2011 ARIZONA NOW STATE CONFERENCE

Summary By Cindy Guerra

The 2011 Arizona NOW State Conference began with welcoming 25 pre-registered Arizona NOW members, 7 walk in registrants, and one non-NOW member. 

AZ NOW Spokesperson Eric Ehst welcomed the members and special guest Terry O’Neill, National NOW President, to the Conference at the lovely and spacious room at the Fillmore Commons.  The Conference Rules were reviewed and accepted by the members. 

Eric then introduced Linda Brown, Executive Director, Arizona Advocacy Network.  Linda spoke on a number of issues effecting women in Arizona.  She began the theme that would be repeated throughout the day, all of us, individuals and our various organizations, have to work together to make major political changes in the state.

Eric then introduced Karen Van Hooft who would explain the By Laws changes.  After discussion and review, the Bylaws changes, combining some of the responsibilities of the State Coordinator positions and removing a couple, were approved.

Conference members then attended the first workshop regarding human trafficking in Arizona presented by Katie Resendiz, Anti-Trafficking Supervisor of Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking (ALERT).   Ms. Resendiz reviewed the definition of sex trafficking, as written by Dianne Post: Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. ALERT provides immediate assistance to victims of human trafficking, including food and shelter, case management, medical attention, mental health counseling, immigration and legal assistance and translation services. The conference attendees were motivated by Ms. Resendiz’ presentation and the NOW chapters resolved to work together to bring public awareness to the treacherous circumstances of human trafficking in Arizona.

At the next Plenary Session, Eric introduced Election Rules and began the nominating process for the 2011 election of State Coordinators to ten positions.  Karen Van Hooft ran for State Coordinator NOW Policy/Spokesperson; SC for Chapter Development - Cindy Guerra; SC Records and Meetings – Dianne Barker; SC Finance – Karen Kondej; SC Legislative Action – Patricia Magary; SC for Political Action – Carol Corsica; SC for Membership and Newsletter – Sheila Ogea; SC for Publicity – Olga Vives; and SC for Technology and Electronic Media – Allison Hilliker.  These people were subsequently elected to the respective positions.  The position of State Coordinator for Leadership Training is currently vacant.

Lunch was provided through the efforts of Carolyn Lowther and the Conference Committee. 

Terry O’Neill spoke to the Conference pointing out current status of legislation in Congress that effects women. Terry addressed our efforts to protect Social Security from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Cutting Social Security is a misguided attempt to “fix” the deficit. Social Security has not contributed one dime to the federal deficit and has enough money to cover full benefits for nearly thirty years.

Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona State Senator, spoke about the avalanche of anti-abortion bills that were passed this past year.  One Bill, prohibiting women to abort female children, which is NOT a problem in the US, but AZ male legislators voted it in so that it's one more administrative hurdle for doctors and women.  These will also affect the women in rural areas adversely.

Kyrsten also spoke about a philosophy that she seemed passionate about, and that was "don't give up on people who don't believe exactly what you believe."  She spoke of another state senator, whom she loved, who was a right-to-lifer.  But by educating her on women's health issues, this other senator has voted with the bloc of women on everything except abortion.  I guess the message is accentuate the similarities, not the differences.

Lydia Guzman, President of Somos America, at the second workshop, presented the immigration issue and its demoralizing effects on women.

Nicole Deopere and two women from Planned Parenthood Arizona, Emily Herrell and Cynde Cerf, presented the third workshop "How You Can Be an Activist with Social Networking.

Awards were presented to Eleanor Powell Stanley, MD and Paul A. Isaacson, MD for their dedication to helping women in need of healthcare and abortion services; and to Dianne Post, a member of Phoenix-Scottsdale NOW, and a long time attorney whose career has focused on fighting inequality of women in several countries with passion, creativity and great effect.

After a full day of speakers and workshops, the conference attendees were treated to the wonderful music of Jess Hawk Oakenstar, enchanting stories told by Storyteller Audrey Lee and songs by Sandy Coduto.

On Sunday morning, April 3, Activists met at the Catholic Diocese and marched and sang out chants for women’s reproductive freedom in front of the church as churchgoers were leaving the service.  We were loud and proud.

The State Conference Committee also produced a Resource Guide that was included in the conference packets for all attendees.  Please patronize our advertisers.

The conference committee would like to thank Tracy Lathion, Administrative Assistant at the Sojourner Center who was extremely helpful with the facility arrangements, and Paula Bachman-Williams of Tucson for handling the mailing of the Call to Conference.  We know it was a huge job.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge all of our wonderful speakers and workshop presents that helped to make the Conference a success. Without them, it would not have been.

The Conference took in $360.00 on the Resource Guide Ads.  The cost to print the Resource Guide was $200.00 so it was a money maker.  The income from registrations was $1,010.00 and income from the Ads was $360 for a total of $1370.00.  Total expense was $1419.74, which includes food/beverages, airfare for National President, printing of Resource Guide, two awards, and other miscellaneous expense.