Hear from women on the cutting edge of leadership, fundraising and social change.
It's a party. It's a fundraiser. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and put your passion into action.
Did you miss the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Conference? Join us for an encore video presentation of Kathy LeMay, Tiffany Dufu, Jean Shinoda Bolen and Nina Simons. Plus we'll feature special guests and discussions around passion, leadership, and funding. These interactive events includes resources and tools to fund your passion and take the lead.
This weekend we'll feature Kathy LeMay on Saturday May 14th with a discussion to follow around funding, passion and philanthropy and on Sunday May 15th, Tiffany Dufu, President of The White House Project with special guest Councilwoman Yolanda Cookson.
Kathy LeMay at the 2011 Passion Into Action Conference
Who: Kathy LeMay on Funding, Passion and Philanthropy.
When: Saturday, May 14, 4-6pm - For more info on Kathy go to
Tiffany Dufu at the 2011 Passion Into Action Conference
Who: Tiffany Dufu's talk on women's leadership in business, politics and media followed by a discussion led by Grass Valley City Councilwoman Yolanda Cookson.
When: Sunday, May 15th, 1-3pm - For more info on Tiffany go to
Tiffany Dufu is an everyday woman living in New York. She is the president of The White House Project, a national, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that aims to advance women's leadership in all communities and sectors, up to the U.S. presidency.
In 2011, 89 women served in the U.S. Congress or 16.6 percent, out of 50 states only six were governed by women, out of the 100 largest U.S. cities only 7 had women mayors. In an Inter-Parliamentary Union study of 188 countries, the U.S. ranks 72nd for women's leadership (Rwanda ranks no. 1).
Women make up more than half of the population in the U.S. yet are vastly under represented politically The White House Project aims to change that by filling the leadership pipeline with a diverse critical mass of women to make American businesses, government and media equally represented.
Their dynamic program, “Vote, Run, Lead,” is designed to engage women in the political process as voters, activists and candidates, The White House Project has trained 11,000 women over the last 12 years to take the lead.
These women learned how to break through societal and their own barriers to put their passion into action and make a positive impact on their communities.
Tiffany will join special guest speakers Nina Simons of Bioneers, feminist icon Jean Shinoda Bolen, and author Kathy LeMay at See Jane Do's 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Conference, April 29 and 30, 2011 at the Holiday Inn Express, Grass Valley.
Elizabeth Johnson and Nevada Littlewolf from The White House Project will present a series of workshops at the conference. Their workshops,” Plate to Politics, Blueprint for Change” and “Fundraising in Rural Communities,” are specific to the unique perspectives and needs of women living in rural communities.
What do you plan to discuss in your keynote speech at Passion Into Action?
A lot of what I'm going to talk about is where we are in terms of women's leadership today and the barriers we are facing. Sometimes people are surprised by this information and some are not. I think getting into what barriers there are in our own culture, the barriers women put on themselves, and how to really turn passion into action.
I will say something about The White house Project and our broader vision of creating an ecosystem for women leadership in the U.S. and around the word and how we are engaging the next generation. When I hear passion into action, it really embodies what The White House Project is doing.
We are finding women who already care and are passionate about changing something in their community, and we show them how leadership can be a platform to make that happen.
One of your goals is to offer relatable new leadership for a new generation. What does that look like?
It looks like authentic leadership. Particularly the new generation is looking for leaders who they identify with. Women want leaders that look like them; leaders they can aspire and achieve to be.
What do you think holds women back from taking the lead?
I think there are systematic and individual reasons that hold them back. Despite all the progress that has been made, culturally we still live in an old male paradigm. Look at the reality of our culture, we are still socialized that the women's role is in the private sphere.
All you have to be is a visible pregnant woman to understand this. People only ask a pregnant woman if she is going to stay home with the child, it is never asked of the man. We live in a society where corporations are really set up for a 1950s male model of leadership and work, where a lot of time is spent on the job, and someone else is taking care of the children.
