See Jane Do...

250 Women Unite at Passion Into Action

 

"Be the kind of woman who, upon getting up in the morning, places her feet upon the ground and the Devil says, 'Oh crap. She's up!" ~Kathy LeMay Passion Into Action keynote speaker

 

It began to the beat of one drum as over 250 women joined together at the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Women's Conference in Grass Valley, CA. From the moving performance by the Feather River Singers, to opening up with Nina Simons, crying & laughing  with Kathy LeMay, being authentic and ready to lead with Tiffany Dufu, bringing women into circle with Jean Shinoda Bolen plus 17 amazing presenters, we are forever changed by this experience & thank each of you who participated in the event.

 

Nina Simons' passion for cultivating women's leadership and enhancing the planet is contagious and inspiring.  She did an incredible job of engaging the participants and providing a safe space for them to open up and share.  We so appreciate her ability to listen, her honesty and her sincerity.   

Kathy LeMay wowed us with her presentation.   We especially loved how she engaged the participants through her personal stories, out-of-the box thinking and sense of humor.  She has redefined philanthropy and how we can utilize our passion to be of service to each other.  While she has raised over $500 Million dollars for organizations she reminds us that giving to the greater good doesn't require millions.   

 

Tiffany Dufu, new President of The White House Project is striving to train 8,000 women to take the lead in the United States and there is no doubt that she will achieve that goal!  We especially appreciated her attention to authenticity and action in her presentation. It was such an honor to include Tiffany and two of her incredible team members, Liz Johnson and Nevada Littlewolf in the Passion Into Action line-up.  Liz and Nevada were extremely inspired and moved by the energy, enthusiasm, and passion of the attendees.  We hope to collaborate with The White House Project again in the future.

 

Activist and author Jean Shinoda Bolen is gathering women together and empowering them to create social change. Her personal stories around bringing women into circle, activism and her efforts to spearhead a 5th World Conference on Women are encouraging and hopeful.  Jean speaks from the heart and  inspires women to do what they love and share it with the world.  

 

We are extremely grateful to the 17 talented and powerful women who took the time to share their passion and lead 15 workshops at the conference including: Patt Lind-Kyle, Kathleen McIntire, Sonika Tinker, Elizabeth Johnson, Jessica Reeder, Shawn Tuttle, Amber Clisura, Kim Stravers, Stacy Malkan, Carole Carson, Linda Joy Myers, Lisa Schrader, and to our Boston friends, Alexis Schroeder, Jeanne Dasaro, and Jennifer Cohen.  We wish Chameli Ardagh a quick recovery and look forward to partnering with her on future events.   

 

A year of planning goes into organizing this conference and we couldn't do it without your support.  A sincere thanks to our fantastic volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, Gather the Women, David Nicholson, Kial James, Haute Trash, Summer Thymes, Briar Patch, the Center for the Arts, Friendship Club, Sierra Mentoring Partnership, Sugar & Oats, Suzie Daggett, APPLE, Women Worldwide, Blossom Organics, Veritea, Nana's Baked Goods, Mayor Jan Arbuckle, Council Member Reinette Senum, Dawn Lorraine, Oberon, KVMR, Stephanie Camp, Jennifer Hall, Sadie Wight, supporters, friends, family and extraordinary participants who helped to create the magic of Passion Into Action.

 

So, what's next?  We are developing the next plan of action to continue the synergy from the event and support each others work and passion.   

 

Keynote Speakers:

Did you miss Passion Into Action?  We are hosting a special screening of the four keynote presentations and panel discussions at the Magic Theater Sat. May 14th at 4:00 PM, Sunday May 15th at 1:00 PM, Sunday May 22nd at 1:00 PM, and Monday May 23rd at 7:00 PM.  This will include special guests who will share tips and tools on how to put your passion into action.   More info to come! 

 

We look forward to aligning our work with the extraordinary presenters of Passion Into Action and will keep you posted. 

 

 

Share the Passion

DVDs of keynote presentations including: Nina Simons, Kathy LeMay, Tiffany Dufu, and Jean Shinoda Bolen are available for purchase.  The cost is $9 per DVD and also includes the panel discussion.  To order your DVD contact us at [email protected].   

 

Soiree Into Action

We will continue to hold our quarterly Soiree Into Action events with a specific focus around uniting our community of women and sharing tools to put our passion into action.  We are also looking to include teleseminars and webinars to include communities of women across the country.  Do you have a topic you'd like to share or learn more about?  Please contact us at [email protected].

 

Your Voice

Within the next couple of days Passion Into Action participants will receive an online survey.  As we look to possibly expand Passion Into Action in other small towns and rural communities we look to you for suggestions in order to enhance the PIA experience.     

 

Connect with Us

Our radio program continues to feature the stories of everyday extraordinary women.  We appreciate the support of our host station, KVMR as we move towards syndicating See Jane Do this year on other stations across the country.    

 

You can also read about extraordinary women in our column in The Union Newspaper.

 

We are excited to speak at the Green Life Eco Fest May 21st-22nd and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters annual conference June 1st-4th.   

 

Passion Into Action is a success because of your commitment to invest in "you", doing your part, sharing your stories, and following your heart.   We appreciate your support and can't wait continue the momentum and energy this coming year.

