SPARK NEWS DIGEST: SPECIAL ECONOMIC SECURITY EDITION

REGISTER, READ UP, & VOTE!  

Millennials are now the largest living generation in U.S. history and have the power to shift policies. There are many issues to consider when casting your ballot this fall. First, remember your vote matters. Speak up and REGISTER TO VOTE!

Then, read up on the issues. Paid family leave, equal pay, fairness in the work place, and the economy overall are key issues on the ballot affecting women and families across the country.

In our SparkSF chapter alone, there are two State ballot measures that will directly impact women and families:

SB 654 (New Parent Leave Act)

AB 1584 (Restores the annual “Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment”)

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As we prepare to cast our ballots, this edition of Spark’s news digest features discussions on economic inequality, including witty and poignant commentary from John Oliver.

Read up below and don’t forget to register before it’s too late (10/24 in California & 10/14 in New York).

FIGHT FOR $15
Recent research found that the average woman makes 83% of a man’s hourly wages. Read about the Economic Policy Institute’s 12-point plan to fight for gender equality in pay. Learn more HERE

JOHN OLIVER’S TAKE ON PAID FAMILY LEAVE
In a Mother’s Day throwback, watch as comedian John Oliver calls out the US and Papua New Guinea as the only countries that don’t offer paid family leave. Watch HERE

LEADERSHIP & FAIRNESS IN THE WORKPLACE
In addition to unequal pay and sexual harassment at work, another problem that women are facing is being overlooked for promotions. A survey suggested that this could be a reason why women are more likely than men to want to leave their jobs within the next five years. What action can be taken to change the workplace culture? Find out HERE

MILLENNIAL ENGAGEMENT & POLITICS
Millennials’ #1 concern this election year is the economy (jobs, minimum wage, paid leave). Author Mike Hais, called the millennials “the most female-driven generation in American history.” FULL ARTICLE on how millennials can change America.

THE CANDIDATES AND ECONOMIC SECURITY
As the race to the White House continues, the candidates have spoken passionately about economic security: taxes, minimum wage, paid family leave & equal pay, TPP, and infrastructure expansion. Find out more where the candidates stand on these issues HERE

 

 

Spark News Digest: Millennials, Politics, & The Man Who Wore a Sanitary Pad

Obama on the State of Women, The Man Who Wore a Sanitary Pad, A Historic Defense Bill and Millennial Voices in Politics. This is your Spark News Digest.

By Spark Fellow: Stefanie Lee

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GENDER EQUALITY: #UnitedStateofWomen. Today, we will change tomorrow

The first ever United State of Women Summit was a huge celebration of the progress that women have made and the collective focus towards the future, together to achieve true gender equality. “It’s really encouraging to hear young women find their voice and be able to advocate for themselves knowing that they’re not alone.” – Valerie Jarrett. During the summit, POTUS highlighted authors of our history, women who shaped their destiny, VP Joe Biden spoke about his proud accomplishment, writing the Violence Against Women Act and Michelle Obama & Opera Winfrey shared the progress they’ve seen women achieve and encouragement to young women to take action so that that progress continues for generations to come.

WATCH THE VIDEOS:
POTUS
VICE PRESIDENT – JOE BIDEN
FLOTUS & OPERA WINFREY

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WOMEN’S HEALTH: The Man Who Wore a Sanitary Pad

Staggering statistics in India show millions of women still don’t use sanitary napkins out of ignorance and poverty. Nearly 70% of Indian women use old rags, increasing the risk of reproductive diseases. And, it is not just Indian women who believe that periods are a taboo subject, but most Indian men find buying sanitary napkins more embarrassing than buying condoms. Despite these taboos, there are a handful of men who are committed to fighting these stereotypes and working to improve the menstrual hygiene in India. “I became the man who wore a sanitary pad” – Arunachalam Muruganantham. Kudos to these men for standing up for girls. Find out why these men are norm shifting

READ THE STORY

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GENDER EQUALITY – Women Required to Register for the Draft

The Senate made history on June 14th by passing a $602 billion defense bill that crucially includes an amendment requiring women to register for the draft. “Whether in this debate or through the courts. It just seems that now that you have women allowed to serve in any position in the military, there is no logical basis to say women should not be drafted.” – Nora Bensahel, a military policy analyst at American University’s School of International Service. This article shares perspectives from both military representatives and politicians on the bill and the future of women in the military.

