"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.
Today on Earth Day we honor the extraordinary women who are doing their part for the planet. The See Jane Do team feels fortunate to have connected with and interviewed incredible women who have united their passion with environmental action.
We are inspired by the actions of women like Ursula Sladek one of the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prize winners who founded a citizen-owned renewable energy company as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown. We are moved by women like shrimp boat captain Diane Wilson who put everything on the line to prevent chemical companies from pouring toxins into her water source. We are motivated to help others when we hear the stories of women like Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish, Melinda Kramer of the Women's Earth Alliance, Lydia Olympic, tribal activist, and Erin Switalski of Women's Voices for the Earth.
We are thrilled to feature several of these "Extraordinary Janes" at our 2nd Annual Passion Into Action, women who are environmental action heroes in every sense.
PIA keynote speaker, Jean Shinoda Bolenauthor of Like A Tree: How Trees, Women, and Tree People Can Save the Planet believes that we are on the edge of either evolution or extinction and it's up to us, 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.
Click hereto listen to Jean's interview on KVMR with Elisa Parker and Michael Stone.
Bioneersco-founder Nina Simons returns to Passion Into Action this year as a keynote speaker. She'll share tools to take our passion into action as a collective. Nina emphasizes the power of story and admits that it took her some time to define her own story. A turning point for Nina was when she viewed the film, The Burning Times. She has since united her passion for the planet with restoring the feminine. In addition to co-leading Bioneers Nina offers her program Cultivating Women’s Leadership to strengthen women’s effectiveness to create positve change in their community.
Click hereto listen to Nina's interview on See Jane Do on KVMR.
In addition to the keynote speakers, the Passion Into Action workshop presenters will harness their personal stories and environmental triumphs in order to empower and train others to do the same.
Kim Stravers is traveling from Mammoth to lead the workshop, Unite & Ignite Communities Around Green Issues.Kim is the co-founder and community engagement director for the Mammoth Lakes Trails & Public Access Foundation (MLTPA), a nonprofit that advocates for and actively participates in the planning, implementation, and stewardship of outdoor-recreation opportunities in Mammoth Lakes, California, and neighboring areas. Within one year of moving to this small ski town, and in light of the then-boom private-development climate, she and fellow citizen John Wentworth successfully brought much-needed attention to local issues regarding the protection and enhancement of access to the public lands that completely surround their town.
Jessica Reeder and co-leader Amber Clisura are two extraordinary young women who have challenged the belief that happiness and success are not determined by how much new stuff we have. Their passions have led to projects that demonstrate it's possible to make something out of nothing.
Jessica started the blog UpRooted, a sustainable travel project about her two-year journey around the U.S. to promote the dual practices of sustainability and volunteerism. Following her travels when Jessica settled in Reno, Nevada rather than blog about eco adventures she created Love and Trash a "Do It Yourself" site that would help people live more sustainably and live better on less in their community.
Amber Clisura is a fashion designer who isn't wearing pants for the next 365 days. Following a car accident and a deep depression Amber was in need of some inspiration. She had been designing women's denim jeans (at one point she owned over 40 pairs) for the Eco-Premium line Del Forte Denimand that's pretty much all she wore. Looking at the lighter side of life (and going green) Amber went shopping in her closet and discovered clothes she hadn't worn in years. Rather than throw them out, she began to upcycle her pants into skirts. Upcycling is taking something you were going to toss and turn it into something else. Amber said, "down with pants and up with skirts" and launched NO PANTS 2011.
Don't miss their workshop, Upcycle Your Life and learn how social media can take your passion to the next level.
A common theme on our program is the purchase power women hold. With women influencing 85% of what's bought or purchased in the United States women have the ability to create a dramatic shift in the kinds of products we want or don't want.
As the co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Stacy Malkan has enabled a national movement to shift the $50 billion beauty industry away from harmful chemicals and toward safer products. Stacy Malkan discovered that beauty isn't just skin deep. Many women expose themselves to over 200 chemicals daily through their personal care products. Stacy first learned about the toxic beauty industry when working as a reporter in Colorado. Her curiosity soon led to concern followed by activism. She is the author of the award winning book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.
Utilize the power of your purse in Stacy Malkan's workshop, The Girlcott: 5 Strategies for How Women Can Change the World in 2011.