 

All the best,

 

Elisa and Jesse

An Interview With Jean Shinoda Bolen: How Women & Trees Will Save the Planet

I distinctly remember the smell of pine needles and the crunching sound they created underneath my feet during summer outings at Mt. San Jacinto where my dad served as a California State Park Ranger.  As a little girl the trees seemed to tower over me and provide a sense of protection and strength.  Perhaps this was the beginning of my journey as a "tree person".

In her new book, "Like A Tree:  How Trees, Women, and Tree People Can Save the Planet," Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen describes "tree people" as someone who has positive feelings for trees and an appreciation for them.  She goes on to compare the likes of women to the wisdom and resilience of a tree.  Trees have been torn down and sometimes underappreciated yet they are an essential part to the survival of our planet and the ecosystem. She stresses that we are on the edge of either evolution or extinction and it's up to us, as tree people and as women to be visionary activists and feminine feminists. 

Jean Shinoda Bolen is a psychiatrist, Jungian analyst, and an internationally known author and speaker who draws from spiritual, feminist, Jungian, medical and personal wellsprings of experience.  She is a major advocate for a United Nations 5th World Conference on Women, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. a former clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco, and past board member of the Ms. Foundation for Women and the International Transpersonal Association.

Recently on International Women's Day I was invited to join Conversations host, Michael Stone for an interview with Jean Shinoda Bolen on KVMR.  During the interview Dr. Bolen shared incredible stories of how everyday women are enriching communities through their activism around trees and how the uprising of women (especially western women) are essential to saving the planet.  Our conversation heated up as we discussed the guys and where they stand amongst the women's movement.  Bolen's message is directed towards both women and men and invites us to look around to see where we can make a difference. 

Lastly, Dr. Bolen shared the three questions to consider in identifying your assignment, the issue that will ignite your passion.  1)  Is this meaningful?   2)  Will it be fun?  3)  Is it motivated by love?

Following recent storms in the Sierra Mountains the trees carried the burden and weight of the heavy snow. Branches broke and in some cases temporarily removed our power.  Some of the oldest trees in my neighborhood toppled and blocked roads.  In some ways the aftermath of the storm and its effect on the trees reminds me of the journey women have endured.  While women have suffered setbacks and at times the power of their voices have been marginalized, women persevere, they are an essential force, they are strong, they matter and like a tree while one woman can enrich a community it requires thousands of trees and women to sustain life on this planet.

What is your "tree story" and how will you activate your passion into action?  Share with us at [email protected]. 

We are honored to feature Jean Shinoda Bolen as a keynote speaker at the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Women's Conference.  Click here for more information and to register for the event. 

Click here to listen to the interview with Jean Shindoa Bolen.

 

 

 

3 Ways To Celebrate International Women's Day!

Happy International Women's Day!  Thousands of events are taking place today across the world to celebrate women.  In fact, International Women's Day is an official holiday in over fifteen countries such as China and Russia.

On the 100th anniversary of this important day we acknowledge the women who came before us to ensure that as women, we have a voice.   And we acknowledge the inspirational women who walk beside us today; our mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, friends and advocates who strive to create gender parity, equality, and make the world a better place.  

 

What is your message to women around the world today and who are the women you would like to recognize?  Below we've listed three things you can do today to celebrate IWD. 

 

1#  Connect with other women, join them on a bridge and attend an IWD event.

 

Women, men, and children are connecting on bridges all over the world with the message that "Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace".  Click here to find other events in your community. 

 

Please join See Jane Do in celebrating the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day hosted by Gather the Women. 

 

2# Listen to Conversations on KVMR today for a special interview with author and activist, Jean Shinoda Bolen.

 

Elisa Parker of See Jane Do will join Michael Stone, host of Conversations to interview Passion Into Action keynote speaker, Jean Shinoda Bolen.

 

Jean recently released her book, "Like a Tree:  How Trees, Women, and Tree People Can Save the Planet."  Jean is also advocating for a 5th UN Women's Conference.  Listen today on KVMR from 1-2PM.    

 

 

 

 

 3# Invest in YOU and register for the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Women's Conference.

  

Be inspired, be motivated, be moved!  Join guest speakers Nina Simons, Jean Shinoda Bolen M.D., Tiffany Dufu, and Kathy LeMay plus fifteen workshops, musical performances, a Haute Trash fashion show and more, Friday & Saturday, April 29 & 30, 2011.  Tickets are limited.  Click here to register.

United Nations 5th World Conference on Women

1995 marked the last World Conference on Women held in Beijing.  We need your help to send the message to the UN that it is time to hold the 5th World Conference on Women.  Please sign this petition and show your support for women voices and issues around the world.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-a-un-5th-world-conference-on-women.html.

Over the last fifteen years the UN Commission on the Status of Women has been empowering women and improving areas in:

• Women and Poverty
  
• Education and Training of Women
  
• Women and Health
  
• Violence against Women
  
• Women and Armed Conflict
  
• Women and the Economy
• Women in Power and Decision-making
  
• Institutional Mechanism for the Advancement of Women
  
• Human Rights of Women
  
• Women and the Media
  
• Women and the Environment
  
• The Girl-child

We can make a difference if we do it together!