READ THE STORY

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POLITICS: Millennials & Women During An Election Year

This year, the Millennial Impact Report is focusing on how millennials’ behaviors may change during an election year. Some of the noteworthy trends listed in the report were: millennials are most interested in education, healthcare and the economy, they only somewhat believe that they are activists, and most millennials believe people like them can have an impact in the U.S. “It is likely that during an election year, causes and organizations that are politically aligned or part of a candidate’s agenda could see an increase in participation from this generation.” There’s a natural opportunity for companies to build momentum towards the November elections by promoting corporate volunteering to continue to engage Millennial employees. In addition to the impact that millennials are having from a political perspective, women are also making strides in changing the countries’ political landscape, from their stance on women’s rights and consideration of public opinion.

READ THE STORIES
Huffington Post – Millennial Report
Women in Politics

 

Why Smart Girls are Scary, The Confidence Gap, and Abortion Debates Heat Up

Nicholas Kristof weighs in on why terrorists fear smart girls, Europe and Chile spark new abortion law debates, girls take change into their own hands in Guatemala, why “leaning in” isn’t enough, and the realities of American life for low-income mothers. This is your Spark News Digest.

Read, Discuss, Share.

By Spark Fellow: Kendra Hyett

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GLOBAL EDUCATION: What’s So Scary About Smart Girls?

As the devastating abduction of over 200 Nigerian school girls continues to make international headlines, the biggest question is why innocent girls were targeted by extremist terrorists. New York Times journalist and human rights advocate Nicholas Kristof weighs in: they did not target army barracks, police or drone bases because their worst nightmare is actually educated girls – the most powerful, burgeoning force to transform society.

READ THE STORY

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GLOBAL HEALTH: Abortion Law Debates Heat Up

The reproductive rights war wages on around the world. A religious-backed campaign threatens the use of European aid money to back any programs supporting abortion.

READ THE STORY

Meanwhile in South America, reproductive rights are moving forward. In Chile, the ban on abortion – even when a woman’s life is at risk – will soon be reconsidered.

READ THE STORY

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WORKPLACE RIGHTS: Leaning In with Nothing to Lean On

Much like the “quit telling women to smile” campaign, The Shriver Report author Valerie Young is saying, “quit telling women low self-confidence is all that’s holding them back.” With the recent publication of The Confidence Code, following up on the basic principles of Lean In that women are holding themselves back by not going for a promotion or raise as many men do, there’s been a lot of talk about where to draw the line. How much women are holding themselves back vs. how much needs to be changed in the workplace to meet hard-working women part-way?

READ THE STORY

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ECONOMY: The State of Low-Income Mothers in the U.S.

Being a parent is one of the toughest jobs around, but what does that really mean for low-income families? The National Women’s Law Center takes a look via an interactive map at the realities for mothers in the U.S. working in low-wage jobs.

READ THE STORY

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FILM: Storytelling Power!

Recently premiered docu-drama “¡PODER!”  shows how two Guatemalan girls take power into their own hands to find creative ways of change in their own communities. Get an inside look at the creation of this innovative short film and the amazing nonprofit organizations behind it.

READ THE STORY

Pussy Riot: Punk Rock, Air Guitar & The Pursuit of Freedom

Pussy Riot: Punk Rock, Air Guitar & The Pursuit of Freedom

Authored by Kelly Gallo

While Russia was prepping for the Sochi Olympics, all-female punk rock collective, Pussy Riot, was using performance art to protest against President Putin. The group’s most famous action was in February 2012 inside a Moscow cathedral where band members danced and played air guitar as their boom box played what they called “A Punk Prayer”:

“Virgin Mary, Mother of God, chase Putin out… The phantom of liberty is up in heaven, Gay pride sent to Siberia in a chain gang… Virgin Mary, Mother of God, become a feminist.”

The action resulted in the arrest of three members of the group, including Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who were sentenced to two years in prison. As part of Putin’s pre-Olympics prisoner amnesty, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were released in December, two months before their sentences were up. Since then, they’ve been on a U.S Tour including a stop at The Colbert Report.

On February 27th, join Spark for an evening of film and conversation as we explore Russia beyond the glory of the Olympic Games and take a deeper look at the controversial political policies that have been simmering in Sochi.

We’ll be screening the acclaimed documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, which tells the incredible story of these young female activists and follows their infamous arrest and court trial.