The Passion Into Action experience extends beyond speakers and workshops. The event includes one of the hottest fashion troupes in the country. Haute Trash takes fashion to another level. Members take throw-away items and turn trash into fashion. This creative collaborative will walk the Passion Into Action runway showing off recycled couture and one of a kind upcycled designs. Founded over 20 years ago Haute Trash has put on 100's of shows and leads educational programs in recycled fashion. They are fun, inspiring and truly "wow" the audience with their phenomenal garments. Trash bags, bottle caps, and duct tape take on an entirely new meaning when Haute Trash is involved.
Also from Nevada County, Reinette Senum co-founder of APPLEand Mali Dyck of the APPLE Center will be available to connect with attendees and share their latest projects to create sustainable communities including, the Alpha Building.
These women represent just a sampling of the environmental action heroes who are participating in Passin Into Action. In order to create a substantial shift to enhance the planet it is imperative that we connect and work together. Passion Into Action is the event to cultivate the relationships and develop a plan in order to make the change possible.
We look forward to seeing you there! Click here to register for the conference.
2010 was definitely a roller coaster ride. The year’s top news stories included fierce acts of Mother Nature such as the earthquake in Haiti, the Icelandic Volcano, the Chilean earthquake and tsunami; man-made disasters like the Gulf Oil Spill; historic legislature that included President Obama signing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and health care into law; plus Elana Kagan was sworn in to Supreme Court the fourth ever female Supreme Court Justice. In California, Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown went head to head for governor. American hiker Sarah Shourd was released by Iran after being detained for 13-months for crossing an unmarked border and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was also released after years of detention by Burma’s Junta.
In some ways these national and international news stories mirrored the twists and turns of our communities and our own lives.
With See Jane Do we are striving to uncover those stories that fly under the radar even though they affect all of us. We are redefining information sharing for women through bridging of traditional media with new media; streaming radio, linking video to webisodes and connecting people from a virtual world back to a regional one.
Unlike other programs geared towards women, which mostly covers entertainment, beauty and some women’s issues, See Jane Do takes current news topics we are concerned about and creates a personal story with a reason to care and a solution to do. Our programs are organized around the media, social justice, power of the purse, environmental action, health & wellness, politics and leadership.
It’s our hope that See Jane Do provides a platform for you and other everyday women to speak from and hear from real women with real solutions.
Today we will feature some of our biggest take aways from 2010; the stories, events and experiences that reaffirmed this movement is a lot bigger than we thought and yes, you and I are the one’s we’ve been waiting for. It is our time.
Take Away 1 - Don’t underestimate the power of your story, it might just change the world.
"A movement isn't a movement unless it's moving" ~ Gloria Feldt
We kicked off 2010 with the first annual Passion Into Action Conference. Over 300 women braved the snowy conditions and traveled from all over Northern California to attend this sold-out conference, which featured Nina Simons of Bioneers, best-selling author and activist Gloria Feldt, and former US Ambassador Linda Tarr-Whelan. We wanted to create a space for women to share their story with others in addition to meeting, networking, and exploring ideas on how to work together and strengthen our communities, with the intention to transfer ideas into action. In addition to our incredible keynote speakers the conference included seventeen workshop leaders.
Nina Simons shared the importance of owning our story, the relationship we hold with the earth and the potential women have to enhance our planet together.
Gloria Feldt challenged us to think about power and the importance of Sister Courage. She has been a tremendous advocate for See Jane Do and we were extremely honored that she included us in her new book, "No Excuses, 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power".
"See Jane Do's unique multimedia platform holds exciting promise as a new model for civic engagement and leadership in today's fast-paced, fragmented world." ~Gloria Feldt
One of the most powerful mediums to amplify women’s voices and perspectives and ultimately transform culture is through film. See Jane Do traveled to the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, to interview women filmmakers and film festival organizers. Later that month we headed to New York City to cover The White House Project’s EPIC Awards and host their Media Lounge. While there we met with the Women’s Media Center to get a clear picture of where women stand in the media. We were shocked to learn that only 7% of the stories we watch at the movies, are told by female directors. This means that 93% of the films (even the ones about women) were interpreted through a man's perspective. Women hold 3% of decision-making positions in all forms of media. We also celebrated Kathryn Bigelow’s Academy Award for best director for the film Hurtlocker, the fourth time a woman had been nominated for the award and the first time a woman had won in the history of the Academy.
Take Away 3 - Speaking up, Speaking out, Taking Action – When enough is enough.
We met several environmental action heroes that were risking life and limb for environmental and social injustices this year including Diane Wilson, an award winning activist, author, co-founder of CODEPINK and shrimp boat captain. Diane made national news as a result of her outburst during Tony Hayward's hearing (CEO of BP). The activist was awakened in Diane over twenty years ago when she discovered that she lived in the most toxic county in the United States.
