and looking towards the future. As we move from reflection to renewal ourselves we are inspired by the power of humility and compassion, combined with commitment and action, to repair our world.

In this new year we wish our many partners -- women igniting change in communities across the country and those who work with them -- renewed determination and the ability and support to move us toward a just nation.

Together we can ignite change,

Anika Rahman
President and CEO

[Video] Anika Rahman: Women Still Struggle in Wake of Recession

Two years into what was characterized as a shift from "recession" to "recovery," the latest unemployment numbers continue to paint a dire picture for women, suggesting that what women reported in a Ms. Foundation poll earlier this spring -- that many are faring far worse than even one year ago -- shows no sign of abating. Just last week, Spotlight on Poverty, an anti-poverty initiative led by a diverse group of foundations, policymakers, and advocates, produced the following webcast interview with Ms. Foundation President and CEO Anika Rahman, who discusses the ongoing relevance of the poll's findings and what she and growing numbers of people are calling a "womancession."

Anika Rahman to Keynote Women's Leadership Forum

Ms. Foundation President and CEO Anika Rahman will speak on "Igniting Change With Global Impact: How Do We Make a Difference" at Women's Leadership in the Global Economy, the third annual Women's Leadership Forum sponsored by the Council of Urban Professionals on Tuesday, June 28 in New York City. Rahman will share her vision and strategy for championing change across critical issues facing women, including equal paying jobs, work-life balance and the need for young girls to pursue their dreams without gender limitations.

The event is for women executives at the Senior Vice President level and above. Learn more. Register online.

[Video] Anika Rahman on CBS MoneyWatch: The Womancession and Women's Unemployment

Last week, CBS MoneyWatch featured Ms. Foundation President and CEO Anika Rahman in this story by Jill Schlesinger on today's "womancession" and the escalating crisis of women's job loss and unemployment.




Jill Schlesinger is the Editor-at-Large for CBS MoneyWatch.com.

Learn more about the impact of today's economy on women.

Gloria Awards Celebrate Women of Vision

"Last night's gala was a tremendous success," says Anika Rahman, Ms. Foundation president and CEO. "With great pride we celebrated Women of Vision who -- whether advocating for the rights and well-being of women, workers, immigrants or youth -- are tackling the most urgent issues of our time. They give us renewed hope that, despite our nation's many challenges, we will one day achieve justice and equity for all."

Below is a sampling of event photos. See all 23rd Annual Gloria Award photos. Watch the videos of this year's Gloria Award honorees: Kathy Miller, Priscilla Rorie and Attica Woodson Scott.

Anika Rahman Gives Commencement Speech to Columbia University School of Social Work 2011 Graduating Class

On Wednesday, May 18, Anika Rahman, our president and CEO, had the distinct honor of giving the commencement speech to the 2011 graduating class of the Columbia University School of Social Work. A graduate of Columbia Law School, it was a welcome homecoming, a pleasure to share her own motivation for a career that has been marked by a steadfast dedication to women's human rights, and to offer words of encouragement to a new generation of social justice leaders. Following are excerpts of her remarks:

I am so pleased to join you in celebrating the 2011 graduating class of the Columbia University School of Social Work.

I congratulate and commend you all on the discipline and passion that got you to this point. It is an honor for me to join with your families, friends, colleagues, faculty, and all who are present today to witness your accomplishment. I can only imagine the pride they must feel. My clarion call to my own daughter, who is just seven years old, is that she make a meaningful contribution and a difference in the world.

At this moment, I urge you to call to mind precisely what drew you to this educational pursuit and life path. My own background is in law, and the focus of my work, my heart, is human rights. Like many of you, I have been determined to channel my personal beliefs into a professional obligation. It is my personal mission in life to ensure that women—like the women who raised me and the one who gave life to me—get the respect that is their due.

Read more »

[Video] Anika Rahman on GRITtv: Fighting the Womancession

On May 12, Laura Flanders of GRITtv hosted Ms. Foundation President and CEO, Anika Rahman, for a diverse conversation on the economy and women's rights. Their discussion ranged from the "womancession" now facing our nation, according to a new Ms. Foundation poll, which shows that the impact of the economic crisis on women has been particularly severe; to Anika's personal stake in the fight for women's rights nationwide; to the role that we and our grantees, as demonstrated in this year's Gloria Award winners, play in advancing the progressive women's movement. Enjoy!