To get a better understanding of what drove Pussy Riot to such controversial performances that resulted in jail time and hard labor, Spark will be joined by guest speaker Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist who recently published the book Words Will Break Cement: the Passion of Pussy Riot. Gessen is a prominent author who is also a lesbian and an outspoken LGBT rights advocate in Russia. After Russia passed two anti-gay laws in June 2013, she decided it was time for her, her partner, and their children to move to New York.

Join us for an evening of insightful film and conversation – the flame may burn out in Sochi but human rights and freedom of speech are not be gamed with as the fight continues for equality for Russian’s citizens.

RSVP HERE

The Hillary Project, Moonwalking in Pink and a Lemon Heroine

The Hillary Project, Moonwalking in Pink and a Lemon Heroine. This is your Spark News Digest.

Read, Discuss, Share.

Authored By Spark Fellow: Linn Hellerstrom

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 ENTREPRENEURSHIP: When life give you lemons, start a social enterprise. 

9 year-old philanthropist Vivienne Harr, founder of Start A Lemon-Aid Stand, doesn’t wait for summer to change the world. 365 days a year she sits curbside, selling lemonade to raise money to abolish child slavery. In just 6 months of operation, she raised over $100,000. This year she registered as a B Corp.

Read The Full Story

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U.S POLITICS: Violence gets political

“The Hillary Project”, a new animated game goading the player to slap the former Secretary of State, is a bad joke – funded by a conservative Super Pac. It also reflects a bigger issue concerning the justification of violence against women. Violence against women is no laughing matter.

Read The Full Story

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WOMENS RIGHTS: Gender Equality – the cheapest, fastest way to get food on the table

What’s the most cost-effective way to combat hunger? Gender Equality. Women play a big role in food production and small-scale farming around the world. When obstacles like gender discriminatory land and labor laws make it harder for women to farm, it impacts food security. Equal opportunity will end hunger.

Read The Full Story

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BUSINESS: Moonwalking in heels – “Mars Explorer Barbie”

Still pink. Still disproportionate. Check out NASA’s Barbie.

Read The Full Story

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GLOBAL: The “Virginity Institute” upholding the purity myth in Georgia  

Recent human rights report reveals that Georgia’s National Forensics Bureau performs as many as 200 “virginity inspections” a year. While some are used for evidence in rape and abuse cases, many families will paid up to $200 for receive a certificate confirming their daughter’s “purity”. Protesters using social media and the streets are demanding the government to end the archaic practice. In response, a member of Georgia’s gender-equality council stated, “If there’s a demand for this service, the government can’t forbid it”. 

Read The Full Story

Avon for Good, Mobile BFF’s & Lady Gaga’s Credo

Avon for Good, Mobile BFF’s, & Lady Gaga’s Credo. This is your Spark News Digest.

Read, Discuss, Share.

Authored By Spark Fellow: Linn Hellerstrom

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TECH: Can a mobile app help Israelis and Palestinians MEET in the middle?

MEET (Middle East Education Through Technology) – is a mobile app that helps Israeli and Palestinian students break both cultural and physical barriers. Anat Binur, co-founder, aims to help students forge bonds between students by studying programming, marketing, and strategic planning side by side.

Read The Full Story 

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BUSINESS:  How do you say Ding Dong in Swahili?

 Avon Products inspires more than good looks. By applying Avon’s renown door-to-door business model, Living Goods, a non-profit, helps thousands of Ugandan micro-entrepreneurs earn an income while saving lives by selling anti-malaria medicine, clean burning stoves, solar-powered lamps, and sanitary supplies.

Read The Full Story 

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GLOBAL: What one thing is holding Iranian women back from running for President? A word.

The Iranian constitution says that the president should be from political rejal, a word with adual meaning of politically qualified and men. Iranian Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi sheds light on why women aren’t qualified to run for president in Iran but why they still keep on registering as candidates. You can’t stop, nay, won’t stop the ladies from pursuing what’s right and fair.

Read The Full Story 

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 U.S.  NEWS:  Lady Gaga credo, “Baby, You Were Born This Way” Swings legal.

Delaware agrees. Their House recently approved a bill outlawing discrimination against transgender people. Now, the category of gender identity is among race, age, religion, and sexual orientation as protected non-discrimination categories.