We also interviewed Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Lynn Henning a family farmer who exposed the polluting practices of livestock factory farms in rural Michigan. Her efforts to require CAFO's (basically animal factories that confine thousands of livestock) to clean up the toxic brew that is contaminating ground water, lakes and streams, has gained the attention of the EPA.
"Are you seeking approval of the world or seeking to change the world?"~Eve Ensler
Elisa covered The Women's Conference in Long Beach, California and spoke with powerful change makers like Donna Karan, Rosario Dawson, Lisa Ling and Eve Ensler. Eve described the event as her coming out day since it was her first public speech having recoevered from uterine cancer. She is playing a tremendous role in working to end violence against women and stressed that changing the world is not about being liked or seeking approval. We must be brave and step up to create a better world.
A growing number of women are taking their health into their own hands, changing policy, setting deadlines, and creating hope in healthcare. Whether you're for universal healthcare or not, pro-choice or anti-choice, most might agree that women's health needs often take the back seat in the America. As a result, many women are standing up and moving forward for their healthcare rights. This also includes changing policy to expose and ban the toxic chemicals contained in many of our home and beauty products and setting a deadline to end breast cancer.
See Jane Do examined the stuff in our stuff with Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face, Erin Switalski, Executive Director of Women's Voices for the Earth, and Britta Aragon activist and blogger of Cinco Vidas. We covered the health care reform town hall meetings and captured a personal perspective of women's heath with the Women's Health Specialists. Finally we featured extraordinary women who are taking incredible measures to end breast cancer by setting a deadline and bringing women together to support the cause. We walked with women in the Barbara Schmidt Millar Triathlon, founded by Cathy Anderson-Meyers and spoke with Fran Visco, breast cancer survivor and president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition who shared their strategy to setting a deadline to end breast cancer by 2020.
See Jane Do hosted four Soirees Into Action in 2010 including the Green Makeover Party.
Take Away 5 – Women’s Economic Influence – Becoming the CFO of Your Household
Women now make up over half of the work force. Women are launching businesses at twice the rate of men but funding sources still tend to lean towards male-owned companies. We control up to 85% of what's bought or purchased in the United States andwomen control 60% of the wealth. Why is it then that most women don't feel economically powerful? In fact, about 90% of women surveyed said they don't feel financially secure. In order to make a difference and enhance the planet we need to feel comfortable with our level of influence and in this nation, money talks. We interviewed Maddy Dychtwald, author of Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better, award winning poet Molly Fisk, Jane Roberts, founder of 34 Million Friends, Teresa Delfin, founder of Mountain Mama, Gina Robison-Billupsand, founder of Moms Making a Million, Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall and best selling author, Riane Eislerwho is creating ways to implement a new economy. We also hosted the Funding Your Passion Soiree Into Action.
Many youth today, especially at-risk teenage girls are lacking role models. They are overwhelmed with the struggles of coming from broken homes where drugs and poverty are prevalent, survival is a constant concern, and options seem limited or non-existent. Programs across the US, including right here in our hometown of Nevada City, are uniting these girls with mentors to build confidence, teach social change skills, provide authentic and positive relationships, and reshaping their and our future for the better. These are the seeds for future social activism that need nurturing.
Take Away 7 – Definition of Community is a Common Goal
Last December, former Mayor Reinette Senum in her TEDxGrassValley talk raised the concept of community as a common goal and it got us thinking about the many community movements we covered this year and the need for collaborative leadership. For many of these communities, they are on the frontline of environmental and social change and thusly being impacted the greatest. It is essential to hear their stories first hand. In our program on Transition Towns we traveled to Reno, Nevada. In the "wild west" where the attitude was once every "man" for himself, women are pioneering a gentler expedition and this time they are doing it together to create a sustainable city that isn’t dependent on peak oil. We also attended the annual Bioneers conference in San Rafael, CA and the Women’s Conference in Long Beach, CA.
Extraordinary Janes: Reinette Senum, Molly Fisk, Chameli Ardagh, Ginny Woods, Suzie Daggett, Rainy Blue Cloud, Transition Reno founders, and the String Sisters.
Moving forward in 2011, we ask what will your story be? What’s your legacy?
We’ve heard and met so many extraordinary Janes this year, all of which started out as everyday women, but because of a certain issue or a passion that struck home for them, something inside was ignited to do more. Some did it alone and created a movement where others joined them, while some reached out to friends, family, and their communities to organize around something they felt passionate about and make a positive change.