[Source: GRITtv]

Honor Your Mother With a Gift for Stronger Families and Communities

On Mother's Day I honor the three incredible women who raised me. My mother, my aunt and my grandmother taught me to be unbowed by injustice and tenacious in the face of inequality. They are my inspiration, and it is for them, and for my daughter, that I fight for women's rights and human dignity.

I invite you to celebrate the women who inspire you by making a tribute gift to the Ms. Foundation for Women. When you make your gift, we will send a Mother's Day e-card to your honoree, including your message.

Your Mother's Day tribute will connect the women who inspire you to the work and the activists you admire. These special women are social justice trailblazers who are building communities where all women have access to opportunities and freedom, improving lives for countless mothers, children, families and communities.

Warmly,

Anika Rahman

President & CEO
Ms. Foundation for Women

P.S. You can select either of these images and write a personal message when you honor your mother with a gift and an e-card.

International Women’s Day: Miles to Walk, in the US and Across the Seas

2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day -- a day for the celebration of women worldwide. In 25 nations (including China, Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia), the day has become a national holiday, a time not only to cheer for women's advances, but also to reflect upon the many global inequalities women still face.

We honor this day in the United States, too, and stand in solidarity with our sisters who are struggling to surmount injustice around the globe. But here at the Ms. Foundation, we know we must do more than look outward at the failures and fault-lines of equality beyond our borders. Today, this entire Women’s History Month, and throughout the year, we must take a hard look at our own country’s shortcomings. While we pride ourselves on our global leadership and our national ideals, there is no doubt that the US falls hideously short.

Of course, we need not look far. Whether it’s Representative Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) attempt to redefine rape and set the women’s movement -- and our entire country -- back decades, or Congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and other Title X providers, it is clear that women’s reproductive rights and health are under blatant attack. But even before the Right’s most recent assault on women’s lives, the status of women’s health in the US has lagged far behind. Did you know, for example, that over the last 20 years, deaths from pregnancy and childbirth in the United States have doubled? And need we remind you that this is taking place in a nation that spends more than any other country in the world on health care?

Read more »

Collateral Damage: Poor Women Pay the Price in the Right’s War on Women’s Health

On Friday, February 18, the US House of Representatives dealt a crushing blow to the health and well-being of millions of women across America: in a 240-185 vote, the the House approved H.R. 1 -- also known the Pence Amendment -- which would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding for any purpose, including providing basic preventive health care to women and families.

Consider it a slap in the face to women in general, especially to low-income women who have nowhere else to turn for their primary health care.

At present, Planned Parenthood provides nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, 830,000 breast exams, more than a million Pap tests, and helps prevent more than 612,000 unintended pregnancies each year. Annually, three million women and men in the United States visit Planned Parenthood affiliate health centers for trusted health care services and information; for some of those clients, largely those that are low-income, the nurses and doctors at Planned Parenthood are the only health care providers they ever see.

Because we at the Ms. Foundation for Women believe, without question or qualification, that all women are due the fundamental human right to quality reproductive health, education and services, we have been a long-time partner and supporter of Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide. We currently count Planned Parenthood of Utah, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan, Planned Parenthood Southeast (which covers Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi), and the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts among our cherished grantees. And today, in light of the shocking news out of the House of Representatives, we are ever more committed to the goals of Planned Parenthood and other reproductive rights, health and justice organizations whose efforts protect and value the lives of women across America.

For those of us who have stood on the front lines of the reproductive justice movement for years, there's no doubting that this attack on Planned Parenthood is a not-so-covert attack on abortion rights. Planned Parenthood has been targeted, in this case, because it does provide (among many other services) abortions to a small percentage of its clients. This is a fact that Conservatives like Rep. Mike Pence, who authored the bill, abhor -- and will apparently go to deeply irrational lengths to prevent. Because whatever your stance on abortion may be, there's no mistaking that providing preventative health care to millions of women, men and families is in fact a good thing. Preventative services save lives, and, in the long-run, save money -- an outcome you'd imagine this "pro-life” and "fiscally conservative" cadre from the Right could get behind.

Instead, the Right has chosen to make millions of everyday Americans, many of them low-income, the collateral damage in their war on reproductive rights. The impact of the proposed funding cuts would likely be immediate and stunning. “Without Title X funding for Planned Parenthood in Atlanta, we can anticipate seeing more women who can only afford to purchase their birth control but cannot afford an exam," says Leola Reis, spokesperson for our grantee group PP Southeast. "We anticipate increases in undiagnosed cancers and STDs, and over all increasingly poor health outcomes for Georgians.”