Women also have their own barriers, which we work on, such as not recognizing our ability as leaders.
Women think they need more experience, more education, before they can be a leader, and men don't do that. Women are also not nearly as good in promoting themselves, which is important in leadership or any business.
The White House Project works on creating visibility, aligning one's self, and recruiting mentors and sponsors who can help. Part of the reason we start with policy is to help women to move past their barriers and understand their ability to lead and build a platform to share their case in why someone should invest in them. Women do that for everything and anything, except themselves.
We recently polled our audience asking if they would run for office, many said they felt grassroots activism would have a greater impact on their communities or they didn't want to get caught up in the politics of politics so to speak. How do you respond to that?
I'm not surprised to hear that. It is important for women to understand that to advance their leadership they have to be involved in politics, and politics is involved in every environment.
They need to know how it works, and understand how to operate within it. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to turn this nation and world around and the only way we are going to really accelerate social and economic change is to involve more people. Give us the opportunity to put people in front of you that look like you, listen to their stories, and I'm certain more women will step up.
In 2007, The White House Project launched a rural leadership initiative. What are some of the challenges and advantages of working in rural communities? And what role do they play in the bigger picture of national and global politics?
Being a nonpartisan organization has been an advantage working in rural communities. One of the disadvantages has been the distance between women. It has been a challenge and also an opportunity and helped us to see the importance in leveraging social media to bring them together.
There are a lot of issues that we often take for granted in urban communities that women in rural communities bring to our attention, for instance access to broadband. In many ways the voices of rural women shed light on the equities that women continue to face including poverty and violence.
How do you stay positive in the face of such staggering statistics?
There is a poster in our office that shows the U.S. ranked 72nd in women's political participation in the world, and it asks how many women we would need to train to change that number to bi, 1 in my lifetime and my daughter's lifetime.
The number is 8,000, which doesn't seem like a lot, but if you ask Liz and Nevada that is a lot of women. That is 800 to 900 women a year, but because I know the answer to that question and have an organizational strategy, it helps make that statistic seem less daunting. When you have an answer, it helps you sleep at night.
What is the single most radical thing a woman or girl could do?
Have a really strong case for why someone should invest in her, and distinctly and clearly articulate that case and be able to give to anyone at any moment.
What is your message to woman around the world?
You already have everything that you need to be a phenomenal leader and to make an impact in the world. It is not outside of you, you don't have to go it, and it is already within you.
See Jane Do is a multimedia program capturing the stories of everyday women doing extraordinary things for the planet. Catch the one-hour talk radio program on KVMR 89.5FM the first Wednesday of every month from 1-2 p.m. For information, visit www.seejanedo.com.
Click here to register for the Passion Into Actin Conference.
"It's an extraordinary experience, Passion Into Action, and I've never seen or felt a gathering quite like it." ~Nina Simons
The 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Conference will not only mirror the synergy and excitement of last year's event but will include new features to enhance your experience.
track will focus on Power, Passion, and Philanthropy. Part of the proceeds of the conference will support these workshops.
The White House Project
TWHP is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization working to advance women in business, politics, and media. They've rarely worked in California and are excited train women to lead in our community. In addition to a keynote address by president, Tiffany Dufu TWHP is leading 3 workshops at Passion Into Action this year including Plate to Politics (designed specifically for the foodies and farmers), Raising Money in Rural Communities, and Blueprint for Change.
Opening Night Reception
Not everyone could participate in the one day event last year so we've expanded the conference to include a kick-off reception and a special evening with Nina Simons of Bioneers Friday, April 29th. Nina will lead the attendees through an experiential experience including tools and tips to activate the group into action as a collective. Friday night will also feature The Feather River Singers and a special greeting by Nevada Littlewolf, the youngest women and first American Indian to be elected to city council in her town.
Passion Into Action After Party
Celebrate the day and connect with friends at our first ever after party. We'll wrap up the conference with a special performance from Fishtank Ensemble and MaMuse at The Center for the Arts. Click here to purchase tickets. Passion Into Action attendees receive a discount.
