{"id":1534,"date":"2009-03-04T10:07:22","date_gmt":"2009-03-04T15:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlwpen.com\/?p=1534"},"modified":"2009-03-04T10:07:22","modified_gmt":"2009-03-04T15:07:22","slug":"liveblogging-women-leaders-muse-on-new-era-of-social-justice-and-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/2009\/03\/04\/liveblogging-women-leaders-muse-on-new-era-of-social-justice-and-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Liveblogging: Women Leaders Muse on New Era of Social Justice and Change"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"(Is it still liveblogging if it’s the next day?!\u00c2\u00a0 I had no Internet access while I wrote this, so am posting it here today.\u00c2\u00a0 Crossposted soon at The REAL Deal,<\/a> too.)<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sitting in a very crowded auditorium at 3 World Financial Center, home of American Express, and the sun is pouring in on one of the coldest days of the year.\u00c2\u00a0 We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re about to be warmed by the annual panel that takes place the afternoon of the National Council for Research on Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/a>s evening-time gala, the Making a Difference for Women Awards.<\/p>\n

This year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s panel, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153An Immodest Proposal: Advancing a New Era of Social Justice\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (kudos on the title, NCRW!) features Co-President of the National Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Law Center Marcia Greenberger<\/a>, Chancellor and President of Syracuse University Nancy Cantor<\/a>, Accenture \/ Microsoft \/ PepsiCo Director Dina Dublon<\/a>, and Columbia University law professor and Nation<\/em> columnist Patricia Williams<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 The Takeaway<\/em> co-host Adaora Udoji<\/a>, whose voice I wake up to each morning, will be moderating.<\/p>\n

There is nothing modest about this crowd of female movers and shakers from corporate, academic, and nonprofit spheres.\u00c2\u00a0 The NCRW staff\u00e2\u20ac\u201dof which I used to be part\u00e2\u20ac\u201dhas clearly done an excellent job spreading word.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a dazzling lineup.\u00c2\u00a0 Let the conversation begin!<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> First question is for Nancy.\u00c2\u00a0 What can you tell us about advancing a new era of social justice in education?<\/p>\n

Nancy: <\/strong> The idea of the ivory tower as a monastic place is breaking down.\u00c2\u00a0 What that means is we have no understanding of the groups we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re leaving behind.\u00c2\u00a0 How do we level the playing field of education?\u00c2\u00a0 If we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find ways to strengthen our connections to our communities, cities, rural areas, and bring in the population, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to be stagnant.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Are we seeing that 50% female leadership in education yet?<\/p>\n

Nancy:<\/strong> No, not at all.\u00c2\u00a0 What we are seeing at all levels is girls falling off the map as we go up.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Why is that?<\/p>\n


\nNancy<\/strong>: Chilly climate, lack of connections, many reasons\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Adoara<\/strong>: What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s on your radar screen in the legal sphere, Marcia?\u00c2\u00a0 With the Lilly Ledbetter case, we now see that you can sue your employer for sex discrimination in pay\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Marcia: <\/strong> We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re talking here today about how we might advance a radical agenda.\u00c2\u00a0 But the Ledbetter case shows that much of our agenda is not radical at all.\u00c2\u00a0 Much of our agenda is either to restore the rights we used to have, or to try to empower and improve the lot and the good of everyone in this country \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a radial concept at all.\u00c2\u00a0 But the implementing of it is another story.\u00c2\u00a0 The Ledbetter case explains some of that.\u00c2\u00a0 Some elements of the case:<\/p>\n

-there was a cap for damages at 300K; other forms of discrimination, there is no cap
\n-because of statue of limitations, she could only appeal for backpay for a limited number of years<\/p>\n

But in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court had ruled that a lower court decision was right, and she needed to have filed her complaint within the first 6 months after receiving her first discriminatory paycheck in order to receive any compensation for damages, and she hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.<\/p>\n

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act challenged all that.\u00c2\u00a0 All the Democrats and all four Republican women in the Senate voted for it, as well as one Republican man.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 It passed. There were many tears.\u00c2\u00a0 It was quite a victory, the result of a lot of coalition efforts.<\/p>\n

But what did it really do?\u00c2\u00a0 Get us back to where we should have been all along.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Dina, when you think about advancing more fair social contracts, how is it possible to advance equal participation for women in corporate governance and leadership in business?<\/p>\n

Dina:<\/strong> I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a silver bullet.\u00c2\u00a0 I wish I did.\u00c2\u00a0 When you look at the Nordic countries, it was legislated.\u00c2\u00a0 Once legislated, you had to figure out how to get there, and you got there.<\/p>\n