Former Nevada City, CA Mayor, community organizer and change agent Reinette Senum discusses her incredible journey as the first woman to cross Alaska solo on skis. She argues that in fact it was not solo, but that it took an entire village to get her across, and the sense of support and a common destiny inspired her to run for office and lead her community.
Our recent Soiree into Action was a great
success! Participants swapped stories and shared the passion behind their
action.
Our biggest take-away from the night were threekey points that surfaced from the presentations of our extraordinary guests.
1. Mayor Reinette Senum, who is fueled by
her community, reinforced the importance of a support team. Whether
you're running for office, running a business, or running a household we all
need loyal supporters to cheer on our endeavors and serve as a sound
board. Organizations, such as The White House Project are encouraging all
of us to lead our life with others. Balanced leadership will most likely
require a critical mass of women who are ready to run and support each
other.
2. Councilwoman Sally Harris' passion led
her to politics when she least expected it. She reminded us that negative
experiences can often lead to better opportunities.
3. Power can occur in numbers but
only if we make our voices heard. Most Americans are everyday
people, the working class. Yet, Vice-Mayor and candidate for the State
Assembly, Christina Billeci expressed her concern that more working class
citizens need to vote and get involved for a shift to occur in America.
Many thanks to all of you who are
supporting our efforts with The White House Project and
a special thanks to guests, Vice-Mayor Christina Billeci ,
Councilwoman Sally Harris, and Mayor Reinette Senum. We
are also extremely grateful to the individuals and businesses who contributed
to the silent auction.
Among the many incredible leaders who will attend our next Soiree into Action this Thursday, March 25th at the Nevada City Winery, we are honored to include three local elected officials who are paving the way for women in politics.
Vice Mayor of Marysville, Christina Billeci (running for State Assembly against Dan Logue)
"I have
great appreciation and understanding that passion is like a deep belly laugh or
a good yawn. It’s very contagious." ~ Reinette Senum
Reinette Senum is a green pioneer of the21st century.Having traveled throughout fifty countries, climbing
mountains and being the first woman to cross Alaska solo on skis,Reinette is no
stranger to risk taking adventures. It's surprising then that one of her
greatest challenges is taking place back where she started, her hometown of
Nevada City, CA.
See Jane Do had the privilege and
pleasure of following Reinette over the year; participating in the community
congress she initiated in order to create one of the greenest small towns in America, celebrating
her success as mayor, traveling with her to the Sierras and observing the
development of the APPLE Center for Sustainable Living.
Despite her
independence Reinette realizes that the way to forge the new frontier is to
rely on interdependence and community. Through this revelation she has
accomplished a tremendous amount in a short amount of time.
You'll have the opportunity to hear
Reinette's incredible story and learn tips, tools and strategies from the edge
in her workshop, Women Don't Build Canoes at the See Jane Do Passion into
Action Conference in the Leading Your Life track. Of course there is a
wonderful story connected to the title but you'll have to participate in her
workshop to get the full scoop.
Reinette shares where her passion stems from
and how dissatisfaction led her to making a difference and becoming a leader in
her community.
What
do you love most about the work you are doing?
It’s very intuitive-based. I love the combination of tapping
into the needs of my community as they arise as well as those of the planet,
and collectively working with people I deeply admire and respect to create
local solutions.
Most importantly, there is room in this line of work to be silly and
playful.
What
were the motivating factors that inspired you to get involved and share
your passion?
I got fed up -- but not until my thirties. Over the course of my life I
became conscious of a growing dissatisfaction, frustration and anger over the
direction our country and our leaders have and continue to take us. I
decided to sublimate the oodles of frustration and put it to good use.
In 2004, after I educated myself on the theory of Peak Oil, I had my
first internal paradigm shift. This altered the perception I held of our world
and my place in it. After absorbing the reality of Peak Oil, my initial
instinct to take on a global issue, such as our world’s oil addiction, seemed a
tad-bit daunting. I kept thinking of my miniscule self on this vast planet with
a world population of nearly 7 billion people, and I couldn’t help but ask
myself, “What could one person possibly do?”
It was not until I read the book the Tipping Point, and after doing a
simple math equation, that I realized that all I needed to do was create the
world I wish to see in my very own backyard. Tipping Point author,
Malcolm Gladwell, highlighted that by reaching just 15 to 20 percent of a
population "the levels at which the momentum for change becomes
unstoppable" is possible. With Nevada City having a population of only
3,000 people, that meant only 450 people, effectively, needed to be reached.
