Santa Barbara Women's Political Committee
Member Newsletter - April 2019

From the President's Desk

SBWPC Board is hard at work!
SBWPC Members,

This month, I'd like to highlight some of the work our Board of Directors is undertaking. In February, the Board held a retreat to discuss our goals for 2019. Out of this robust discussion, several areas which the Board would like to focus on emerged. Board member workgroups were formed to engage in follow-up discussion to identify specific actions that could be taken. The focus areas include: Gender and Inclusion, Race and Ethnicity, Membership Involvement, Fund for a Feminist Future and our Position Papers. Some wonderful ideas are coming out of these ongoing discussions. We will share more with our general membership soon.

Kudos are in order for our Legislation and Advocacy committee, co-chaired by CFO Leslie Brtek and Board member Pam Tambo. This committee is a powerhouse! They regularly research and write letters of support for dozens of pieces of legislation at the state and national level. The volume and quality of correspondence is getting noticed. Recently, US Senator Kamala Harris introduced the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019. In the press release announcement , the Santa Barbara Women's Political Committee was mentioned as a supporter. Bravo L&A!

We have several important events coming up in the next few weeks. Join us next week for a discussion about finding your place at the table. Our comprehensive workshop, Run Like A Woman, returns in May for those thinking about running for elections in 2019 and 2020. Join us or share our events with a feminist friend.

Adelante/Onward,


Luz Reyes-Martín
President
National Minority Health Month

In the United States, the month of April is recognized as National Minority Health Month - a month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities. Coinciding with April, Freshman Representative Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., and Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., have launched the Black Maternal Health Caucus to address the U.S. epidemic of  black women dying in pregnancy-related deaths .
Local nonprofit provides prenatal vitamins
for Santa Barbara County Jail

Vitamin Angles , a global charity based in Santa Barbara, awarded a grant to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office to provide a six-month supply of prenatal vitamins to pregnant inmates being released from Santa Barbara County Jail. Vitamin Angels helps at-risk populations in need – specifically pregnant women, new mothers, and children under five – gain access to life changing vitamins and minerals. 

SBWPC is proud to have Amanda Hsiung on our Board of Directors. Amanda works for Vitamin Angels as a Regional Program Manager.
Fund for a Feminist Future

A Fund for a Feminist Future (FFF) is a dedicated fund of the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC) to promote progressive, feminist political involvement. Its goal is to increase the number of feminist women in elected and appointed office and in other positions where issues important to the quality of life for women and families are raised and discussed, policies made and legislation enacted.

FFF funds are exclusively used in two areas: campaign training and campaign contributions. FFF provides scholarships to qualified SBWPC women members interested in elected or appointed public office so they can acquire the necessary skills to conduct effective political campaigns. FFF also contributes to the campaigns of feminist women political candidates endorsed by SBWPC. FFF is sustained by targeted financial gifts, large and small, grants and fundraising activities. To learn more or make a contribution, visit our website .
Gender Equality in Collegiate Sports

You may have seen the recent story about Notre Dame Women's Basketball head coach, Muffet McGraw. Coach McGraw drew national attention for her comments indicating she would no longer hire male assistant coaches. The scrutiny she came under led to an impassioned response at a press conference about the need for gender equality.
Upcoming SBWPC Events
Finding Your Seat at the Table: Influencing Public Policy
Presented by the SBWPC Candidate Development Committee
April 24, 2019, 6:30 - 8 pm
Colleges of Law Santa Barbara
20 East Victoria Street

Visit our website at sbwpc.org or the Facebook Event Page for more information.

Run Like A Woman
Presented by the SBWPC Candidate Development Committee
May 18, 2019, 10 am - 2 pm
American Red Cross
2707 State Street

This workshop is intended for those thinking of running for election in 2019 and 2020. Visit our website at sbwpc.org or the Facebook Event Page for more information. Registration is required.

Other Events of Interest
She The People
Presidential Forum
Wednesday, April 24 - 11 am - 2 pm (pst)

She the People is hosting the first-ever Presidential candidate forum focused on women of color. Women of color are critical organizers and the core constituency that delivered big wins in the midterms. This forum will focus the nation on the issues important to women of color—issues of racial, economic, gender, and social justice. A video livestream of the forum will be available on the "She The People" Facebook page.
Serve on a City
Advisory Group
The City of Santa Barbara is seeking individuals to serve on the various City Advisory Groups. Currently the City has 43 advisory groups and the members of these groups play an important role in shaping the community. Visit the City of Santa Barbara's Website ( click here ) for more information about the application, eligibility and current vacancies. The application is due April 23rd and interviews will occur in May. SBWPC encourages members to consider this option as a way to have a seat at the table!
Ready to Run?

SBWPC is in the process of determining our endorsement timeline for upcoming races. If you are planning to run for office, please contact us at info@sbwpc.org so we can keep you informed of our endorsement process.