Adaora<\/strong>: You mention Nordic countries.\u00c2\u00a0 Which ones?<\/p>\n

Dina:<\/strong> All three.\u00c2\u00a0 There was legislation that said you had to have 50% representation of women on corporate boards.\u00c2\u00a0 There was pushback.\u00c2\u00a0 But it happened.\u00c2\u00a0 Do I see this happening in the US?\u00c2\u00a0 No.\u00c2\u00a0 But we are generally moving in the right direction, I would argue.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s definitely better today than it was five years ago.\u00c2\u00a0 In certain aspects, though, we have stalled.<\/p>\n

Adaora<\/strong>: Where have we stalled most?<\/p>\n

Dina<\/strong>: Corporations feel very self-congratulatory.\u00c2\u00a0 Once they reach 25% representation by women, they feel they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to do anything more.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> What opportunities exist for women under the Obama Administration that might not have existed under the Bush Administration?<\/p>\n

Dina:<\/strong> Obama is legitimizing a different voice.\u00c2\u00a0 I definitely sense blacks in America feeling empowered, just by who he is and what he represents.\u00c2\u00a0 Having said that, change will come from the collective actions of all of us \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all of us meaning those of us in positions of power, but from the bottom or the top, I mean all of us.<\/p>\n

Nancy:<\/strong> It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the collective purpose that we have to speak to.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Nancy, what obligation do you think you have, and others running universities have, to prepare male students to believe that good ideas can come from any corner?<\/p>\n

Nancy:<\/strong> You know, we tend to think of ourselves as so progressive.\u00c2\u00a0 But if we put ourselves in an intercultural dialogue, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll see how uncomfortable we actually are.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a long way to go.<\/p>\n

Adaora: <\/strong>What is next on the agenda, Marcia, what priority should all of the groups that galvanized to pass the Fair Pay Act now agree on and push forward?<\/p>\n

Marcia:<\/strong> Nothing happens without coalitions, but those coalitions will shift from issue to issue, and the nature of the agreement will vary from issue to issue and from time to time.\u00c2\u00a0 Our challenge is to look for common ground.\u00c2\u00a0 In the case of Ledbetter, a case presented itself and demanded attention.\u00c2\u00a0 In the case of the country, the issue of health care presents itself now.\u00c2\u00a0 We hope to come around to make changes around health care reform, but we will not be in lock step.\u00c2\u00a0 The hope is to find enough momentum to be able to move an agenda forward.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> 30 million more children are now eligible for health care, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s being paid for by additional tax on cigarettes.\u00c2\u00a0 This is a case of the private sphere rendering funding for a public initiative.<\/p>\n

Marcia<\/strong>:\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, but at the same time a number of adult women\u00e2\u20ac\u201dnew mothers\u00e2\u20ac\u201dhave lost coverage, and we need to get some of that back.\u00c2\u00a0 Things are always give and take.\u00c2\u00a0 But look how the Global Gag Rule changed, allowing health care providers abroad to provide health care contraception.\u00c2\u00a0 Things are happening.<\/p>\n

An enormous reshifting is taking place with the Economic Recovery Act \u00e2\u20ac\u201c childcare, health care, a lot of things women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s groups have been pushing for for a long time.\u00c2\u00a0 We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re talking about radical changes in directions.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> So does that mean that you are you feeling like the iron\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hot, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s time to strike?\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 The window of opportunity doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stay open that long.\u00c2\u00a0 So how do you set the agenda of the Nat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122l Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Law Center right now?<\/p>\n

Marcia<\/strong>: If not now, when?\u00c2\u00a0 If you look at history, times of great crisis are the times you can secure change that you haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been able to secure in the past.\u00c2\u00a0 And everyone can agree it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a time of great crisis right now.\u00c2\u00a0 What are my top priorities?\u00c2\u00a0 So much is up for grabs all at the same time, and so much is interrelated.\u00c2\u00a0 We have to look at our tax and budget priorities at the same time that we look at our civil rights infrastructure.\u00c2\u00a0 When we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re putting so much money into building job, if we could invigorate our civil rights enforcement, so that when these new jobs are coming, we could have an equal opportunity of filling them.<\/p>\n

Nancy: <\/strong>Is it really about \u00e2\u20ac\u0153enforcement\u00e2\u20ac\u009d?<\/p>\n

Marcia<\/strong>:\u00c2\u00a0 There are laws\u00e2\u20ac\u201das we saw with the Ledbetter Act\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat exist, that need to be fortified.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Nancy, how do you leverage this moment of possibility for change?<\/p>\n