Now, this seemed doable.
Who
were the some female role models or mentors that inspired your work and
passion?
As a child and teenage I was enthralled with the likes of aviator;
Amelia Earhart, astronaut; Sally Ride, feminist; Gloria Steinem, and the Bionic
Woman. At age 10, I became an official card carrying member of the Bionic Woman
Club. It was the only club I was willing to join at the time.
As a teenager, Erma Bombeck was as deep as I wanted to go in the
literary world. To my literary teacher’s dismay, Mrs. Mc Fadden, I choose Erma
as the subject of my senior report.
Most notably, however, my mother was my ultimate mentor having the most
everlasting impact upon my life.
Why
is the work you are doing so important for everyday women?
I don’t believe in the word “no.”
Why
is it so important for women to participate in an event like the Passion
into Action Conference?
Not to sound ‘60’s… but we’re all sistas, here.
What
are you hoping will be the biggest take-away for women at the Passion into
Action Conference?
I just recently came across a quote from the author
of “Conversations with God,” Neale Donald Walsch, and these words completely
resonated with me. “The more you are, the more you can become, and the more you
can become, the more you can yet be. The deepest secret is that life is not a
process of discovery, but a process of creation. You are not discovering
yourself, but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out who you
are, seek to determine who you want to be.”
Now is the time to become.
Until women are recognized, educated and paid at
the same level as men, the planet will be in peril. Until women are fully
represented throughout government, education, and the business sector the
massive inequities will continue. No one is going to do this for us. We must
find our own way and support one another in doing so.
Most women today are yearning for and sensing this
“calling” from our planet. By utilizing animated story telling, humor and
stories from the edge, I will share tips and strategies to assist women in
navigating the fast changing waters of our times. Sharing tools I have learned
along the way -- tools good enough to build a canoe.
"May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future"
In 2009 See Jane Do connected with everyday women who are fulfilling their dreams to create a better future for the planet and generations to come. Despite a year of transition and change the women we met are consistent with their message; to persevere, to have hope, to connect with others, and to follow your passion.
With over one hundred women we interviewed this year, we've shared our top twelve stories of everyday women who are doing extraordinary things for the planet and the lessons we learned from each of them. We look forward to more stories and inspired action in 2010!
1. Millions of people can come together peacefully to create change.
The See Jane Do team attended President Obama's inauguration and the Peace Ball in Washington D.C. We also interviewed incredible women at the SYRCL's Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival
6. Our planet, our life, our health, our children are worth more than gold and coal.
See Jane Do features women who are taking planet earth off the market.
Extraordinary Jane's:Maria Gunnoe and Judy Bonds fighting Mountain Top Removal. Lydia Olympic, tribal council member fighting open pit gold mining and preserving the largest salmon run.
7. You're one click away from changing policy, sharing your story and connecting with community.
See Jane Do attends BlogHer and features the pioneers of the online revolution.
Extraordinary Jane's:BlogHer founders and Joan Blades, co-founder of MoveOn.org and MomsRising.org.
8. The traditions of the past will support us in the future.
Grandma Jane is rockin the world! Standing up for conservation and peace these grandmothers are taking on multi-billion corporations to protect their health, the planet and their grandchildren.
9. We need to challenge assumptions that just because something has been done for many years (traditional school lunches), doesn't make it right. One person has the power to create an impact (and kids love brown rice).
We revisit school lunches that kids actually line up for and how the Slow Food movement can help.
Extraordinary Jane's: Renegade Lunch Lady, Chef Ann Cooper, Aimee Retzler, Tania Carlone, and Erika Lesser, Director of Slow Food USA.
10. With our purchase power we can change the world.
We featured women who are making the planet less trashy with less plastic.
Extraordinary Jane's: Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish, activist and artist, Kathleen Egan, and educator Anna Cummins of Agalita.
11. I want you to run for office! Women might make up half the work force and half the population but we still don't have balanced leadership in the United States.
The United States is a long way from balanced leadership but we're half way to reaching the tipping point (30% representation is needed). Numerous organizations have formed to train women to take the lead and run.
Extraordinary Jane's: Marie Wilson, president and founder of The White House Project, Kristine Pagan, White House Project alumni and aspiring candidate, Mayor Reinette Senum, and Gloria Feldt, author, activist, and former CEO of Planned Parenthood.
12. In order to have a healthy planet we must have healthy people.
Women are taking their health into their own hands and putting the hope in healthcare.