Food and Beverages
This year your Saturday admission includes a delicous boxed lunch and drink from Summer Thymes and a continental breakfast. VeriTea by Keri Kemble is providing an afternoon tea and local goodies. Keri is debuting her new brand of organic and Fair Trade teas at the event. Friday night will include appetizers provided by Briar Patch and a no-host bar.
Visit the See Jane Do Beauty Bar featuring natural and organic beauty products by Sugar & Oats Day Spa, Oberon Cosmetics, Dawn Lorraine Conscious Skincare and Blossom Organics. Enjoy aromatherapy scalp and hand massages, plus mineral makeup application on cheeks and eyes by Sugar & Oats Day Spa and Oberon Cosmetics. Discover Dawn Lorraine's Conscious Skincare products and be sure to check out her Pomegranate Crisp Body Creme which she is donating a portion of her sales to See Jane Do. And pick up a sample from Blossom Organics' Intimate Care Collection.
Too Good To Change:
Like last year we're offering 15 hands-on workshops featuring workshop leaders from the community and several presenters from the Bay Area and even Boston.
Keynote speakers; Kathy LeMay, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Tiffany Dufu and Nina Simons are bound to motivate and inspire you. Unlike conferences that host thousands of attendees, the Passion Into Action Conference is unique in that it provides an intimate space to connect with these incredible speakers and extraordinary attendees.
Tickets are still available but are going fast. You can purchase your tickets and register for the conference here or go to www.seejanedo.com .
"Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart." ~Rumi
Most of the women we've interviewed on See Jane Do created their careers by following their heart and passion to create social change. Their success was not driven by making money but by making a difference. While many of these women would probably agree that their mission is so important they would do their work for free (and some have) at a certain point they've required financial support.
We've identified women who offer tools and ideas to financially sustain one's passion and invited several of them to lead workshops at the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Conference. After all, this event is about investing in you and discovering the value you hold in the world.
Top 3 Ways To Fund Your Passion at Passion Into Action
1) Connect with nationally acclaimed organization, The White House Project and participate in their workshop: "Raising Money in Rural Communities." The White House Project is training women across the country to take the lead.
Fundraising in rural communities presents unique challenges and opportunities. Take a look around your community, hear what is working in other communities, and feel supported in making a plan to help you succeed. Learn tips and strategize with others about how to tap into your current networks and look for ways to find and find and tap new resources. Read more about the workshops they are offering here.
2. Learn tools and ideas to help you navigate a career that has meaning and value yet still pays the bills.
The New Prosperity Initiative founders, Lex Schroeder and Jeanne Dasaro have created tools and ideas to help you find rewarding work even in times of widespread change. Jeanne has been featured in O Magazine as one of "Tomorrow's Leaders" and Lex is extraordinary at connecting people and ideas. Read more about this dynamic duo that is traveling from Boston to share their passion.
The New Prosperity Initiative Workshop: "Navigating a Path to a Career in Public Service: A Roadmap for Creating Social Impact"
"In a recession, when major institutions are dramatically changing/failing (and technology is changing the way we work), how do we find jobs we enjoy that also pay the bills?"
This is the big question NPi's workshop, "Navigating a Path to a Career in Public Service," aims to address.
The path to a successful career in public service has never been more confusing. Yet more and more people seek to do work that is ultimately for the public good. Whether we enter the for-profit or nonprofit world or take the leap and become social entrepreneurs, we are stepping into new and different jobs tackling a wide variety of social and environmental problems.
Rooted in the belief that the best career opportunities come through relationships, not job boards, this workshop provides a powerful new framework for taking ownership of one's own unique and often winding career path. In a highly interactive session, participants learn how to identify and communicate their own unique offerings as well as how to establish and cultivate strong work relationships both online and offline. Attendees will be presented with ideas for getting started on the job search or entrepreneurial endeavor, thoughtful tips for moving beyond the roadblocks they will inevitably encounter, and inspiration by way of real life stories. In a quickly-changing world full of new opportunities and possibilities, this workshop is dedicated to helping women begin to find or create meaningful, rewarding work during times of widespread systems change.