Nancy:<\/strong> We need a moral act now.\u00c2\u00a0 I think that President Obama, Duncan, and others are ready to do that.\u00c2\u00a0 We need to collectively care about K-12, about our communities.\u00c2\u00a0 HUD needs to do work to see how we translate the capital of universities into community by community.\u00c2\u00a0 We need a community barn raising.\u00c2\u00a0 We need to get money to the underserved school districts.\u00c2\u00a0 Those kids can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be left behind.\u00c2\u00a0 The Recovery Act is very important.\u00c2\u00a0 The Dept of Ed will have real money, for the first time, to think about real reform, on a district by district basis.<\/p>\n

New York and California are broke.\u00c2\u00a0 How do we make sure that the money gets to the under-resourced districts?<\/p>\n

There are districts where we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve left girls and especially girls of color behind.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Questions from the audience?<\/p>\n

Audience member (Katie):<\/strong> It seems the focus of the conversation so far is on using corporate or hierarchical power to effect change.\u00c2\u00a0 Can you talk about other, less hierarchical ways to effect change, like, say, community organizing?<\/p>\n

Nancy<\/strong>: The coalitions we build are from the bottom up.\u00c2\u00a0 The neighborhood organizations are at the table.<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a great question.\u00c2\u00a0 Dina, what does grassroots mean to corporate America?<\/p>\n

Dina:<\/strong> Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s networks that have developed in corporate America have had an impact\u00e2\u20ac\u201dnot just in how good we feel about ourselves, but in terms of impacting senior management.\u00c2\u00a0 It is slow, but it does bring change and it must continue.\u00c2\u00a0 Corporate America has come to recognize that enabling and sustaining those internal networks are effective ways of retaining people who are otherwise feeling like minorities or outsiders at the corporate table.\u00c2\u00a0 I do believe in grassroots.\u00c2\u00a0 We must work from the bottom up to bring about change.\u00c2\u00a0 But maybe because I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve spent so much time in the corporate world, I have the mindset that top down is a way to effect change the fastest.<\/p>\n

Marcia: <\/strong> The only way we got the Ledbetter case passed, or anything else, was through grassroots coalitions.<\/p>\n

Audience member: <\/strong>[something about how the environmental movement connects to this conversation]<\/p>\n

Patricia Williams<\/strong> [just joined the panel]: Environmental issues are partly a mother\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s movement, partly an inner city movement, and partly a movement that has to do with the eugenically, neonatal neglect of certain communities.\u00c2\u00a0 They are intricately connected.<\/p>\n

Audience member:<\/strong> [something about money interests, regulation]<\/p>\n

Patricia:<\/strong> The lack of regulation across all spheres has everything to do with the current crisis that we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in.\u00c2\u00a0 Everything is skewed to money interests.\u00c2\u00a0 We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve just seen brought to light the effect of money on judicial elections as well.<\/p>\n

Dina:<\/strong> In part because of the whole approach to the role of government in the US, the agenda is about following the money.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more acute here.<\/p>\n

(More Q&A)<\/p>\n

Adaora:<\/strong> Final thoughts?<\/p>\n

Marcia:<\/strong> It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about coalitions\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Nancy:<\/strong> It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no longer about exceptional people doing exceptional things.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about all of us.\u00c2\u00a0 And instead of No Child Left Behind, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about no group being left behind, and forming those coalitions Marcia mentions.<\/p>\n

Dina<\/strong>: I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like to see more focus on what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going on beyond the US.<\/p>\n

Patricia: <\/strong>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m concerned about the reinscribing of divisions.\u00c2\u00a0 At the same time, the election of Obama makes me optimistic.\u00c2\u00a0 He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s our most cosmopolitan president; he has an understanding of the economic conditions affecting women around the world and will make that part of his agenda.\u00c2\u00a0 He also understands symbolism.\u00c2\u00a0 There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the image of a grandmother in the White House, of Michelle as his mentor, and of a family that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happier than the Huxtables.\u00c2\u00a0 We will become accustomed to the image of an African American family in the White House and not as surprised as Joe Biden initially was that Obama is so \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clean and articulate.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 And we become more appalled by the degree to which we tolerated something else for so long.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Is it still liveblogging if it’s the next day?!\u00c2\u00a0 I had no Internet access while I wrote this, so am posting it here today.\u00c2\u00a0 Crossposted soon at The REAL Deal, too.) I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sitting in a very crowded auditorium at 3 World Financial Center, home of American Express, and the sun is pouring in on one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1902,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21106],"tags":[21929],"class_list":["post-1534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-liveblogging","tag-womens-leadership"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1902"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/girlwpen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}