That is a reality we, as a nation, can little afford to promote. Subjecting women and other vulnerable communities to reductions in health care access in the name of budget cuts and moral wranglings over abortion is both dangerous and absurd. Those of us who value women's lives and the health of our nation must do all we can to push back against the rising tide of anti-woman and anti-justice rhetoric emanating every day from the Right.

"Morality," Rebecca Traister noted recently in Salon, "is not the exclusive domain of the unborn, whatever we have been told for decades. Morality is on the side of women, on the side of children, on the side of a society that offers aid to its impoverished and to its young and does not discriminate against half its population." From our perspective, there's no question that Planned Parenthood stands on the just side of our moral arc – one that focuses health and lives of women. We are as proud as we ever have been to stand alongside Planned Parenthood.

Anika Rahman
President & CEO
Ms. Foundation for Women

Ms. Foundation Board and Staff Welcome CEO Anika Rahman

February 14, 2011, marks the first day of Anika Rahman’s tenure as the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women -- and we couldn't be happier to have her on board!

We are tremendously excited to welcome Anika into her role as the Foundation's newest leader, and eagerly anticipate the fresh perspectives and ideas she will bring as she helps the Ms. Foundation continue to lead the way forward, propelling the women’s and social justice movements -- and the Foundation itself -- to new heights.

Anika comes to the Foundation with a lifetime of unique and relevant experiences -- both personal and professional -- to guide her work; she has dedicated both her life and career to the fight for women’s rights and dignity, and she is part of a wave of young feminist leaders who bring new energy and creative strategies to movements for social change. Born in Bangladesh, and raised there and in Pakistan by three strong women who encouraged her to come to the US to pursue a world-class education, Anika felt the sting of inequality early on, as she witnessed her father exercising rights and freedoms that her mother simply didn’t have.

Her passion for achieving justice for the women of this world led her to a career in women’s rights advocacy, first with the Center for Reproductive Rights and then, most recently, as president of Americans for UNFPA, a leading organization focused on promoting the United Nations Population Fund in the United States. Her own life experiences have taught Anika much about how prejudice and injustice can affect lives and communities -- and also about the incredible, transformative impact that increased equality, justice and opportunity can have on those same lives. Inspired by her mother, grandmother and aunt, and by the desire to build a future filled with better opportunities for all of the world’s daughters, Anika brings to the Foundation the courage, tenacity and strategic leadership required to achieve progressive change in the 21st century. We feel so lucky to have her.

At a time when progressive ideals are under attack every single day, our work standing with and for social justice trailblazers becomes ever more important. Under Anika’s leadership we will continue to support the fight for good paying jobs and for reproductive justice; we will continue to work to end violence against women and girls, and to make sure that women are included at all decision-making tables. And we will continue to fund the most extraordinary cadre of grassroots organizations, whose daily work as social justice trailblazers leaves us in awe. Times may change but the goal remains the same: to build a nation where power and possibility are never limited by gender, race, class -- or any other factor.

It’s an exciting day at the Foundation, and we hope you’ll join us as we wish Anika the greatest success in her role as president and CEO. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll share details about events where you’ll have an opportunity to meet our new leader in person. But in the meantime, join us as we say,

Welcome, Anika!

The Board and Staff of the Ms. Foundation for Women

Join Me in Welcoming Anika Rahman, Our Next President

I am writing today to share some wonderful news. After an extensive and exciting national search, the Ms. Foundation for Women has selected our new president and CEO. Anika Rahman will be joining the Ms. Foundation in February. On behalf of the board I want to introduce you to Anika and share with you why we are so excited about her combination of experience, perspective, track record and passion.

Driven by a vision of a world with justice and equality for all women, Anika is a passionate advocate for social justice and human dignity. She has spent her life and dedicated her career to fighting for women's rights and is especially passionate about reproductive rights, health access and equality under the law. Born in Bangladesh, raised there as well as in Pakistan by three strong women, and educated in the United States, Anika has a powerful perspective on the many facets of social inequity and the work of creating social justice. We loved it when she told us "fighting for women's rights is in my DNA."

She will be coming to the Ms. Foundation after six years as president of Americans for UNFPA, a leading national organization focused on promoting the United Nations Population Fund in the United States. The UNFPA works in over 150 countries, is the largest multilateral source of such assistance and an anchor for women's equality throughout the world. In her work at Americans for UNFPA, Anika significantly enhanced fundraising, grew the budget dramatically, negotiated a $37 million bequest for UNFPA and Americans for UNFPA, increased the organization's capacity to deliver on its mission, developed a comprehensive policy agenda and frequently contributed commentary to both traditional and social media.