Read The Full Story  

Nerd Crush: Saru Jayaraman

Post Authored By: Spark Fellow, Calli Rothberg

Being a foodie has its costs. Pork belly may entice you in, but there is a sordid underbelly in the U.S. restaurant industry. Human rights advocate and food justice powerhouse, Saru Jayaraman, is hell bent on changing restaurant employment and labor issues in America. Fighting brutally for the rights of underpaid and harshly treated workers, Jayaraman is a force to be reckoned with. She leads in educating the public on the importance of the treatment of those serving the food rather than the obsession with the grass-fed meat and organic vegetables being served.

Jayaraman’s passion for eradicating social injustices sparked during her childhood as a first generation American. In 1992 she co-founded a national young women’s organization, Women and Youth Supporting Each Other (WYSE). Later her work with post 9/11 displaced World Trade Center workers became the foundation of her latest project, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC-United). She has been making significant strides towards leading in the food justice movement ever since.

Jayaraman co-founded ROC-United in 2008 striving to improve the wages and working conditions of restaurant employees. One in 10 Americans work in the restaurant industry and ROC-United has led and won 13 major campaigns against high-profile restaurant companies. Seven million dollars was obtained in tips, wages, and significant policy changes for workers as Jayaraman’s triumphs continue to go off like fireworks. Incentivizing restaurant owners to create policy change and workers to speak up against improper conditions continues to motivate ROC-United.

Now Jayaraman wants to talk to you. In her acclaimed new book, Behind the Kitchen Door, Jayaraman uncovers the truth about eating out. Highlighting stories where workers with unpaid sick days equal H1N1 in our food. Her interview on Bill Maher caused an intriguing ruckus when giving a preview of the facts put forth in Behind the Kitchen Door. For the past 22 years minimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 per hour and women with children make up 70% of those earning such a trivial amount. These women serve hundreds of people a day, yet they are poverty stricken, unable to serve their own children at home. It’s statistics like these that give Jayaraman the drive and passion to make a change in this world we all live, eat, and breathe in.

SparkSF is thrilled to welcome Saru Jayaraman at our Investment Committee on June 26. Join us as we look behind the kitchen door and mobilize to create a just restaurant industry. Space is limited. Click the link below to purchase tickets. See you there!

http://sparksfkitchendoor.eventbrite.com/

 

#TweetsFromHillary, A Pussy Riot, and Mobile Mobilizing

#TweetsfromHillary, A Pussy Riot, and Mobile Mobilizing. This is your Spark News Digest.

Read, Discuss, Share.

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TECH: With Nod To Texts From Hillary Guys, Clinton Joins Twitter

The madam of memes strikes back. Hillary Clinton joined Twitter hours ago and already has over 170,000 followers. Let’s see if she has anything special to say  about 2016.

Read The Full Story 

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MEDIA: Pussy Riot Generates Outrage in Russia, Acclaim in the West

Perspective is a funny thing. The all-female Russian punk band, Pussy Riot, won worldwide notoriety for staging a pro-feminist, anti-Putin performance at an Orthodox cathedral in Moscow. This 40 second long act got two of the performers two years in a Russian labor camp. Out West, their performance got them a standing ovation. This month check out a documentary chronicling their historic trial on HBO.

Read The Full Story 

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TECH: Mobilizing A Generation Women With The World At Their Fingertips

Women take talk and text plans seriously. It’s long been thought that men rule technology, but studies show women in Western countries use technology more than men and seem to be the masters of mobile technology. Women are increasingly influential as early adopters worldwide.

Read The Full Story

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U.S. NEWS: Equal Pay Act’s 50th Anniversary Brings Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand And Marie Claire EIC Anne Fulenwider To The Table

A very, merry un-anniversary to you. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, a 1963 law which aimed to eliminate the wage gap between male and female workers. That’s great, but it didn’t work. Women still earn .77 cents to every $1 men earn. While Congress grapples with the Paycheck Fairness Act, Senators Gillibrand and Fulenwider believe women should advocate for themselves. 70% of women don’t negotiate salary and it’s time that they do.

Read The Full Story

Celebrating Women’s History Month. Spark’s News Digest

The Day, Month, and Year of Women: Spark’s News Digest

Read, Discuss and Share.

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“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights” – Gloria Steinem

March – Women’s History Month – is a our favorite time of year. It’s a time to reflect, celebrate, and move.