Think globally act locally, is the message that twenty-nine year old Mali Dyck, Executive Director of the APPLE Center for Sustainable Living, wants community members and tourists to take away from a visit to the newly opened resource center in downtown Nevada City, CA.
At just 800-sq ft this little building is poised to have a big impact in the community. Not only is it a model for energy-efficient workspace, but a hub and an incubator for ideas on how to live green. The APPLE Center (named after its non-profit fiscal sponsor the Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy) offers a free library with books and dvds, hosts classes and workshops along with educational exhibits on sustainability, energy conservation and the local economy. “My background is in the local food movement,” explains Dyck who also owns a small farm and landscaping business. “When I wanted to open the center, it was about supporting our farmers and community gardeners, but then I realized you can’t talk about food without talking about energy, transportation, air quality and other elements that are inter-connected.”
The idea for a “one-stop-shop” resource center that would provide people with knowledge and tools for sustainable living evolved out of a community meeting hosted last December by Reinette Senum, cofounder of Power-Up Nevada City and Mayor of Nevada City. Determined to create a town that is both sustainable and energy efficient, Senum invited the entire town of almost 3,000 to participate in the planning and implementation process.
The kick-off event, named appropriately the Community Congress, included contractors, teachers, students, business owners, parents, nonprofit managers, community organizers and more who all collaborated together to identify five key goals for the next five years; 1) localize our food, 2) create a low interest revolving loan fund, 3) create a sustainable transportation infrastructure, 4) reduce energy consumption by 30%, 5) increase public awareness and involvement in reducing energy.
Senum realized the power of a small town early on. After reading the book The Tipping Point, she learned of the idea that to tip the scale one must reach 15% of the public. To reach 15% in a city with millions of people would be difficult, but to reach 15% of the people in a town with a population of 3,000 like Nevada City would mean only 450 people. Suddenly the idea of creating change seemed less overwhelming. “It’s not that cities can’t do it, but a city will be more complicated,” says Senum. “It’s like a cruise ship. Getting a cruise ship to change direction is much more challenging than a rowboat where you can turn around really fast. That’s why I think places like the APPLE Center can become the clearinghouse and nexus for communities to come together and centralize. It’s a collective place.”
In July, Dyck and Senum received a $40,000 grant from Butte County Private Industry Council and along with the help of volunteers, who donated hundreds of hours of labor and over $64,000 in materials were able to gut and retro fit the small building. The APPLE Center for Sustainability celebrated its grand opening on Sunday, September 20th. Hundreds of community supporters and those curious about exactly what a sustainability center is poured through the Center’s doors. It’s only been a few months and the APPLE Center is already hosting presentations, workshops and socials the Center and other community groups. Dyck hopes this is only the beginning of getting the community involved at all levels to connect the dots and complete a much bigger picture of sustainability. “A lot of us feel like as an individual we’re powerless against the big machine, but in my experience with opening this center, it’s actually the consumer who has the power,” says Dyck. “We need to vote with our dollars.”
by Jesse Locks and Elisa Parker
Jesse Locks and Elisa Parker have a FM radio show called See Jane Do which runs from 1-2p.m. at 89.5 or 105.1 the 1st Wednesday of every month highlighting everyday women doing extraordinary things for the planet.
We still want you to run for office! See Jane Do's part II episode of Training Women to Take the Lead and Run will air tomorrow, November 24th from 12:00-1:00 PM KVMR, 89.5 or www.KVMR.org.
According to Linda Tarr-Whelan author and former Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, we can create a tipping point towards balanced leadership in the United States political system with women taking on 30% of elected representation. That means we're about half way there.
Who
will do their part to fill that void? It's everyday women just like
you and me. But you're not expected to do this on your own. A handful
of organizations such as the White House Project are pitching in to
train and support women towards taking a greater role in leadership.
The White House Projectis a nonpartisan organization that has trained over 6,000 women to lead from their communities all the way to the White House. They even worked with Oprah last year in training women to lead the way. We speak with White House Project founder Marie Wilson, staff and trainees about their recent success.
Also featured is political activist, media commentator, and best selling author, Gloria Feldt. Gloria has been named one of the top 200 women leaders and trailblazers by Vanity Fair Magazine. She is also one the keynote speakers at the upcoming See Jane Do Passion into Action Conference.
Mayor Reinette Senum and political leader Kristy Pagan share their personal stories and triumphs in living a political life.
Perhaps you've never considered running. This program just might
change your mind or at least encourage you to tap your friend on the
shoulder and ask them to run instead.
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