Earlier in her career, Anika served as director of International Programs for the Center for Reproductive Rights where she helped women around the world fight for equality and legal protections. She also led the Center's policy team to gain important experience in the connections between advocacy, legal and communication strategies to effect change. Her direct experiences partnering with grassroots advocates to fight for women's health and rights in forums ranging from the halls of Congress, the United Nations and to the court of public opinion prepared her to recognize the many pathways that must be navigated to create social change. Anika earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia Law School.

Anika will work closely with the board and Interim President Susan Wefald to ensure a smooth transition and continued impact. Susan is looking forward to returning to her role as chief operating officer. The board thanks Susan for her many years of dedication to the Ms. Foundation and her willingness to lead the organization while we looked for our next president and CEO. We invite you to meet Anika online. We will be hosting a series of events and coffee sessions and hope you will have the opportunity to meet Anika personally in the New Year.

Thanks to the leadership of Sara K. Gould, Susan Wefald and the incredible work of our staff and our partners, the Ms. Foundation is in a strong position to address core social justice issues and to engage an even larger group of advocates, donors and partners. With our endowment now over $26 million (near our peak), an incredible community of social justice donors, a decades-long track record of impact, partnership with over 150 innovative grassroots grantees and a talented staff, we are ready to welcome and leverage new leadership.

Together we will stand for and with social justice trailblazers in the fight for changes like good paying jobs, reproductive health, ending violence against women and girls and the inclusion of women at all decision-making tables.

Together we will work toward a nation in which power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class or any other factor.

Cathy Raphael


Chair, Board of Directors
Ms. Foundation for Women

More about Anika. Statement from Anika Rahman. Profile of Anika Rahman.

Meet Anika Rahman, Our New President & CEO

Hello to the Ms. Foundation for Women community.

Though I will not be joining the staff of the Ms. Foundation until February, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and express my appreciation and excitement about joining this community of social justice trailblazers.

I have spent my entire life and dedicated my career to women's rights and dignity. I am thus deeply honored that the Ms. Foundation has invited me to become its next president and CEO. This is a remarkable and iconic organization, one that has a track record of impact more than three decades long. It was the first women's fund, an early leader in the fight for reproductive health and justice, one of the first foundations to address all forms of violence and one of the leading voices for bringing a gender lens to the field of philanthropy. I was drawn to the Ms. Foundation not only because of the wins in its past, but also because of the innovative, powerful and vital work it is part of right now. The Ms. Foundation must continue to be an anchor institution for the women's movement.

I came to the United States at the age of eighteen to attend college, first earning my Bachelor's degree at Princeton and then my Juris Doctorate at Columbia Law School. Since those days, I have focused on helping women throughout the world as they have worked to improve their lives and the lives of those in their communities.

Women and social justice are in my DNA. From a very early age, I felt first hand the devastation of inequality. In Bangladesh, where I was born, my father was able to divorce my mother by simply saying three times, “I divorce you.” The laws and cultural mores that allowed him such power and freedom did not apply to my mother who, because she was a woman, had very few rights. I continued to experience my society's attitudes towards women as being restricted and painful because I saw the world through the eyes of the three women who raised me -- my grandmother, my mother and my aunt. These three incredibly strong women taught me to be unbowed by injustice, to fight it and to be tenacious. I am who I am because of what they taught me. I fight for women's rights and for human dignity for them and for my daughter.

Of course, my experience with discrimination did not end when I grew to adulthood.

As an immigrant, a woman of color and a Muslim, I know what it is to be different. I know what it is to be hurt by prejudice, ignorance and injustice. But I also have the privilege of education, voice and opportunity. I know that the only way to create change and to create a better world is to harness our collective energy and to take action. I believe in the possibility of change because I have seen it in my own life. I believe with my whole heart that the work of the Ms. Foundation staff, grantees and donors is making that change a reality. And there is so much more work for us to do together.

I very much look forward to getting to know and learning from the Ms. Foundation's grantees, donors and staff. I want to collaborate with you. You are on the front lines of change. The work you do every day, the passion you bring to your work and to your communities and the partnerships you have made with one another and with other social justice advocates are powerful forces that are needed more than ever. What we do together matters. I am proud to join such an exceptional community and am honored to stand with you in our collective fight for equality, justice and opportunity.

I look forward to meeting and working with you.

Anika Rahman


More about Anika Rahman. Statement from Cathy Raphael, Ms. Foundation Board Chair. Profile of Anika Rahman.