Over the past century, we have seen great strides in the advancement of women’s human rights.  Women are chefs and CEOs, educators and engineers, Prime Ministers and mothers. Women have more choices than ever before.  While there is still work to be done to close the equality gap, this news digest is dedicated to our movement leaders. Thank you for getting us this far. We are ready to work with you to carry us the distance.

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UNITED STATES: House Passes Violence Agaisnt Women Act 

The House approved the expanded Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act last week. Originally passed in 1994 and reauthorized since, the Act provides support for organizations that serve survivors of domestic violence. The new version increases protections of particular at-risk groups — Native Americans, undocumented immigrants, and the LGBTQ community.

Read the full story

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GLOBAL: Join Spark in asking the UN to End Rape Now

As tens of thousands took to the streets across India to express outrage over the brutal gang rape and subsequent death of a 23-year-old student in Delhi, smaller protests were held in Ohio to condemn the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, allegedly by members of small town’s beloved high school football players. Millions of women are not safe in their homes, on the streets, or the workplace. We must speak out.

Spark’s partner The Global Fund for Women along with partners in India, and activists around the globe are demanding the United Nations pressure world leaders to make ending sexual violence a top priority. Join us.

Sign the petition

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MEDIA: Makers: Women Who Make America

Did you know the single greatest impact of Title 9 is not on sports fields but in our medical and law school classrooms? We didn’t until we watched Makers. This documentary shares the story of the most sweeping social revolution in American history. Women like Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres, and Oprah Winfrey share their memories, as do countless women who challenged the status quo in industries from coal-mining to Congress. Makers captures the memories and emotion of a movement that changed America forever. 

Watch the full documentary

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INTERNATIONAL: Afghanistan’s First Female Mayor Proves Critics Wrong

The first female mayor of Nili, Azra Jafari, has been nicknamed “Mr. Mayor” by her community. At the start of her term, she received threats from a high powered mullah who later thanked her for all the work she’d done for the community.  This nickname is a sign of respect. As Afghanistan’s first and only women mayor, Jafari is determined to continue changing attitudes towards women while improving the quality of life for all in Nili.

Read the full story

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A Titan’s How To On Breaking The Glass Ceiling

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is launching a book called “Lean In,” about women finding themselves at work. In her book, Sandberg argues that women are sabotaging themselves in the workplace; “we hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in,” she writes, and the result is that “men still run the world.” She hopes the book will spur the creation of “Lean In” conscious-raising groups where women use self-awareness exercises to increase their confidence in the workplace.

Read the full story

First, Failures and Fights: Spark News Digest

Firsts in Canada, failures in entrepreneurship and fighting the good fight in Russia.  The latest and most though-provoking news findings of the past week. Here is your Spark news digest.

Read, discuss, share.

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CANADA: On Top, For Now

In Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, the first women leader and Canada’s first openly gay provincial premier was elected to office. While to many Canada may seem like the poster child for social progress, Canada lags in electing women to high office. Will this change in office help restore underlying feeling many have of lost integrity in politics?

Read the full story

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SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Women Entrepreneurs and Failure

Try, try, try again. It is said that successful entrepreneurial ventures typically fail three times before hitting success. While women have made strides in traditionally male fields like business and entrepreneurship, the way women internalize failure can be an impediment to potential success down the road. This article explains how self-assessment and perception can change the game.

Read the full story 

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Clinton Focuses Global Dialogue on Democracy, Women’s Rights (Africa)

Hillary Clinton said that in her four years as Secretary of State, she and President Obama have tried to promote foreign policy strategy where nations take more responsibility for the state of their future. When Clinton was questioned about the ongoing difficulty that women encounter as they strive for positions of importance in many countries, she called the advancement of women and girls “the cause of my life.” How will Clinton continue the advancement after stepping down as Secretary of State?

Read the full story 

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INTERNATIONAL: Syrian War Refugees Flee Sexual Violence – Aid Agency

A humanitarian emergency is emerging in Syria that could last years. Syria’s civil war is unleashing a “staggering humanitarian disaster”, sending hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries, many of them citing fear of rape. Read what’s happening to them now.

Read the full story

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INTERNATIONAL: In Russia Volunteers Step Up

Despite government control, grassroots volunteerism is taking shape in Russia. Personal initiative to help others has been fueled by social media and not so unexpectedly coincides with the rise in public political protests. Will this propel a discourse shift of civic engagement in Russia?

Read the full story