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A Message from the Executive Director
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Year of the Woman?
- In late 2017, 2018 was declared the Year of the Woman. #MeToo was on a roll; the conservatives and Tea Party activists were pushing back on the gains women - as well as LGBTQI and people of color - have made. Women would rise up, it was predicted, run for office, make the changes we had expected to be in place already.
- Halfway through 2018, where are we? Front and center, we are fighting against a new Supreme Court Justice who will, without a doubt, help to overturn or severely restrict Roe v Wade, potentially roll back civil rights for persons of color and LGBTQI. In this time, what does it mean to be a feminist?
This Woman.
- July 24 is National Amelia Earhart Day, her birthday. I bring this up not to change the subject, but to remember her as a pioneer in aviation, certainly, but also in women's rights. She was born in 1897, (apparently) died in July of 1937. She was an active member of the National Women's Party and strong advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment. Here we are, 81 years later, and we still do not have the ERA, we are still fighting to fill Boardrooms and Executive Teams.
SCOTUS
- The new Justice is important, the Supreme Court - as well as lower courts - is important. Our fight, this long journey, is important. We have to continue even as we understand our setbacks. Early in my career I learned about "losing well." We all lose sometimes, yet what makes us strong is getting back up, continuing the work, and not taking our eyes of the ball.
Here is the ball:
- Call or write Senators Collins and King to tell them your feelings about nominee Brett Kavanaugh - and if we go to round two, do it again.
- Attend the Gubernatorial Forum on Women's Economic Security October 16 at USM Hannaford Hall in Portland, which we are co-sponsoring with the Maine Women's Policy Center, Maine Center for Economic Policy and New Ventures Maine. Learn about the candidates and their views on the issues you care about most.
- Vote. That is all.
- Run. There are several programs to help you run for office: local, state, national. Run for office.
- Learn more about the needs of women and girls whose life experiences may be different from yours. Come to Bangor on September 13 to hear from the women leaders we're supporting through our Swift Social Justice Grants Program (invitation below). They'll be sharing information about the threats and opportunities they're seeing in their communities and how they are choosing to respond.
- Give. Your monthly or one-time donation ensues we can continue to serve women and girls in Maine, while raising your and their voices. Thank you.
Until next time,
Megan Hannan
Executive Director
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In a Flash: Come Hear What is Driving Our Work
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| Attendees at our first Swift Celebration in Falmouth last fall. |
When
:
Thursday, September 13, 2018 from 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Where: COESPACE, 48 Columbia Street, Bangor, ME
Who: Organizations sharing their grant work will include Mano en Mano;
MaineTransNet; For Us, By Us with Rise and Shine Youth Retreat;
Gedakina and the Somali Community Center of Maine
We seek to nurture a sense of community among event attendees.
We have structured these celebrations to include lots of mingling
and networking time. Join us!
If you can not attend, but would like to help fund or sponsor a
Swift Social Justice Grant,
you can do that
here
.
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| All the Rage |
We've been worrying A LOT about women's health and well being this month, how about you?
Here are some simple things we can all to do today to take action!
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The recent Supreme Court vacancy has focused the Nation's attention on our highest court. We're so glad to be supporting The Maine Women's Policy Center (MWPC) who has an ongoing Courts Matter program that reminds us that the federal courts shape our daily lives, from health care,
to civil and voting rights,
to working conditions. All federal judges, not just the Supreme Court, serve lifetime appointments, meaning they can affect our health and safety, dignity and autonomy not only now but for decades to come. To learn more about how you can participate in the Courts Matter work, contact Eliza Townsend at etownsend@mainewomen.org
.
 We are also thrilled to be supporting
Maine Family Planning
at a time like this! The Department of Health and Human Services wants to make far-reaching changes to women's health programs like Title X, the program begun by President Nixon nearly 50 years ago. The current administration has published plans to bring back the Domestic Gag Rule, which will prohibit federally funded family planning providers from even mentioning the word abortion to their patients. The proposed rule changes also will make family planning funding available to organizations that teach only "fertility awareness" (the rhythm method) as a means of contraception. F
ederal agencies have to publish their plans to change existing policies in the Federal Register, permit public comments, and provide links to do so right before the published rule changes. If you've never commented on a rule before, now is the time. Maine Family Planning provides instructions, ideas about what to write about, and other background information you might find helpful. Comments on these Title X rule changes, including the Domestic Gag Rule, are due by July 31.
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On behalf of the staff and board of the Maine Women's Fund, thank you for
investing in the power of women and girls!
Office location:
74 Lunt Road, Suite 100, Falmouth, ME 04105
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The Maine Women's Fund thanks MaineShare for its ongoing support. MaineShare makes it easy to donate to more than 30 statewide organizations working every day to make Maine a better place to live.
For more information, please visit the
website.
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