Edition 12, 9/30/15
Dear Feminist Friends and Allies,
For October’s Feminist Happy Hour, we have been invited back to Bona Sera’s lower level! This is a quieter environment that will be more conducive to conversation. If stairs are a problem for you, an elevator is available. However, using it requires the assistance of a staff member with a key. So if you plan to attend and wish to use the elevator, please let me know in advance so that those arrangements can be made for you. Bona Sera, for those who have not previously come to this event, is located on the corner of North Washington and West Michigan Avenue in downtown Ypsilanti. It is a block from the bus stop, and there is plenty of parking nearby. Always held on the second Thursday of each month, this meeting will convene on October 8th from 7-9 PM. Were you astonished by the poor treatment of women in England 100 years ago, as depicted in the movie “Suffragettes?” Are you interested in the status of Title IX compliance in your local school system? Is Hillary’s campaign for President going the way you had hoped? This is our opportunity to discuss those issues and more with like-minded progressive feminist women and men!
Please welcome our new Intern Asia Paige, a bright and energetic University of Michigan student majoring in Political Science! She will be working with our Chapter on outreach, issue initiatives and event planning this semester. I have invited her to attend our October Happy Hour so that we can all begin to get to know one another.
The State NOW Fall Newsletter is out, and our Chapter has several articles in it. If you have not yet received a copy in the mail, there will be
extra copies available at our Happy Hour next week. Have you read a good feminist book or seen a good feminist movie lately? Nina Muckenthaler, Administrative Vice President at the State level, would love for you to write a review for the next newsletter! You can submit it to her at ninamuckenthaler@yahoo.com
We still have a few vouchers available for the new movie “He Named me Malala,” which screens at the Michigan Theater tonight at 7PM. If you are interested, please call me ASAP at 734-481-1804 to arrange to get one. See the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ghiYve6k68 Each voucher will admit two people.
We welcomed Barb Fuller to our last general meeting. Barb, who has been involved in democratic politics and “MI List” behind the scenes for many years, announced that she will be running for Gretchen Driskell’s seat in the 52nd District! You go, girl! We can be proud that we have mailed over 700 signed postcards in our Eden Foods initiative! Our bank account currently stands at $546.95. After the business meeting, we watched the movie “Miss Representation.” A lively discussion followed. One of our members expressed an interest in planning an event for local middle-schoolers, to help them sort through these body image issues that can be so toxic. Let me know if you would like to work on the subcommittee that will be planning this media literacy event.
Can you help our Chapter with cultural competence? I made the faux pas of scheduling our last general meeting on Yom Kippur, and would like to avoid similar problems in the future! I know the top dates on the Christian calendar to avoid would be Christmas Eve and Christmas, Easter and Good Friday. What would be the top dates to avoid on the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu calendars, etc? Any help you can give will be appreciated!
See you soon!
Cheryl Farmer MD, President
Washtenaw NOW
Washtenaw County NOW 