3. Identify your Generosity Plan and connect with Raising Change founder, Kathy LeMay.
For fifteen years, Kathy has been a professional social change fundraiser, raising millions of dollars in the fields of women's human rights. She has trained hundreds of groups and organizations in philanthropy and fundraising. She launched Raising Change to help progressive non-profit organizations raise the capital they need to advance social change agendas. Kathy has been featured on Oprah and on the Oxygen Network. In 2009, she wrote "The Generosity Plan" a practical guide to philanthropy. It's an inspiring and empowering how-to on "sharing your time, treasure and talent to shape the world."
We are thrilled that Kathy is participating as a keynote speaker at the conference. Click here to read more about her extraordinary work and story.
Whether you're seeking tools to fund your passion and business, connect with a group of like-minded women to support the good work you're doing, or finding your voice and simplifying your life, we hope you find Passion Into Action to be an investment in your and our collective futures.
Passion Into Action, Friday & Saturday, April 29 & 30, Holiday Inn Express, 121 Bank Street, Grass Valley, CA featuring special guests Nina Simons of Bioneers, Marie Wilson of the White House Project, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Kathy LeMay and many more.
"The most incredibly evolved group of women I have ever met in my life!" - Gloria Feldt
"Passion Into Action is like falling in love. If you fall in love deeply enough with that which really matters to you, everything opens from there." - Chameli Ardagh
"You could see what the outcome of this conference is...it's a way for women to voice what the issues of the day are, how we can improve our community, the nation, our planet. It provided me with inspiration, but also tools." - Elaine Sierra
Join today’s leading women’s speakers and activists at See Jane Do’s 2nd Annual Passion Into Action: A Women’s Conference. See Jane Do will host world renowned speakers and over a dozen workshop leaders on self development, green living, health & wellness, leadership and the value of you.
This inspired gathering of hearts and minds was realized after an exciting year traveling across the nation to capture the incredible stories of everyday women who were doing extraordinary things for the planet, for our monthly radio show and website.
We wanted to design a conference that specifically served women in rural communities and small towns. These are places where small steps can lead to bigger changes at a rapid pace and community members are vested on a personal level in taking care of each other and the area in which they live.
Passion Into Action creates a space for the women in their community to meet, network and explore ideas on how to work together on one another's projects and strengthen their community. Most important, the content of the event will hopefully transfer ideas into action. The event showcases real women with real solutions; mixing local and non-local leaders & visionaries, artists & musicians, mothers & grandmothers, teachers & students, homemakers & business owners among others.
Whether you’re seeking tools to fund your passion and business, connect with a group of like-minded women to support the good work you’re doing, or finding your voice and simplifying your life, we hope you find Passion Into Action to be an investment in your and our collective futures.
Friday, April 29, 2011 Passion Into Action Opening Night "A Special Evening with Nina Simons of Bioneers" plus Feather River Singers and special guests 630pm Reception, 7pm Show
Save & Buy the Full Conference Pass - Friday "Opening Night With Nina Simons" & Saturday Conference (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch) $95adv/$105 door
Saturday Conference Only with Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, Kathy LeMay, Marie Wilson & 15 workshops (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch) $70adv/$80door (Please add $3 for service and handling fees)
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.
We caught up with Tavi Gevinson, the 13 year old fashion sensation and creator of Style Rookie at The White House Project 2010 EPIC Awards. A New Yorker reporter was following her around for the day so we were lucky to squeeze in an interview with this inspiring young women. We were curious, what's the difference between a fashion show and the EPIC Awards?
Young Women's Track 
The White House Project
3. Identify your Generosity Plan and connect with Raising Change founder, Kathy LeMay.
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